All roads lead to Rome and … across Lazio!
A sense of wideness of history, of beauty, of myth permeates any journey to this timeless land
The Eternal City is in a charming region, a treasure trove waiting to be discovered. The Latin population who lived here before the birth of Ancient Rome named this territory. “Lazio” comes from the Latin word latus meaning “wide”. And it is this sense of spaciousness of history, of beauty, of myth that permeates any journey to this timeless land.
Vestiges of the great Roman Empire extend beyond the borders of Rome in places like Ostia Antica, Villa Adriana and Grotto of Tiberius, exceptional for their beauty and uniqueness.
Together with that of Ancient Rome, the civilization of the Etruscans flourished in the nearby Tuscia district. We are fascinated by their mysterious inheritance in touring the ancient cities of Cerveteri and Tarquinia. There we find tombs decorated with colorful images that tell stories of long gone cultures (on the UNESCO World Heritage List).
In Tuscia are also some of the most beautiful Italian villages, such as Orvieto, with its outstanding cathedral, and Civita di Bagnoregio. Perched on a hilltop, Civita’s unstable clay foundations and progressive erosion may cause the village to disappear over time, hence its nickname: “the dying town”.
One can also imagine the exclusive experience of being a guests of popes, cardinals, princes or noble lords who gave shape to their dreams of grandness and power in the sumptuous villas they built throughout the centuries, away from the noise of the cities. Many of their villas, such as Farnese Palace in Caprarola or Villa Lante in Bagnaia, boast some of the most beautiful Renaissance gardens ever built. Among them, Villa d’Este (on the UNESCO World Heritage List) is world famous for its unique ensemble of fountains, nympheums, grottoes and plays of water and music.
A little further afield Duke Federico da Montefeltro surpassed compatriots by creating a “city in the form of a palace”, as the Ducal Palace of Urbino has been defined. The charming town of Urbino (on the UNESCO World Heritage List), nestled in the rolling hills of the Marche region, is the birthplace of the divine painter Raphael, and exhibits the house where he was born and learned to paint.
Central Italy also offers some of the most important centers of Christian spirituality: together with Rome and the Vatican, there is the Assisi town of San Francesco, the sacred haunts of San Benedetto, Subiaco and Montecassino, and several abbeys, of which that of Fossanova is perhaps the finest examples of Gothic-Cistercian architecture in Italy.
The influences that history, art and spirituality have left throughout the territory combine with countless places of fine Italian hospitality in castles and aristocratic estates. Authentic local experiences include relaxing in the “temple of wellness” in Saturnia’s natural spa or sailing across the volcanic archipelago of the Pontine Islands, exploring the park of the Coast of Ulysses with its spectacular cliffs overlooking the turquoise sea or hiking in the wilderness of the Ancient Beech Forest of Monte Cimino (on the UNESCO World Heritage List).
Central Italy boasts delectable culinary masterpieces which are the pride of tradition in these areas, such as pasta all’amatriciana and carbonara, Norcia cold cuts and brodetto (fish soup).
Last but not least, Rome and the Vatican. Beyond the famed Colosseum and the Sistine Chapel, which, of course, are highlights not to be missed, there is the oldest museum in the world, noble residences with collections of masterpieces, the imperial mausoleum which has become a fortress, a special keyhole, the Catacombs, a frightening stone maw and countless churches and basilicas, endowed with extraordinary works of talented artists.
The list is truly endless.
There is plenty of choice. Fasten your seatbelts and start dreaming!
