Now we are getting near summer, I am very much looking forward to visiting my favourite beach near Rome, the Villaggio dei Pescatori in Fregene and more precisely Singita, the Miracle Beach, No 1 night spot in Fregene according to TripAdvisor!

The Villaggio dei Pescatori is not at first glance the most picturesque seaside spot on earth. Its featureless flatness and slight scruffiness are a bit off-putting. Despite this, it is a place you can definitely come to appreciate.

In fact the one-storey former fishermen’s homes that line the shore are protected by a preservation order so there is very little offensive development in the area – it’s just that what is already there is not that picturesque!

There are a lot of good and also reasonably priced fish restaurants just off the beach, and once on the beach there is plenty of room for all on a long stretch of golden sand. You can either throw down a towel on the free area or opt to sit near one of the beach bars where you can hire umbrellas and sun loungers. The best time is during the week as it gets a bit more crowded at weekend.

Bar Singita is my favourite bar. It serves good food by day and by night -in common with a lot of things in Italy – some sort of magic is worked to make you forget about the scruffy hinterland as the light fades. White cloths are spread on the sand, candles are lit, jugs of mojitos are prepared, the chill-out music is turned up a notch and the beautiful people of Rome start to appear on the beach for an evening aperitivo after work as the sun sets over the sea.

My friend Paola and I meet in Fregene as often as we can in summer. She went there last week and told me that, amazingly enough, the beach is a carpet of spring flowers at the moment.