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Lazio (Latium) |
Capital: Rome
Major airports (all in Rome): Fiumicino (FCO) and
Ciampino (CIA). |
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The gorgous, hilly landscapes of southern Tuscany
and Umbria spill across the regional borders into
the province of Lazio, also known as Latium.
Guidebooks generally steer visitors in this region
straight to Rome - and that is precisely how the
many Romans with country houses would prefer to
keep it.
The Italians refer to inland territory between Rome
and Viterbo as their ‘wild west’, and indeed, herds
of cattle and flocks of sheep are guarded by Italian
cowboys, butteri, who listen to Italian country
music and compete in thoroughly Italian rodeos.
Three crater lakes - Vico, Bracciano and Bolsena -
form the centerpieces of this fertile area, where the
Etruscan civilization had its most important
settlements some 10,000 years ago. One can visit
their splendid, painted tombs in the morning, move
on at lunchtime to marvel at Roman relics, have tea
near a Gothic chapel and finish the day off with a
tour of a glorious Renaissance villa - or a swim off
the lovely coast near Tarquinia. There is always an
opportunity for a day trip into Rome, with excellent
motorways and railways linking even Bolsena, in
the far north, to Rome in under two hours.
Rieti, the province to the northeast of the Sabine
Hills, has been nick-named ‘the other Tuscany’ for
its landscapes - although unlike its neighbour it is
virtually devoid of tourists. Rieti is a beautiful
mountainous area, noted today for its olive oil and
pretty medieval villages. In Roman times it was
known for its women (the lovely, victimized and oftpainted Sabines). St. Francis of Assisi built several tiny monasteries here, and it is to Rieti that we owe the tradition of the Christmas tree.
To the southeast of Rome, in Latina, are the Colli
Albini, the favoured summering spot for Roman
popes and aristocrats for some 2000 years. A
number of stunning Renaissance villas can be
visited, including the Villa d’Este in Tivoli and the
Villa Aldobrandini in the Frascati wine country. On a
less cultural note, this is a terrific area for golfers... |
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