The suburbs here were built in the twentieth century, with gardens and villas in the shade of tall umbrella pines, and the atmosphere is leafy and a little dated, like a resort for families who had cars before most people did. This is the end of a ride from Terminillo, and it is an easy ride in, mostly straight and quick.
What lies around is the interesting part. A few kilometres south-west is the Castel Porziano estate, a huge stretch of Mediterranean forest and dune that belongs to the Italian presidency and is mostly closed to the public, where cork oak, holm oak and pine shelter wild boar and deer, and the coastline is one of the last stretches of unspoilt sand near Rome. Beyond the pines of Castelfusano is the sea, and to the north is the old Roman port town of Ostia Antica, with its theatre, shops and apartment blocks, one of the best-preserved Roman towns anywhere.
The road is a dull pleasure. The Colombo is a wide dual carriageway with fast cars, many traffic lights and heavy summer traffic of families heading to the beaches on Sundays. Take care at the junctions, where scooters cut across and roots from the pines have buckled the surface at the edges. The side roads are quiet and shaded, and the sea air is noticeably cooler, which in summer is a relief. In winter the beach towns are almost empty, and a ride out to the sea for a coffee and a sunset is a pleasant detour.
You are in a district of more than thirty thousand people, so fuel, shops and restaurants are everywhere. On the way to the coast, many roadside places grill fish or serve fried seafood, and a paper cone of fried anchovies is a good snack. Be careful of the speed cameras on the Colombo, which are common, and keep to the limits. Take your time over the last kilometres, and let the pines and the smell of the sea clear your head.