Hiking through Gaeta, Italy

Gaeta, Italy is a city in Lazio in central Italy, 75 miles south of Rome. It is set on a promontory stretching towards the Gulf of Gaeta. The town has played a conspicuous part in military history with fortifications dating back to Roman times.
A small group of us did an all morning hike starting in the Medieval Quarter and proceeding up and around Monte Orlando to the top. Along the way we had excellent views of the city and the surrounding area.
Our descent brought us back to the Medieval Quarter where we thoroughly enjoyed some late morning coffee and an Italian pastry.
 

Panorama of New Gaeta with Serapo Beach on the left (west) & the Gaeta Harbor on the right (east), taken from a point mid-way up Monte Orlando (which separates New Gaeta on the west from the Medieval Quarter on the east)

Located less than 1 mile (1.6 km) from the downtown area, Serapo is Gaeta’s main beach; it won a Blue Flag designation in 2015 from the Foundation for Environmental Education that the beach meets stringent standards for safety

The view of New Gaeta looking out towards Gaeta Harbor is punctuated by the tower of city hall

Looking west past the promontory point in Parco Regionale Monte Orlando on our hike to the top of the mountain

Closed when we hiked by on the way up the mountain, the inside of Museo Ferdinando was quite photogenic

A view of Gaeta Harbor and New Gaeta from the top of Monte Orlando

Our Ship anchored in Gaeta Harbor with the plaza in front of Chiesa St. Francesco in the foreground