Named in 2017 Natural Monument by the Lazio Region, Frasca is an area of great archaeological and landscape value, a few kilometers from Civitavecchia, where you can enjoy a beach full of small bays and creeks and a sea ideal for snorkeling thanks to a beautiful rocky bottom, rich in numerous species of fish, crustaceans, rare molluscs, corals and where you can meet sea turtles. Here they find an ideal place for migratory stops and nesting more than 45 species of birds. You can walk in the cool coastal pine forest and discover interesting evidence of ancient presences: the the site of Cappelletto, with the remains of a Roman residence of the first century BC, with mosaic floors, thermal plant and environments for processing fish and storing goods;the ancient Rapinium or port of Columna, a Roman port settlement located on a pre-existing prehistoric settlement, and the remains of a Roman villa with numerous finds including amphorae, coins and fish hooks, currently kept at the National Archaeological Museum of Civitavecchia.. Above all, you can recognize the walls of the ancient Roman fish ponds that, even today, ensure a continuous water exchange through communicating channels. Finally, to the north, you will meet the remains of Torre Bertalda or Sant’Agostino, built in the sixteenth century over a similar medieval structure, with the function of a watchtower and defense.
A curiosity: the name frasca derives from the use that in the past fishermen made of branches (branches) placed vertically in the middle of the sea to signal the landings for boats. In case of poor visibility the branches were set on fire to illuminate the path to boats in difficulty.
