There is a place in Gaeta that almost no one manages to visit. Not because it is hidden—it is right in the town centre, just a few steps from via Faustina—but because it is only open a few months a year. It is the Bastione «La Favorita», and in September 2026 it is open six days a week, with free admission.
Those who have already visited describe it as having one of the most beautiful views in the city. Those who have never stepped inside usually found it closed.
Opening hours for September 2026
- Tuesday to Friday: 17:00 – 20:00
- Saturday and Sunday: 17:00 – 22:00
- Monday: closed
- Admission: free
These hours are more extensive than usual: in previous months, it was open only on weekends or until 20:00. The evening openings on Saturday and Sunday until 22:00 are the real highlight—it is when the gulf transitions from sunset to evening lights, and from up there, you can see it all.
Updated opening hours, a map, and directions are available on the Bastione «La Favorita» guide.
Five centuries in an embankment
Originally named Terrapieno del Corpo di Guardia, it was constructed between 1516 and 1538: its foundations were laid by Ferdinando il Cattolico, and the work was completed under Emperor Carlo V. It formed part of the new bastioned fortifications encircling Gaeta, designed for warfare that was changing: no longer high walls meant to be scaled, but low, thick masses capable of withstanding artillery.
In 1684, the ramp that still connects via Faustina to the bastion was added: that is the path up.
The place where the last kingdom was defended
One pivotal moment sets this bastion apart from all others in the city: the siege of 1860-61.
Gaeta was the final stronghold of the Regno delle Due Sicilie: King Francesco II and Queen Maria Sofia di Baviera took refuge here as the Piedmontese army tightened its siege, and it was here that the kingdom came to an end. During those months, «La Favorita»—a battery with only a few artillery pieces—carried out flanking and harbour defence duties with three 60-pounder smoothbore cannons.
The connection to that history is also physical: the Palazzo Reale on via Faustina, the very street leading up to the bastion, was purchased by the Bourbon government in 1835 and became the last residence of the rulers of Naples. The king and queen lived just tens of metres from the cannons defending the harbour.
Standing on the terrace, therefore, means taking in more than just a panoramic view: you are standing at the exact place where a state ended.
From the Marina Militare to restoration
Once its military purpose came to an end, the bastion passed to the Marina Militare, which used it for decades as an officers’ mess and club until the mid-twentieth century. Then followed years of silence.
The Comune di Gaeta acquired it in 2012 and restored it with municipal funds: the restoration concluded in 2018, and it has been open to visitors ever since. Today, the Bastione «La Favorita» is also listed among the Dimore Storiche del Lazio.
What to see
- Sixteenth-century military architecture: an intact example of a bastioned fortification, the defensive style that reshaped military architecture across Europe.
- The terrace overlooking the gulf: wide views across the Golfo di Gaeta, the harbour, and the mountains behind. At sunset, during the evening openings, the view is particularly striking.
- Exhibition spaces: the bastion hosts exhibitions, concerts, and cultural events throughout the year.
Practical information
- Where: Via Faustina 26, Gaeta — access is via the seventeenth-century ramp.
- When: September 2026, Tuesday to Friday 17:00–20:00; Saturday and Sunday 17:00–22:00. Closed on Monday.
- Admission: free.
- Contact: segreteriabastionefavorita@gmail.com — tel. 351 763 9968
A tip: if you can choose, visit on a Saturday or Sunday evening. These are the only two evenings it remains open until 22:00, and the difference between seeing the gulf at six in the evening and seeing it after dark with the lights on is well worth it.
Not sure what else is open in town today? Ask Enea: he knows the up-to-date hours for all attractions in Gaeta and answers at any time.
