Supino
In our small town there are 4665 inhabitants in an area of 35km² (as of 2022). Here you will find two tabaccherias, a small supermarket called Conad, a pastry shop, a butcher, a bar, pizza restaurants and many small streets that you should definitely see. However, you have to be good on foot because most of the paths lead steeply uphill.
Santa Serena
You can reach Santa Serena in about ten minutes. A good road for Italian standards leads up the mountain, with lots of hairpin bends, but the drive there is definitely worth it. The view you have on the way up is fantastically beautiful. The parking lot is at the end of the street. From then on you can only continue on foot. You can walk endlessly long and far between the cows and horses and, apart from the animals ringing bells, you hear next to nothing here. You can also grill here, there are separate fireplaces. Camping is also allowed. Taking your dog for a walk is also possible without a leash if you have your four-legged friend under control and on call. He can really let off steam here. We are often up there with our four-legged friends, constantly looking for new paths and once we managed to climb one of the endless mountains. On a good day you can also see the sea from up there.
Frosinone
Frosinone is the closest town where you can find everything you need. All hardware stores, a large shopping center, restaurants, a small shopping street, shops that you probably know from home (Teddy's, Lidl) and those that you absolutely have to see from the inside (Panda, Orizzonte).
Restaurants
We have a really good pizzeria in Supino, but we don't visit it often because we have a pizza oven ourselves. But sometimes, when we don't enjoy cooking, it's enjoyable. In Frosinone you will find, among other things, a McDonald's, a Burgerking and a Western BBQ. There you can eat really good burgers and incredibly good spare ribs if you've had enough of Italian cuisine. However, the quality is typically Italian - everything from salad to meat is fresh and tastes fantastic. One day a week there is a free children's menu with every adult menu. We only know this because we were there once on that exact day and the place resembled a children's playground :-)
There is also a Chinese restaurant, we have tried it several times and it tastes really good. We haven't been to the sushi restaurant yet because - much to my husband's chagrin - I don't like sushi, but maybe he'll try it out for our future guests.
The sea to the south
It takes about an hour to drive until you get to the nearest beach. However, there are different sections and each has its own charm. The beaches we visited are Gaeta, Sperlonga, Terraccina and Sabaudia. In summer, these places - just like everywhere else by the sea - are quite crowded. With the exception of Sabaudia, dogs are not allowed to visit any section. There is a really short area there that you can visit with your four-legged friend. However, the dog must be on a leash and may only be left off the leash in the water - with an accompanying person. Loungers, umbrellas and water for the dog are free because the dog is the guest here and not the owner. There is also a Dixie toilet there. Otherwise, it's better to take something to drink with you, you won't find anything quickly and nearby and if you do, then your dog isn't allowed there either. I don't really like the beach section, but it's ok for a short visit with my four-legged friend. In the low season, however, all of the places mentioned are a dream. No tourists, hardly any people in general, the dogs are allowed to go everywhere - that's really great for us. It's not just our three favorites who enjoy this.
The sea to the north
In the other direction, Rome, there is the perfect dog beach. The organization supports an animal shelter and therefore the entrance fee for a one-time visit is really expensive. But: The dog should be taken off the leash immediately upon entry; it can run around and romp around as much as it wants. We've been there several times, the dogs were all great and played together in the sand and water. The food there is also quite ok, vegetarian, but you can always find something to satisfy your hunger. With the one-time entry, the annual fee is paid, so if you want to go again at another time, you will only be charged the fees for umbrella and lounger and they are not that expensive.
The rest of the huge stretch of beach is full of bars and hotels and restaurants. We haven't visited any of it yet because you're not allowed in there with a dog, but it all looks very nice from the outside. And you shouldn't miss a sunset there.
Valmontone
In Valmontone you can find the Magic Land Rainbow. This isn't just great for children. We went there a few times this summer with family and friends. The entrance fee isn't that cheap (it's better to organize tickets online, as the entrance fee usually costs less), but you can ride on (almost) all of the attractions for free. Only the haunted houses have to be paid extra. The water rides are really wonderful, especially in summer. It's best to just put on your bathing suit, as you'll get really wet. There are also plenty of restaurants and places where you can eat. The prices are typical for theme parks. We haven't visited the Aqua Park right next to it yet. The reviews online really didn't sound good. Magic Land is open until 11 p.m. in summer. In the other months, various festivals take place here. There is an “Oktoberfest” (not recommended), Halloween specials (recommended) and also a Christmas market, which we still have to test.
At the same exit you will find an outlet center with really great shops. Brands that you know and also typically Italian. The shops are open until 9 p.m.
Lago di Canterno
We go to this lake very often, simply because the dogs have a lot of fun running around there. You can walk around the entire lake, closer to the water in autumn and spring because the water level is naturally lower. Since this beautiful place is declared a nature reserve, you are not allowed to swim there. So generally don't go into the water at all. This is controlled. However, the dogs are allowed in and really enjoy it. If you have your dog under control, you won't get any nasty looks when he runs around without a leash. However, cyclists and other walkers are not very happy when dogs run towards them and possibly even jump at them. There is a restaurant by the lake, right by the parking lot. There is always a barbecue there at lunchtime and in the evening. We haven't tried it yet but it always smells amazing. But you should definitely take something to drink with you when hiking around the lake. We didn't do that once. And that was the last time we forgot. In summer it is really hot there and half of the lake is not shaded. A lot of trees have already been put in, but by the time they reach the size to provide shade, we'll probably be too old to take hours-long walks there.
Hawaii Park Cassino
We discovered Hawaii Park by chance and it takes a little over an hour to drive there. This is a really big area with a few slides and a large pool that has music playing all the time. Above the pool there is a kind of stage where entertainers always dance along and encourage the bathers to dance. Attention: There is a lunch break from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and at this time all guests are basically obliged to eat - there is a ban on slipping and swimming in the pool. You can take food with you, and there are plenty of places to sit and eat away from your own berths. The food in the restaurant is ok, as is usual in swimming areas. We've spent a few days there and it's always been really great. The slide with the tires is particularly brilliant, but also the one where you fall down 90 degrees. The children enjoyed the day there and we adults had a lot of fun too.
