Lazio

        
Lazio is situated in the centre of Italy, between Italian regions - Abruzzo, Tuscany, Umbria, Molise and Campania.

Lazio is known by tourists as the region of Rome, but Lazio has other attractions, including the Castelli Romani, Rieti, where you can visit St. Francis' tiny monasteries; Frascati, where you drink refreshing wine and escape the heat of Rome in summer, and evocative Etruscan ruins, not to mentions spas and beaches.

Lazio best beaches lie between Gaeta and Sabaudia in the Parco Nazionale del Circeo. Swimming and sailing are also possible in Lake Bracciano.

The volcanic activity left Lazio with hot springs, notably around Tivoli, Viterbo and Fiuggi.

ROME is the capital of Italy located across the confluence of the Tiber and Aniene rivers. No city in the world is as beautiful as Rome, and few as glamorous.

The Vatican City is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church and the home of the Pope. A visit to the Vatican is an object lesson for faithful and sceptic alike.

The Spanish Steps are city’s most popular meeting place and one of the busiest tourist haunts. Not to be missed are the Colosseum, ancient Rome’s spectacular arena; the glittering 5th century Santa Maria Maggiore; the Pantheon which is the best preserved monument; the Vatican, the tiny sovereign papal state at the heart of the Roman Catholic world; The Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo is the highlight of the Vatican Museum; the Roman Forum, hub of the ancient city that ruled a vast empire; Trevi Fountain; Villa d’Este in the Sabine Hills is one of Italy’s great gardens and Transtevere which has been Rome’s traditional working-class quarter since ancient times.

FRASCATI is the most well-known of the CASTELLI ROMANI, and the most visited. Just a short journey from Rome, the town is famous for its white wine, and is a popular destination for Romans looking for fresh air, good food and drink. The most imposing building in Frascati is the grand Villa Aldobrandini, with gardens that are open to the public.

RIETI is placed on a small hilltop commanding a wide plain, at the southern edge of an ancient lake and by the side of a river. Today only the small lakes of Ripasottile and Cantalice remain of the original basin.

GAETA with its particular geographical configuration, it has one of the most beautiful landscapes of the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is famous for its seven beaches of fine golden sand, each one complimenting the profile of the coast and breaking it up into a one of a kind breath taking scenery with its hills and cliffs.
The Town has its original fortress, Castello Angioino-Argonese, which is protected by Monte Orlando: a natural forest reserve.

SABAUDIA is a city where nature delighted in leaving its most beautiful marks: the large Selva del Circeo forest, the long and impressive coastal dune rich in Mediterranean vegetation, the Monaci, Caprolace and di Paola lakes, the archaeological ruins, the ever-present sea and the sun. Founded on 5 August 1933, Sabaudia has preserved its original town planning layout and architecture, for which it has been called the City of Rationalism.

PARCO NAZIONALE DEL CIRCEO is situated along the Tyrrhenian coast in the South of Rome, between Anzio and Terracina, and it extends itself for about 8.500 hectares in the province of Latina, in particular in the Towns of Latina, Sabaudia, San Felice Circeo and, for the insular part of the Island of Zannone, Ponza. Established in 1934, the Parco del Circeo was born in order to protect not only a single species but also a rich group of typical biomes with a consequent abundance of species which today has been defined as biodiversity.

LAKE BRACCIANO is a large lake famous for its fish and popular for water sports and lakeside lunches. The main town, Bracciano, on the east shore, is dominated by the Orsini-Odescalchi fortress.

TIVOLI contains the ruins of several ancient Roman villas and is also noted for its waterfalls. The Villa d'Este with its palace and garden, is one of the most remarkable and comprehensive illustrations of Renaissance culture at its most refined. Its innovative design along with the architectural components in the garden (fountains, ornamental basins, etc.) make this a unique example of an Italian 16th-century garden.

VITERBO is a very intact medieval town. In the 13th century, Viterbo was already a hopping metropolis. The old part of town is small enough to enjoy a day wandering through the piazzas, churches, and meandering streets.

FIUGGI  today is a classic Italian hill town, beginning with its layout as two separate towns. Blanketing the slopes at 2500 feet above sea level is the medieval old town, called Fiuggi Città. At its feet is the 20th-century spa town, called Fiuggi Fonte, where you can test the waters for yourself and admire many beautiful façades painted with the delicate Liberty style that was so popular in Italy from 1910 to 1930.

GETTING AROUND Rome’s two international airports at Fiumicino and Ciampino serve the region. The main motorways are the Autostrada del Sole (Firenze-Roma) A1 and Roma-L’Aquila A24-E80.  The ring road (raccordo anulare) around Rome connects the motorways and main roads. The busses serve all the main towns. Train routes into the region from other Italian cities are very good.