Civitavecchia Rome Cruise Port Guide

Civitavecchia is one of the busiest cruise ports in the Mediterranean, as it is the gateway to Rome.

The city of Rome is located approximately 80km away to the northwest of the eternal city.

For first-time visitors, Rome is often the tour of choice.

In this guide, we’re going to look at what there is to see and do both in the port area and in Rome, respectively.

Cruise ships dock mainly at mainly docks number 10, 12 Bis Sud, 12 Bis Nord, 25 and at the new Amerigo Vespucci Terminal.

Ferries and other vessels dock at Terminal Traghetti: ADM (Autostrade Del Mare).

Read also: The Best Hotels near Civitavecchia Port

Civitavecchia Cruise Terminals

There are several berths available for cruise ships and Civitavecchia town centre is within walking distance, however, it’s quite a substantial walk.

All cruise ship piers are located along the Cristoforo Colombo antemurale (over 3 km long). Except pier 25 which is located on the opposite side of the antemurale C. Colombo.

Civitavecchia has several cruise terminals and they are:

• Quay 10
• Quay 11
• Quay 12 – Bramante
• Terminal Amerigo Vespucci / 12
• Quay 13 – 13 bis
• Cruise Terminal 25

Getting to Civitavecchia Cruise Port

You easily can get to your terminal by hotel shuttle, taxi, private transfer or by free shuttle bus.

These free shuttle buses are often running back and forth between each terminal and the port gates at Largo della Pace service center throughout the day.

There is also a special direct service that connects the Civitavecchia train station with the cruise ship docks and vice versa. Depending on traffic, the ride takes about 15 minutes.

There is normally a bus every 20-25 minutes, but it depends on traffic and passenger pickup/drop-off.

Service is exclusive to cruise ship passengers and costs 6 euros. Ticket can be purchased on board. This bus service runs from 7:00am/7:30am to 6:30pm/07:00pm, only on cruise ship departure/arrival days.

From Leonardo da Vinci International Airport

Rome’s Fiumicino airport (Leonardo da Vinci) has its own train station, making things a little easier when making your journey to the port.

Board a train at the airport for the city of Rome, alighting at Trastevere Station, and simply board a train that is heading for Civitavecchia. This journey takes approx. 1 hour and 45 minutes, but it can hit the 2-hour mark.

Private transfers are also an option, but they will be more expensive.

Getting to Civitavecchia from Rome Ciampino Airport

Rome Ciampino airport is connected with the Ciampino station by shuttle bus ATRAL, also making it easy to get to your ultimate destination.

Board the ATRAL that connects the airport to the station. Once you arrive at the station, board the train for Roma Termini. Once you arrive at Roma Termini, board your final train that will take you to Civitavecchia port.

This last part of the journey takes around 45-minutes for a Freccia Bianca train and 1 hour 20 minutes on the Intercity.

As above, private transfers are also an option, but they will be more expensive.

Private Transportation

There are several companies offering private transportation between both International airports and the Civitavecchia cruise port.

The advantage of this service that you don’t have to wait in a long line of cabs or shared shuttles.

Your driver will wait for you at an appointed time and you will travel comfortably to your destination. Private shuttles can be booked to take you to/from a Civitavecchia (Rome) hotel to the terminal and airport.

Check fares for Private Transportation to Cruise Port

Port of Civitavecchia Parking

There are 3 parking lots in the Port of Civitavecchia: the Bramante parking lot, the Cruise parking lot (reserved for MSC customers) and the Nord parking lot. These parking lots are connected to the free shuttle service that allows you to arrive at the dock easily and without wasting time.

You can leave your car directly in the port area during your cruise. Cost for 1 week parking at the port is 75.60 euro.

Bramante is an automated parking lot open 24h/7 days per week, located in the historic harbor, near the Fort Michelangelo. The parking lot has 175 parking spaces for cars. If you use Google Maps or Waze simply type “Parcheggio Bramante Civitavecchia“.

The MSC Cruise Parking lot is situated near terminal 25. It’s reserved for MSC passengers and has 275 parking spaces. GPS; type “Parcheggio Cruise Civitavecchia“.

The Nord Parking is for ferry passengers. More info.

Useful Information About Civitavecchia For Cruise Passengers

Organised excursions for those calling into Civitavecchia for one day and hoping to go to Rome will be plenty, your cruise line will have several options available for you to pick.

Of course, given the duration of these days (often 10 hours or more) and the distance to and from the city, the safest option to avoid missing your ship is to book with your cruise line.

However, if you do wish to explore Rome on your own, you can take a train from Civitavecchia train station. We would recommend the InterCity service as it is slightly faster, but there are other options available that are cheaper.

If you do decide to go under your own steam, we highly recommend that you spend some time before your cruise planning out your day.

Some monuments are easily within walking distance of each other, where-as others may require a short cab ride or public bus journey in order to reach.

Having a schedule set out in advance will allow you to make the very best of your time in Rome, and maybe even allow you some souvenir shopping before returning to the port and your awaiting ship.

Mc Donald’s in Civitavecchia (just outside the port entrance) offers free Wi-Fi.

Best Time to Visit and Cruise from Civitavecchia?

Spring and summer months are the most popular times for in-transit ships and embarking passengers, but these are also the busiest times to visit the city of Rome.

Some cruise lines do operate sailings in the Mediterranean, in the autumn and late winter months and although air temperatures are much cooler, most sites are far less crowded.

Where to Stay Near the Port?

If you are joining your ship in Civitavecchia, then there are several accommodations a short distance from the port.

Some are perfectly located within walking distance of the free shuttle service. Other hotels are slightly further away but the cruise terminals are easily accessible by an affordable shuttle. You can choose between ocean view rooms with balcony, budget friendly rooms or another option is to stay in a charming bed and breakfast.

However we suggest you spend a night or 2 in Rome, instead of spending that time in the port area, simply because there is so much more that you can see and do.

Rome is bursting with a variety of hotels to suit and budget and these are a few of the ones we would suggest. Remember, Rome is a large place, so although these hotels are all located within the city limits, they may not necessarily be within walking distance of the monuments that you would like to see – it always pays to do some research ahead of time on what will work best for you, overall.

Things to see and do in Civitavecchia

Forte Michelangelo – This is actually part of the port area and you’ll likely be dropped off right outside it by the shuttle bus. It was built in 1537 to protect the port area. It’s surrounded by a man-made stream-type body of water that lights up at night and looks stunning.

Civitavecchia National Archaeological Museum – The museum sits on three levels and the building itself dates back to 1700 Pope Clement XIII. Records on show are from the dawns of civilization, during the Ancient times, right through until the Middle Ages.

Taurine Baths – located roughly 5km from Civitavecchia, the Taurine Baths, also known as the Baths of Trajan, are well-worth visiting. You must also visit the nearby Ficoncella Thermal Baths.

Things to see and do in Rome

Colosseum – Also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, this is one of the most-recognised ancient sites in all of Rome. Construction began in AD 72 and was completed in AD 80. At the time, it was the largest amphitheatre ever built, being able to hold up to 80,000 spectators.

St Peter’s Basilica – The world’s largest Basilica of Christianity and another of Italy’s world-famous landmarks, located inside the Vatican City. St. Peter’s is the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture and the largest church in the world.

Pantheon – A former Roman temple and now a church, the Pantheon was rebuilt by emperor Hadrian in roughly 126 AD.

Trevi Fountain – The Trevi fountain stands at 26.3 metres tall and 49.15 wide and it was designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi. It’s one of Rome’s most-visited sites and legend has it that if you throw a coin from your right hand over your left shoulder into the fountain, you will one day return to the eternal city.

Roman Forum – Also known by its Latin name ‘Forum Romanum’, it is surrounded by the ruins of several hugely important government buildings from ancient times.

Vatican Museums – Public art and sculpture museums within the Vatican City and displaying works from the Catholic Church. The art museum is home to some of the most important Renaissance masterpieces in the world.

Sistine Chapel – The official residence of the Pope, originally known as the Cappella Magna. Located within the Vatican City.

Piazza Navona – Built on the site of the Stadium of Domitial and built in the 1st century AD. This is a public space within Rome.

Spanish Steps – Located between Piazza di Spagna and Piazza Trinità dei Monti, the steps are dominated by the Trinità dei Monti church, which sits at the top of the stairs. There are 135 steps in total.

Saint Peter’s Square – This is the plaza area which is located in front of St Peter’s Basilica. At the very centre of the square sits an Egyptian obelisk which was placed in 1586.

Alter of the Fatherland – A national monument built in honour of Victor Emmanuell 11, the first king of unified Italy. It is also known as the Victor Emmanuell II National Monument.

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(Latest update December 26th 2023)

Please contact us if any information is incorrect or not up-to-date.