Circeo National Park, Protected coastal area in Lazio, Italy
Circeo National Park is a coastal protected area in the Province of Latina, Lazio, that stretches across the southern section of the Tyrrhenian shore. The territory includes a limestone promontory, four coastal lakes, sand dunes, and the dense Selva di Circe forest with a branching network of trails through Mediterranean vegetation.
The government established the protected area in 1934 to preserve the remaining sections of the Pontine Marshes during their drainage period. This decision saved the plain forests and wetlands from the large-scale agricultural conversion that transformed much of the surrounding landscape.
The name derives from the mythical sorceress Circe, who according to ancient tradition lived along this stretch of coast. Today you can see references to this connection everywhere, from the place names along the shore to depictions of the figure in small regional museums.
Several hiking trails lead through the forest and along the lakes, where migratory birds can often be seen between autumn and spring. The caves on the promontory can be reached via marked paths that pass through partly rocky terrain.
The plain forest here is considered the largest of its kind in Italy and hosts temporary marshes that form in autumn among cork oaks, Turkish oaks, and bay laurels. These wetlands disappear again in summer, creating a shifting habitat for many animal species.
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