Twilight over Baia Domizia

On the Gulf of Gaeta lies the fertile Garigliano Plain, framed to the north by the Monti Aurunci, to the east by Roccamonfina and to the southwest by the mountain range near Mondragone. The dark soils of the plain grow a lot of vegetables, especially tomatoes (which we then find in all varieties as preserves in our supermarkets) or lettuce; along the coast, you can walk along magnificent black sand beaches.

The slopes of the former shield volcano Roccamonfina are covered with dense chestnut forests; of its original 3000 m height, 1000 m remain today. This height is sufficient for a great view over the coast and inland to the Monti del Matese and, on a clear day, to Vesuvius, especially when visiting the Santuario di Santa Maria di Lattini monastery.

Near the town of Baia Domizia on the coast, there’s a well-run campsite that can serve as a base for excursions into this northernmost part of Campania; while the area has fewer highlights than the more southerly regions with Naples, the Palace of Caserta, the Amphitheatre of Capua or Pompeii and Herculaneum, Sorrento or the Amalfi Coast, it still possesses an authentic Southern Italian charm.