Gaeta Urban Trail

A trail inside the city

The Gaeta Urban Trail was born in 2024 from a simple yet brilliant idea: bringing trail running into the urban fabric of Gaeta, in the province of Latina, southern Lazio. The result is a hybrid course where asphalt quickly gives way to cobblestones, staircases, and dirt paths, and where elevation is gained not in the mountains, but by climbing from sea level toward the promontory that dominates the gulf.

The formula was a success from its very first edition on October 6, 2024, and was solidified in 2025 with the addition of the Longevity Run. In just a few years, the event has become one of the most recognizable autumn fixtures in the Lazio running scene, attracting athletes from across the region and neighboring Campania.

The course: 12.5 kilometers, 350 meters of elevation gain

The competitive race covers 12.5 kilometers with 350 meters of positive elevation gain. It starts on Via Annunziata, in the Gaeta Vecchia district, and traverses the medieval historic center with its churches, stone portals, and narrow passages that suddenly open up to the sea. The second half of the route enters the Monte Orlando Regional Urban Park: here the terrain turns into a trail, the Mediterranean scrub closes in overhead, and scenic stretches follow one another all the way to the Mausoleum of Lucius Munatius Plancus.

It is a technical course rather than a fast one: steps, surface changes, and short but steep climbs demand a variable pace and reward those who know how to manage gradients. It is not a course designed for records, and that is precisely its identity.

The Longevity Run

Alongside the competitive race, the Longevity Run takes place—a non-competitive walk-run of about 5 kilometers open to all, part of a national circuit promoted to raise awareness about prevention and healthy aging. It is the most inclusive part of the event: families, walkers, and casual athletes cover a shorter, gentler version of the same route, without a stopwatch or rankings.

Sport, health, and heritage

The Gaeta Urban Trail is more than just a race. Previous editions have complemented the running with free medical check-ups and cardiac monitoring offered by healthcare professionals, free guided tours of the Sea Museum at Palazzo della Cultura led by students from the Caboto Nautical Institute, historical-artistic insights into the village, and a charity dinner in the former convent of Palazzo Nari. Sunday afternoon is traditionally dedicated to music, awards ceremonies, and a food party featuring local products.

Gaeta, the gulf, and the promontory

Gaeta is one of the most scenic spots on the Lazio coast: a promontory closing off the gulf of the same name, a layered medieval village, the Sanctuary of the Split Mountain (Montagna Spaccata), and the beaches of Serapo and Ariana. Running here in October means enjoying mild temperatures, soft light over the sea, and a city less crowded than in the summer months. The event is organized by A.S.D. Polisportiva Gaeta 1931 under the patronage of the Municipality of Gaeta, the Lazio Region, and the Chamber of Commerce of Frosinone and Latina, in collaboration with FIDAL.

Who can participate

• Competitive race: FIDAL members and recognized sports promotion bodies, Junior, Promising, Senior, and Master categories, men and women.
• Longevity Run: open to everyone, including walkers, with no membership requirements.
• Awards for top overall finishers and age categories.