Lazio is a region in central Italy. Its capital, Rome "Eternal City"
.jpg#/media/File:Forum_romanum_6k_(5760x2097).jpg "Lazio is a region in central Italy. Its capital, Rome \"Eternal City\"") |
| Lazio is a region in central Italy. Its capital, Rome "Eternal City" |
Lazio is a region in central Italy. Its capital, Rome "Eternal City". This is the cradle of occidental civilization and Christian culture, of lakes and legends, of thermal spas and history, of ancient roads and verdant hills. Lazio is a region of central Italy bordered by the Tyrrhenian Sea, traverse by the waters of the Tiber River and mainly characterized by hills and mountains, while it slopes down near the coast. This region has different yet complementary features, unblemished sceneries and spectacular horizons among the towns. Visitors can enjoy incredibly beautiful views, like Villa Borghese in Rome, the Italian capital. Villa Borghese is the most famous city park for walking or cycling. It represents an unparalleled experience between art, containing the Borghese Gallery with its masterpieces, and the nature surrounding it, including lakes and ancient trees. Lazio is also full of spas, whose history is bound to the several thermal water springs that had great success in the Republican Age and continued to be used in the Imperial Age. The Romans built sumptuous thermal baths and we can still admire their vestiges around the territory; first of all, the Terme di Caracalla (now in a state of magnificent ruins) in the heart of Rome. Tivoli is another spa, but its fame is mainly due to the artistic beauties it contains, like Villa D’Este, with its splendid fountains, gardens and magnificent palace of the Renaissance, and Villa Adriana, the ancient residence of emperor Hadrian. The two villas are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. For those who prefer the sea, this region offers some pearls such as Gaeta, Sabaudia, San Felice Circeo, Sperlonga and the Islands of Ponza and Ventotene, while those who love lakes will enjoy Bracciano, an enchanting stretch of water encircled by the intense green of the surrounding nature and overlooked by a magnificent 16th-Century castle. Walking along the Medieval streets of the villages by the shores of the lake, visitors can feel that these places are not only bound to the Roman Empire but were also the theatre of various historical periods. Lake Bolsena, in the area of Viterbo, gives us an example of it, as it is the biggest volcanic lake in Europe and encloses two islands, Bisentina and Martana. This lake combines the charm of lush nature and splendid view,s with the history and traces left by the Etruscans, Romans, and successive populations. Finally, mountain lovers will not be left disappointed by Lazio, thanks to the ski resorts of Terminillo, Livata, and Campo Staffi. This land evokes memories of unrivaled places and intense emotions, but also a clear perception of the relentless march of time, that justifies the attempts of our ancestors to challenge time and leave us their remembrance. The provinces of the region are Rome (regional capital), Frosinone, Latina, Rieti, and Viterbo. First stop in the heart of Rome is the solemn Flavian amphitheater, better known as the Colosseum, where the gladiator games took place; Via Dei Fori Imperiali leads along the most important archeological itinerary, a unique set of temples, basilicas, public and sacred buildings and the Roman Forum standing out of the surrounding lush vegetation. The archaeological finds and highly valuable works that were discovered during the excavations are kept in the Capitoline Museums, on the Campidoglio, the acropolis of ancient Rome. Not far from there is the Theatre of Marcellus and the famous Mouth of Truth, a marble carving representing the face of a faun near the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin; this mouth, according to legend, swallows the hands of liars. The tour of the city continues following the banks of the Tiber to Castel Sant’Angelo, a mausoleum for Emperor Hadrian, a shelter for popes and a prison. From there, taking the spectacular Via Della Conciliazione, we reach the Vatican City, the seat of the Papal State. Here we can admire the famous Piazza San Pietro, with the 16th-Century colonnade by Bernini and the magnificent Sistine Chapel, with its precious Last Judgement, another 16th-Century masterpiece, this time by Michelangelo. Rome is the main seat of State institutions and we certainly cannot forget its buildings, basilicas, and piazzas, like Piazza di Spagna with the famous Spanish steps of Trinità dei Monti, Piazza Farnese and Piazza Navona with Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers, not to mention the 18th-Century Trevi Fountain, where tourists throw coins and express their wish to return to the Eternal City. In the environs of Rome, the Castelli Romani are a big attraction to those who love cheerful trips to the country to find a cool refuge in hot summer nights. Ostia, on the contrary, besides being a well-known sea resort on Lazio's coast, encloses the ruins of Ostia Antica (ancient Ostia), the best example of a Roman town that we can still observe today. Approximately 25 miles from Rome, the town of Tivoli demands a visit, given that it hosts two ancient, lavish estates: Hadrian's Villa and Villa d'Este, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Other of Lazio's provinces worth mentioning offer delightful surprises. An important community since Antiquity, Rieti is rich in traces from the Roman and Medieval (when it was a free Comune and then Papal Residence) Ages. Latina, rather, boasts glorious beaches lapped by the Tyrrhennian Sea, along with suggestive old villages and the National Park of Circeo. Plenty of green, verdant land and enchanting Medieval towns characterize Tuscia and its Provincial Capital, Viterbo, oases for relaxation and delicious cuisine, as well as Etruscan heritage and the Via Francigena. Not as well-known, despite the many beauties of the terrain, Ciociaria treats visitors to gorgeous landscapes and evocative places plunged in both natural and historic environments. by italia.it