Lazio

A special region with beaches, lots of archaeology and greatness, and Rome in its centre

Once you have been to Rome, you will always find good reason to go back. The Trevi fountain, the Colosseo, the Forum Romanum, Vatican city: very well known, one visit does not suffice.

And when you have really “done” all the sights, you still need days just to savour the atmosphere, to shop, browse through the flea-markets, e.g. the one of Trastevere, sit on terrace drinking espresso, wine or beer, discover little restaurants, cycle along the Via Appia, or to do a cooking course. Rome is a city to be experienced, and does not allow itself to be caught easily.

The rich Roman past

Rome, the capital city of Italy, with its countless works of art and its rich history, is the number one place to visit in Lazio, but there is much more to discover and enjoy in this region. Lazio has interesting cities such as Viterbo, of Etruscan origin. Ostia Antica and Tivoli have interesting Roman ruins, taking you back centuries. There are also beautiful lakes, each with their own, special charm, such as the Lago di Bracciano, where Tom Cruise celebrated his wedding.

When you leave the city of Rome, you soon reach the district of the Castelli Romani, so called because of its Roman castles, and the mountains of the Prenestini and Lepini with archaeological sites, historical abbeys, medieval villages and baroque villas. The region has many famous wines. You will enjoy the fresh air and rural beauty and the sea is never far away. Try out the local restaurants. You will not find them in any guide, but they will titillate the palate.

And if you are interested to celebrate your own wedding party in the spectacular Castle in Bracciano, like Tom Cruise………you only have to ask us……

 

Food and fountains

The simple restaurants, the “fraschette”, will offer you pecorino cheese, grilled pork from Ariccia, the classic bucatini dall’ amatricia (spaghetti with bacon, tomatoes, chilli peppers and pecorino cheese), home-made bread and home reared lamb, with excellent local wines. Lazio has many annual festivals, such as the Sagra dell’ Uva, the festival of the grapes in Marino, when the fountains squirt wine, or the festival of the Corpus Domini in Genzano, when the main street is covered with flowers in a riot of colours. In Viterbo, the Macchina de Santa Rosa, a tower of about 30 metres high, is carried yearly through the narrow streets by about 150 inhabitants.

Lazio “underground”

When you visit Viterbo you can get acquainted with Tuscia, the land of the Etruscans.

You will find traces of this very old culture in Norchia and Castel d’ Asso where you should visit the ‘Tomb of the Queen’, with its grotto and enormous labyrinth of tunnels and corridors. In nearby Tarquinia there are more than 6000 painted tombs

Aristocratic villas

The Romans, so close to their capital, put a firm mark on the region, but there are also many medieval villages and small towns to enjoy. Sutri, Calcata, Labro, Farfa and Sarmoneta are all situated on strategic points along hilltops.

But Lazio has yet another special point of interest, where architecture, history and landscape meet in harmony: the aristocratic villas. There are a great many summer residences of the nobility and many a Pope, who fled the fierce Roman summer heat to enjoy some cooler country air. Some villas have been rebuilt into very exclusive hotels. Do not miss the Villa Adriana in Tivoli, the Villa Aldobrandini in Frascati and the fantastic garden, the Giardino di Ninfa – the garden of the nymphs – in Bagnaia.

Starting in Rome you can make many interesting trips to other parts of Lazio, but of course it is possible the other way round. From a location in Lazio you can easily “do” a day in Rome and enjoy your evening in the much fresher air of the country side. Train connections are good and reasonably prized. There are some large car parks on the outskirts of Rome from where you can take a bus or train into the city centre.

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