One of the most ancient protected areas in Italy, the National Park of Circeo owes its uniquess to its position and its history: occupying the strip of coastal land of Southern Lazio, from Anzio to Terracina, it was established in the mid 30s to preserve the Pontine Marshes, which were being drained at the time.

As it is located in a totally plain area, the most eminent feature of the Park is the Promontory of Circe: a 541-metre-high calcareous elevation, whose silhouette has always been stimulating human fantasy, depicting it as a dwelling of gods, sorceresses, and heroes. According to the myth, Ulysses arrived at today’s Cala dei Pescatori on Lake Paola and with his companions fell victim of Circe’s spell, which transformed them into pigs. Tradition has it that the enchantress’s profile would be reflected in the mountain’s silhouette, nowadays the symbol of the Park and of the whole Agro Pontino.

However, the history of this territory can be tracked back even further. The several archeological sites from Grotta delle Capre to Grotta del Fossellone are witnesses of human presence already 75 thousand years ago, as proved by the discovery of perfectly preserved skull of a Neanderthal man in Guattari Cave. Moreover, if you are also a fan of ancient Romans, here you will find places that suits your interests: the Emperor Domitian’s Villa, the Ara di Circe, the Acropolis and the Lucullus’s Well.    

Besides the archeological sites, the Park offers a variety of itineraries to explore on foot or by bike, alone or in organized groups, for a quiet walk in the woods through the path Selva di Circe, or for a challenging work out up until the Promontory, through the hiking trail and the Coastal Road.

Afterwards, you may reward yourself with the rich and varied culinary tradition of this territory. Buffalo cold cuts and meat are one of the excellences of the region, together with cheese and mozzarella made with their milk; Roman artichokes from Lazio PGI and Latina Kiwi PGI, together with pine nuts of the Lazio Coast are well known all over the country; moving to desserts, the abundant presence of Eucalyptus allows beekeeping which generates Eucalyptus Honey from the Pontina Plain, often accompanied by Terracina Strawberries and Sezze Biscuits. Finally, the Circeo area is a perfect choice even for wine lovers: the DOP Circeo Wine is definitely the symbol of Lazio in the wine sector, produced in nationally renowned wineries, namely Sant’Andrea and Casale del Giglio.

If you are an adventure seeker, passionate about history, archeology and good food, or maybe just looking for a fun hiking trail and nice spots to take pictures, not even 2 hours away from Rome the Circeo National Park is the perfect place for you!

Once upon a time in a rident area of Southern Lazio, there was small rural village called Ninfa, with its beautiful castles, towers and churches. With centuries, different Popes and Kings became the owners of what remained of its ancient ruins, until in 1921 Gelasio Caetani decided to turn the area into a garden.

Today, this landscape garden located in the province of Latina is an Italian National Monument, a WWF Oasis and was described by the New York Times as “the most beautiful and romantic garden in the world”. Surrounded by the river Ninfa, a lake and several streams, you may walk past the ancient ruins, admiring more than 1300 species of plants (aquatic irises, Japanese maples, birches, holly trees, endless varieties of roses, wisteria, hydrangeas, bamboo and 19 types of magnolias) while listening to the chirp of 152 different species of birds. Thus, if you want to make the most out of your visit, the recommended time to come to Ninfa is definitely spring: you do not want to miss the rainbow of colours offered by all the blossoming plants!

For its beauty, the garden has been chosen by artists, photographers and fashion brands as the set for their work. Last summer, the most popular Italian influencer and entrepreneur Chiara Ferragni was the protagonist of a campaign launched to promote Italian tourism after the first lockdown: her stories and her pictures in Ninfa reached millions of likes, making people from every country dream about sunny Italian afternoons, silver lakes and the smell of rosebuds.

Rieti

Formerly called Reate, the city of Rieti rises on a small hill overlooking a large flat area at the foot of Mount Terminillo, crossed by the river Velino. The historical tradition defines Rieti as Umbilicus Italiae (navel of Italy). The city, rich in fascinating historical vestiges, is enclosed by an almost intact wall and is reknowned all over the world for its gliding. The visits to the underground of Rieti are particularly interesting. Some important Franciscan sanctuaries are found near Rieti, hence the name of Valle Santa.

The city presents itself as a small town of great tranquillity, but endowed with some excellencies that make it interesting, especially if it is inserted in an itinerary covering all of the province. The importance of the religious factor is remarkable, since the city can count on the presence of two of the four Franciscan sanctuaries, that of Fonte Colombo and La Foresta, and is in close proximity with the other two, located in the neighbouring municipalities of Greccio and Poggio Buston. In fact, many pilgrims arrive in the “Holy Valley” to retrace, with the Voyage of Francis (Cammino di Francesco), the deeds and moments of the life of Saint Francis of Assisi.

The historical center of the city is very characteristic, placed on a small hill on the edge of the valley of Reate, protected on one side by a wall of medieval origin, mostly still intact and well preserved. Via Roma, one of the most active of the centre, divides the city in the medieval districts of San Francesco, San Rufus, Della Verdura and Santa Lucia.

Labro

Labro is a beautiful, fully renovated medieval village overlooking, on one side, the panorama of Lake Piediluco, along the road that connects Rieti to Terni, and on the other side the massif of Mount Terminillo. Labro,  with its fan shape, is located on a hill overlooking the valley of Fuscello andthe lake of Piediluco, while behind it stands the Terminillo chain of mountains. Tourists, strolling through the winding streets of Labro, will enjoy these landscapes of lakes and mountains, while windows open suddenly between the stone houses and the belvedere located at the top of the village.

The origin of the name of the village is uncertain: for some, it derives from the Latin “Aper, Aprum” – wild boar. According to a legend, the first fortress of Labro was built by a patrician, Mr. De’Nobili, who, on the occasion of a hunting trip, made a promise to build a castle on the spot where he killed his first boar. And, almost in memory of the fact, even today, the coat of arms of the area bears the image of a boar under an oak tree. According to others, and this seems to be the most likely hypothesis, the name Labro is a derivation of “lavabrum“, which means in Latin “bath, basin”: because of the proximity of the village to Lake Piediluco, at the time much more extensive, on the edge of which the village would come to be in ancient times.

Farfa and its Abbey

Immersed in the heart of Sabina, only 40 km from Rome, the splendid seat of the Benedictine community of Farfa is a true oasis of peace and spirituality. The abbey of Farfa, declared a national monument in 1928, rises on the slopes of Mount Acuziano, in the mystical silence of green woods and olive groves. The enchantment of the Sabino landscape is a setting for a true historical, artistic and architectural gem, where the vicissitudes of more than fifteen centuries of history have succeeded, giving the monastery and the small village close to its walls, a timeless fascination. Guided tours of the abbey are offered, which lead the visitor to the most important places of the complex: the splendid Basilica of Santa Maria, the ancient Torre Campanaria, the State Library annexed to the monument, rich in ancient and incunabula manuscripts, the Cloisters and the Archaeological Museum, where the most striking phases of the life of the abbey are reconstituted.