Did ancient Rome have beaches?

But not only the rich spent their holidays in the Gulf of Naples. Ordinary, average Roman citizens also came here. They could spend time in public bathing areas and beaches and in spas (hot springs). It was possible to rent a small boat and go to the sea.



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Less well-heeled Romans were also drawn to the Gulf, going to Tibur (now Tivoli), Antium (now Anzio) and Baiae, now sunken at the bottom of the sea. This was not a classic seaside vacation in today's sense. People did splash around on the beach but were mainly interested in the healing springs in the thermal baths.

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The most popular tourist regions during ancient Rome were: Greece, Egypt and Asia Minor (Syria and Palestine). The Romans travelled mainly east to explore what was the old world for them. The people of the provinces, in turn, fled to Rome to see the capital of the Empire.

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Roman baths were not just a place to get clean. They were much more like the leisure centres we have today, and would have been places for eating, shopping and games too. Some of this was likely unisex, but the bathing aspect was usually segregated by gender.

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