Gaeta
Gaeta: Discover its history and traditions
The discovery of Gaeta begins immersed in the lively atmosphere of a typical Neapolitan pastry shop on Via Indipendenza, a pedestrian street dotted with local craft shops, cozy bars and fruit and vegetable stalls run by local women.
After this delicious breakfast, we head towards the evocative Montagna Spaccata, known for its three cracks that make it a very popular place of worship and pilgrimage, especially by Gaetan emigrants who return here during the summer to reconnect with their roots. Descending the 35 steps from the Sanctuary of the Holy Trinity, you will come across the Chapel of the Crucifix, the destination of numerous pilgrimages, where you can admire the imprint of a hand and an inscription in Latin engraved on the rock face, linked to the story of a Turkish sailor skeptical about the sacred origins of the mountain’s cracks.
For lunch, we indulge in the tasting of the typical “tiella”, a savory pie with two sheets filled with octopus, anchovies, escarole, Gaeta olives, cod, onions and zucchini, a typical dish of fishermen that accompanied their long ocean crossings and which still represents a symbol of local gastronomy. Even in Sète, France, “tiella” has become a renowned dish thanks to the emigrants from Gaeta.
Exploring Medieval Gaeta
In the afternoon, we immerse ourselves in the medieval history of Gaeta by visiting the Sanctuary of the S.S. Annunziata and the famous “Golden Chapel”, with its finely worked wooden decorations covered in pure gold. We continue the visit to the Cathedral, one of the many churches of Gaeta, and to the evocative Temple of San Francesco, from which you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the city and the sea.
The route continues with a walk along the seafront named after Giovanni Caboto, a famous navigator born in Gaeta who discovered Canada. Finally, to end this unforgettable day, we head to a restaurant by the sea where a dinner full of unique flavors awaits us, with fish soups prepared with local varieties such as “tracine”, “scorpion fish”, “sconcigli”, “snails”, accompanied by clams, mussels, clams, octopus, cuttlefish, squid, scampi and prawns.
