Lido di Ostia

Today is another beach day!  This time we decided to stay local.  The hotel was very generous in again giving us beach towels. The receptionist recommended the local free beach but we decided to go to a private one, where we could hire an umbrella and sunloungers. Today without a cabin the cost was €20 but yesterday it was €10. Walking the beach later in the evening, I was glad that we made that choice - the public beach looked unkempt with graffiti everywhere. 

The temperature was in the late 20s but a sea breeze made it very pleasant indeed. The sea here was less choppy than the the sea yesterday. Young people  were frolicking around in the water 

and nuns in habits were bathing their feet. 

We spent 7 very relaxing hours there. 

Having showered and dressed, we adjourned to the same bar on the Piazza that we had frequented the previous evening. 

Later we repaired to La Gnoccheria , the most highly recommended restaurant in Ostia, closed Sunday and Monday as we discovered on our first evening! 

The restaurant was worthy of its rave reviews. The waitress was passionate and knowledgeable about her food and wines. We chose one starter and two main courses - the starter was both generous and utterly delicious - it could have sufficed

but two more plates followed - their famous Gnocchi with pistachio 

and a red pasta coloured by tomatoes with most unusual cheese. 

We couldn’t finish them!! She recommended a wine 

which was truly delicious if a little warm for us - the Italians appear to serve their wines rather warm - a steal at €18 a bottle! 

We returned to the hotel - another great day!!