Civitavecchia, Italy

The only reason to break a journey in CIVITAVECCHIA, 30km north of Cerveteri, is to catch a ferry to Sardinia for details of crossings). The docks are in the city centre at the end of Viale Garibaldi beside the Forte Michelangelo, ten-minutes' walk from the train station. Beware of taxis (both legal and otherwise) lurking at the port and train station. They charge outrageous prices to shuttle you and your luggage around town. If you're planning on staying the night, it's best to arrange a pick up with your hotel; note also that the port has a left luggage office (Pier 18–20).

There is a tourist office inside the Forte Michelangelo (Tel:0766.20.299; Mon– Sat 9am–1pm). Heading northeast from here, Corso Centocelle is lined with cafés, restaurants and shops. Just above the fortress in Piazza Vittorio, COTRAL buses depart for Cerveteri, Tarquinia, and Viterbo. Free regular shuttles whisk passengers from the tourist office to the departure piers. Ferry tickets are sold at Piers 18-20; travel agents in town can make reservations (essential in the summer months) for a fee. Should you get stuck downtown, try the Hotel Traiano at Via F. Filzi 1 (Tel:0766.544.282, Web: www.hoteltraiano.com ; Price: € 126-150), or, failing that, the basic and convenient Hotel Traghetto on Via Braccianese Claudia 4 (Tel:0766.25.920, Web: www.hoteltraghetto.it ; Price: € 51-75), which is 300m from the port. As for eating, Trattoria Sora Maria, off Largo Plebiscito on Via Zara 14 (closed Wed; Tel:0766.32.945), is known for its fish dishes; for quick sandwiches and pizzas, try Vapoforno around the corner on Via Regina Elena 16 (closed Sun eve).