If there's one region of Italy that represents what much of the rest of the world considers Italian food it's Lazio. Many of the most famous pasta dishes such as amatriciana and carbonara are claimed by Lazio residents as their own. Lazio is the region of the capital city, Rome, and much of the area is given over to agriculture to support the hungry metropolis. The rich volcanic soils provide vegetables of extremely high quality, from artichokes and beans to broccoli. The province of Ciociaria to the south east is renowned for its high quality produce, which visitors to Rome can explore and sample in the daily market at Campo dei Fiori. Also within Rome, the Trastevere district is a must-visit for anyone who wants to experience true Roman and Lazio cuisine, with many restaurants specialising in the cucina povera style of turning simple ingredients into exceptional meals. Expect to find Roman classics including saltimbocca and various takes on fritto misto, with offal and other unfashionable cuts of meat featuring heavily, often flavoured with assertive herbs such as mint and sage. Lazio wines are mainly white, grown in the Castelli Romani hills to the south and east. Frascati is the best known type, but Orvieto and Marino can also be enjoyed, along with rarer reds such as Cerveteri Rosso made from sangiovese grapes. One winery worth a visit is Principe Pallavicini near Castelli Romani, whose cellars contain remnants of a Roman aqueduct which visitors are welcome to explore on their way to a tasting of both the excellent wines and olive oils.
Home of Italy's capital city, the region of Lazio offers so much more than just the ancient centre of one of the most powerful empires that ever ruled the Earth. The problem with many tourists is that they are often so concerned with the motorway signs that lead to the capital city, they often forget to turn their heads once in a while and gaze at the marvellous countryside that prevails. Lazio boasts many of Italy's finest attributes; the north delivers a gentle transition into the lush central region of the country, characterised by olive groves, stunning vineyards and grasslands. On the other hand, the southern end of Lazio boasts numerous quirky towns of Castelli Romani and coutryside like the Alban Hills before branching out into the sun soaked region of Campania. This part of Lazio offers numerous coastal towns and although they are not incredibly popular with sun worshippers, they are very historic and played small parts in World War II. The cuisine in Lazio is very interesting and although it could be described as peasant food, the fact that nothing goes to waste tends to add an interesting flavour to many of the dishes. If you are a fan of haggis, some of the dishes may really capture your imagination here; Trippa alla Romana (cow's stomach sliced in tomato sauce) being a regional favourite.Towns like Viterbo offer plenty of medieval intrigue and Tuscania is one of the most picturesque locations of the Lazio region.
To the north the province of Viterbo, called Tuscia, preserves the richest cultural and archaeological heritage in Italy. The region is scattered with Etruscan necropolises, medieval villages, castles and splendid Renaissance villas. Viterbo is the best preserved medieval city in Lazio, while the surrounding area is composed of picturesque countryside and wilderness. The Etruscan cities of Tarquinia, Cerveteri and Tuscania and their incredible necropolises are not to be missed. Among the villas, we recommend you visit Palazzo Farnese in Caprarola and the “Park of Monsters” in Bomarzo.East of Rome one finds unmissable Tivoli, the preferred thermal spring of the ancient Romans, where one finds the impressive ruins of Hadrian’s Villa and the Renaissance residence of Villa d’Este.The south-east of the capital extends over the fascinating region of Ciociaria: its wild landscape hosts beautiful medieval cities of pre-Roman origin, such as Anagni, Alatri and Ferentino famous for imposing walls, or one can take the charming religious itinerary among the ancient abbeys of Subiaco, Casamari, Montecassino and Fossanova. Another interesting tour around the mountains of Lazio will lead you to Rieti, a city full of medieval testimonies enclosed by its perfectly preserved great, long walls.
Lazio is the frame of occidental progress, Christian culture, legends, thermal spas, ancient history and much more. Located at the central region of Italy, Lazio is bordered by the Tyrrhenian Sea.Lazio is Italy’s third populated region with its economy being ranked second in the nation. The region has different but complementary features, spectacular horizons among its numerous towns with unblemished sceneries. Made up of five provinces namely Rome, its capital city Rieti, Latina, Viterbo and Frosinone, Lazio provides its visitors with incredibly beautiful artistic and monumental views across these five provinces. A visit to Lazio should be inclusive of the following top artistic and monumental attractions that are spread throughout the five core provinces of Lazio:1. Villa Borghese gardensOn your first stop to Rome, visit villa Borghese, here you can take a walk or cycle as you enjoy the numerous views of parks. Villa Borghese is big landscape garden containing buildings, museums and other attractions. Being Rome’s second largest public park, it was developed and built by Flaminio Ponzo and Scipone Borghese who used the park as a party villa as well as to house his art collection. Villa Borghese is not only a breath of fresh air but also gives its visitors a spectacular view of the museums, the bio park, a theatre, a winter ice skating track with skateboarders space to enjoy their visit. The park has some secret gardens with one shrouded by trees and has an eagle fountain in front of the adjacent mansion. Visiting the park you will notice some triton statues that resemble those of the Moor Fountain.2. Villas of TivoliTivoli in Latina host two most famous villas that one can find in the entire Lazio: Villa Adriana and Villa d’Este both of which are not only Tivoli’s major tourist attraction sites but also part of the UNESCO World Heritage list. Located close to River Aniene, the town has a splendid climate housing wealthy Romans for their holiday retreats. Villa d’Este is a beautiful garden and a complex palace that was built in 1560 being the vision of cardinal d’Este who narrowly became a pope. The villa is known for its glorious garden of grottoes, nymph, water sculptures and fountains. Villa Adriana was commissioned by Emperor Hadrian and it is complex palace as well offering a view to a stadium, Greek theater, piazza d’Oro, hall of philosophers and imperial place.3. PantheonPantheon was the world’s largest concrete structure until the 20th century and still stands as the most complete Rome’s ancient building as well as the most spectacular sight. The structure is not only praised for its feats of architecture but also share’s into the roman’s history and culture being the burial place for a number of important Italians. It’s concept of space is amazing and touring around you will see the monumental tombs.4. ColosseumAnother must see attraction is the Rome’s colosseum. This has been stated as one among the seven wonders of the world as a masterpiece of impeccable value. It was built by emperor Vespasian and was the venue of the ancient Rome’s games including the famous gladiator fights. It still stands as the world’s largest amphitheatre and serves as the venue when Rome is celebrating important historical and cultural events.5. ViterboThis is well known as the city of the popes since most were either born, lived or died in this place. A renaissance cathedral stands in Piazza San Lorenzo with the most famous city the Palazzo Dei Papi that was built around the 13th century. The square that forms on of the historical villages of Viterbo is completed by the stairway leading up to the façade of the palace. This is the site remembered for where the longest and most disputed congress in the history of Italy took place.6. The Capitoline museumsThe Capitoline museums i.e. Palazzo dei Conservatori and Palazzo Nuovo are housed by the outstanding Piazza del Campidoglio. These are the museums with the most important collection including great sculptures and painting. Ancient sculptures and bronze of un-estimated value such as the bronze of Marcus Aurelius, Capitoline Venus and Gaul constitute the museums’ artistic heritage. A visit to this lace you will see the frescoes decorating the interior while you admire works dating back to the middle age.7. Vatican CityThis pulse of catholic life is regarded as the smallest country in the world located in the heart of Rome. Vatican City is a destination for those not only seeking blessing from the pope but as well for visitors who are attracted by the brilliant artwork of the Vatican museums. From her you can see the largest church, St. Peter’s Basilica as well as St Peter’s Square.8. Roman forumAlso situated in Rome, ancient Romans spent their time in this place that was once surrounded by temples, legal buildings and other statues marking it a remarkable market center. The forum was used for public speaking by roman orators with many religious festivals held here. It now stands as ruins following earthquakes, fire and barbarian attacks but it’s still a renowned monument standing in Rome.9. Piazza NavonaThis is best known for festivities, popular entertainment and joy that attracts not only the tourist but the Romans to hang around day and night as they get entertained by musicians, street artists etc. The ancient streets here are full of trattorias, artisan shops and pizzerias. A visit to Piazza Navona you will get an experience of the natural mixture of renaissance styled buildings and baroque.10. AlatriAlatri is a small village in the south of Lazio, in Ciociaria. The town is famous for its massive walls that enclose it which are source of many myths concerning the founding of the city. Inside the circle is the medieval city, known for its Pelasgians Acropolis and many other artistic and cultural riches that make Alatri a real gem.
Situated on the western side of Italy about half way down, the lakes of the Lazio area, as it is known, are ringed with picturesque Medieval villages, and are a restful place to stay as an add on to a trip to Rome. Try a visit to the imposing 15th century, Castello Orsini-Odescalchi, which is near the village of Bracciano itself, to really sum up the atmosphere of old Italy. Or travel to Norchia which is famous for some interesting, 2,500 year old Etruscan cliff tombs, set in a pretty valley well worth the walk to see. If you are really into nature, take a look at the nature reserve around the smaller lake Vico, which is a place edges with the wonderful volcanic cinder cone of mount Venere, and is a great place for scenery and wild life. The largest of the volcanic lakes is Bolsena, which has a pretty old town which is just full of atmosphere and wonderful picture opportunities. To go with all the wonderful countryside and villages, try some great Italian food, as local goats cheese.
Lazio is an administrative city in Italy, which is located in the central part of the country. The coast of the city is made up of sandy beaches, where tourists enjoy while they rest during their holidays in Lazio. These beaches include, the Tyrrhenian, Terracina, Sperlonga, Fregene, Santa Marinella and Isole Pontine. The Marina di Montalto, which is close to Montalto di Castro town, is one of the modern beaches along the Maremma Laziale region. The beach has hotels, several beach chairs meant for renting out to guests and campgrounds. On the Southward area of Montalto di Castro there is the Tarquinia beach which has an archeological site for those visiting the beach. Rome’s local beach in Lazio can be easily be accessed by travelling by train through the Piramide and Ostia Antica and then stopping at Ostia Lido. Also, the beach is closer to Fiumicino Airport making it easy to travel by air to the place. The local beach has many restaurants and during the summer it has a vibrant nightlife view. Fregene beach is also a major beach favorite for visitors to Lazio and has hotels where you can eat tasty seafood as well as riding bikes. Civitavecchia is a port in Rome where you can easily be ferried to Sardinia or rent a boat and within it there are sandy beaches. Santa Marinella is a seaside resort which is suitable when going for holiday with your family. Anzio beach offers a great opportunity for visitors to play or watch baseball and also catch some rays especially during the summer. When you are purposing to stay in Lazio for some time, you can visit the Latina Province coastline where Riviera of Ulysses beach is situated. The beach has white sand, romantic grottoes and dramatic cliffs along the San Felice and Teraccina areas. San Felice Circeo is an ideal place for guests to windsurf and kayaking whereas Parco Nazionale is a favorite joint for the birdwatchers. The Isole Pontine which is a cluster of islands along the Lazio coastline are well known for having beautiful sceneries, natural reserves and wildlife. These features make the beaches a great place for guests to enjoy and relax away comfortably without distractions due to overcrowding like other beaches. When you would like to sunbathe as well as sightsee, the Gaeta beach is a suitable and most ideal beach to visit. You can travel to the beach by using a bus and alight at Via Marina, where you can have a clear view of the sea and the Aragon castle ruins. Also, at Marina there is Risorgimento beach which is privately owned and charges a small fee for umbrellas and sunbeds. The Sperlonga beach is a unique and pretty place along the coastline and you can travel by car or train to reach the beach. At Sperlonga, you can have pretty views by walking around the rock on which it is established up to the bay and it has modern beach facilities. You can enjoy your lunch from the Da Martini sul Ponte as you have the best sea views and enjoy the cool breeze from the sea.
The Lazio area of central Italy is characterised by a series of mountainous regions largely found to the eastern and southern areas of the area. These mountains are of different types and sizes, which include the popular Colli mountain range that features smaller hills of little more than 1,000 metres in height. These are popular with those looking for hiking and low level climbing opportunities and are often part of major farming or wine making communities, which provide opportunities for outdoor activities to be combined with food and win tasting excursions. Taller mountain ranges can be found to the east of the region and forms a major part of the Tiber Valley flowing to Rome. The tallest mountain in Lazio is Mount Gorzano that rises to almost 2,500 metres in height. Lakes form in the craters of the mountains in Lazio that forms a series of three ranges to provide numerous outdoor activity options, including boating and fishing opportunities. The Lazio region offers many outdoor activity options for visitors and is often seen as a major part of the tourism industry in the central portion of Italy.
The wider region of Lazio is often overshadowed by Rome and the Vatican City, and this is just as true for art and culture as it is for tourism, history, dining and sport. However, Lazio itself has a rich diversity of cultural and architectural highlights for those willing to go a little way off the beaten track and enjoy the less widely visited sights of the area. Ostia is well known as a sea resort on the Lazio coast, but also offers the ruins of ancient Ostia, an excellent example of a well preserved Roman town. Further north is Viterbo which is the location of an Etruscan necropolis which is a World Heritage Site, while the National Archaeological Musuem in the Palazzo Vitelleschi is considered one of the most important Etruscan museums in Italy. In the city of Tuscia, one can find reminders of history from the ancient Etruscan civilisation, through mediaeval feudalism, and then the glories of the Renaissance. Also in the Viterbo area is the Villa Lante, a late Renaissance private residence with a marvellous examples of formal Italian gardens. The Parco dei Mostri is a large park with numerous weird and wonderful sculptures, said to be a great inspiration for Salvador Dali, while 20th century artist Balthus spent 30 years living in the old village of Montecalvello.