
Fregene: from Sordi to Mondaini, the timeless charm that still captivates
Fregene, the coastal village near Rome, remains a destination where cinema's golden age meets contemporary beach culture. Maurizio Mastino, second-generation owner of the family fish establishment at Villaggio dei Pescatori, continues a tradition begun over sixty years ago by his father Ignazio, serving generations of artists and writers. The area has hosted Alberto Sordi during filming of The White Sheik, Sandra Mondaini (who ordered a kilo of clams already shelled), Marlon Brando, and Klaus Kinski. Today, Fregene blends nostalgia with modern leisure: foreign tourists now rent cars to escape central Rome's heat, drawn by establishments like Singita, the beach club founded in 2002 by Claudia Serafini and two partners from Milan. Singita has since expanded to Marina di Ravenna, Argentario, and Malta, offering sunset rituals and visits from celebrities including Jason Momoa and Christina Aguilera. Among regular patrons are Lazio players Gustav Isaksen and Oliver Provstgaard, and Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Beach loungers cost from €60 for a canopied spot to €7 for a simple sunbed. Other dining institutions include La Baia, a seafood trattoria specializing in risotto alla macchia mediterranea, and La Scialuppa by the Maduli family. The village remains anchored by its literary heritage—Alberto Moravia's former home overlooks the Arrone river—where past and present coexist seamlessly.

