DISCOVERING NEPTUNE

The flrst inhabitants of Nettuno were fugitives from "Antium", a quite near little town that was raided and sacked by the Goths after the fall of the Roman Empire .
These fugitives settled nearby the temple of God Neptune and called their fortificatlon in honour of him "Nettuno"
In the course of the years the coast had been repeatedly attacked by the Saracens, but the inhabitants olded on and populated from time to time more and more of that area. The contact with the Saracens greatly characterized the culture of the people and after the Saracens' definite withdrawal, several custom and traditions had been assumed and partly kept to this every day.
About 700 years ago, the young prince Corradin of Swabia, grandson of Frederick II, landed on the shores of Nettuno in his despeate attempt to escape from his persecuer Charles of Anjou and sought asylum in the tower fortiflcation "Torre Astura". Altought picking him up at first, the landlord Giovanni Frangipane handed the young prince over to King Charles who subsequently beheaded him publically in Naples. Gregorius describes the "Torre Astura" as the tower of Romance and the seat of German poetry in Italy.
From the 12th century Nettuno begame feoff of the Tuscolani popes and consequently of the Orsin and Colonna families, and then, under Alex VI, property of the Borgias.
After being instructed by Pope Alex to build a fortiflcation o defend the coast against the frequent attacks by the saracene pirates, Antonio da Sangallo erected the Sangallo fort according the plans of his brother Giuliano. By 1594 Nettuno changed its feudal lord twice: After the Borgia-era it fell into the hands of Carafa, only to become finally Colonna-property again. Remarkable under a historical and religious point of view is the rescue of the shrine of our Lady of Grace in the year 1550. Rescued during in iconoclastic persecution under Henry VIII and surviving a shipwrek in front of the coast of Nettuno, the wooden statue consequently begame the inhabitant's patroness.
Situated 60 km to the south of Rome, Nettuno is a little town straight by the sea, offering a vast range of tourist facilites.
Lovely beaches and unpolluted water are a real temptation, and the green space with modern leisure centres invite to stayin. Also the modern Yacht arbour is a beautiful place for evening-promenades.
At the and you will never get border in Nettuno especially during the summer the turist office, the so-called "PRO LOCO", organizes several historical, folcloristic and sporting event.