Deep in the heart of Italy lies the Eternal City, said by some to be the most beautiful city in the world, its beauty has continued to stupefy visitors and even its very own residents. Rome is one of the greatest tourist attractions in the world as well as one of the most beautiful cities around the globe due to the breathtaking sites that it offers at every corner of the city. As time has gone by, Rome has been one of the few cities, if not the only, to find the right balance between its history and its modern life. The capital of the ancient world, as it has been dubbed countless times, has integrated 21st century daily life into its “old parts” of the city. Rome is just a great place to be in general. The weather is great, the people are some of the warmest you can find anywhere in the world and the food is to die for. Wherever you turn in Rome it is likely that you will find something special, something truly unique that you cannot find anywhere else in the world.
The sites are abundant; the Vatican and its museums, the Coliseum, the Pantheon, Castel Sant’Angelo, Arco della Patria, the Imperial Forum, the fountain of Trevi, Piazza Spagna, Piazza Navona and countless others make this city arguably the greatest tourist attraction in the world. It is amazing how one can walk around the ruins, in this case the majority of the site, of the Coliseum, which was built in 70 AD and is still for the most part intact. Experiences like that can truly take you back in time and help you to see how truly advanced the Romans were for their period of time.
As far as food goes, for Italian food lovers and Pasta aficionados, the capital is the place to be. The two most famous roman dishes are Spaghetti alla Carbonara and Bucatini all’Amatriciana. Spaghetti alla Carbonara is a spaghetti dish based on eggs, Roman Pecorino cheese, Guanciale or Pancetta (Italian style of bacon, more solid) and black pepper. The Bucatini all’Amatriciana is a bucatini (thicker, rounder spaghetti) dish based on guanciale, Roman Pecorino cheese, tomato and black pepper. These are inarguably the two most famous and best roman dishes. Roman Pecorino cheese is also a local delicacy that is excellent to eat paired with one of the great wines from the region such as an Orvieto DOC.
Lazio, the region where Rome is located, also has other hidden jewels that are overshadowed by Rome’s dominant presence. Geographically the region offers the mountains, hills and the sea.
North in the province of Rome is Lake Bracciano, one of the most beautiful lakes in all of Southern Italy. Lake Bracciano used to be a volcanic lake, so as a result it is incredibly round and very deep. The lake is a breathtaking site from high upon one of the many hills in the area and is sure to give you a photo that is truly worth a thousand words.
About 50 miles north of Rome is Viterbo, which offers splendid sites as well. The main thing to see in Viterbo is the Palace of the Popes which was a residence in the countryside for popes. Viterbo also has a beautiful cathedral, the St. Lawrence Cathedral with a spectacular bell tower, which are both definitely worth seeing.
Farther to the north, still in the province of Viterbo, is Civita di Bagnoreggio. Civita di Bagnoreggio is one of the most breathtaking small hill towns in all of Italy. It is known in Italy as “the city that dies” because it is uninhabited and basically ghost town. The hill that the town is on is connected to the lower ground by a bridge, a very interesting and unique site to see. Regardless though it is still a great place for a one-day excursion because of the spectacular views that can be seen from the top of the mountain as well. The Etruscan ruins of this town are truly beautiful and one of a kind.
Tivoli, to the East of Rome, is famous for being home to two UNESCO world heritage sites. These two sites are the Villa Adriana and Villa d’Este. Villa Adriana was constructed for Roman Emperor Adriano and is to this day still a fairly well maintained. The ruins of the once residence are incredible sites, much like other ruins in the area and also have beautiful gardens. Villa d’Este is a taller villa, which seems almost brand new (in a way it is, considering it is from the renaissance) from the outside because of the beautiful work that the city has done in preserving it. Villa d’Este also has fabulous fountains all over the gardens, which are truly breathtaking. These are both beautiful sites to visit with lots of history, as is the case in all of Lazio, behind them.
For more information on cuisine from this region, click here.
For a wonderful article describing the beauty of Rome, click here.
The first two images on this page (in order from top to bottom) are a courtesy of our loyal customer Kit Hammond. All rights reserved.
