Offering so much more to the visitor than just Rome, Lazio is often over-looked by travellers. Being more famous in Europe for its Football Club than its beautiful private Italian villas with pools, Lazio holds a subtle appeal for the more detached traveller. You will discover that because of its location, many of the noble Romans built amazing villas in Lazio as somewhere to escape to when the city heat became oppressive in August. The Pope was no exception and the Vatican now owns quite a few, unfortunately not for rental to those outside of the clergy.

The region covers almost the entire geographic centre of the country. Lazio links the rich and prosperous North of Italy to the poorer mostly forgotten agricultural South and its coastline stretches from the Southern point of Tuscany’s chic Monte Argentario, all the way to the outskirts of modern Naples, in Campania. Lazio is a fascinating region with beautiful Castles, stunning lakes with shoreline restaurants, mountains, ravines, Etruscan ruins, Roman ruins and art cities. The seemingly unending beaches of Ostia, San Felice, Gaeta, Sabaudia and Tarquinia add the sounds of the surf to a region where every road yields a new surprise and awe inspiring view. In fact, the exclusive private Villa Adele is within walking distance of San Felice Circeo and has some of the best sea views imaginable.

While all the well-known sites may be in Rome: The Vatican; the Colosseum; the Spanish Steps; the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon to name but a few, there are more than enough places of interest outside the city to satisfy even the most adventurous holidaymakers. Lazio has long resisted outside influences and even if you don’t have a desire to explore you will be entranced at every turn as you discover volcanic springs, the gardens of Tivoli, the geranium festooned whitewashed houses of Itri and Sperlonga, and the splendid isolation of Rieti. The Etruscan ruins at Cerveteri and Tuscania vie with those at Tarquinia, while the hill top splendour of Viterbo and Civita Castellana will amaze and astound. Just don’t forget to stop once in a while and enjoy the wines of Frascati and the Castelli Romani!

North east of Rome is where Emperor Nero and later Vespasian had their palaces and the mountains near Rieti supply Rome with its mineral water even today. The Sabine area is only an hour north of Rome and is also close to the main southern Umbrian towns of Orvieto, Terni and Spoleto.

Unlike some regions, Lazio has a restaurant or trattoria on almost every road and in every hamlet. Romans often lake long weekends in the country and dining out is more than just a necessity, it is almost the regional pastime. Shopping in Lazio is easy and there are many outlet shops selling high fashion at reduced prices. We recommend trying the lakes, Bracciano, Anguillara and Bolsena, Italy’s largest volcanic lake. Their unspoilt natural beauty captivated many hearts and the Castello Odescalchi on Lago Bracciano is where Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were married in 2006.

South of Rome leads to mile upon mile of unspoilt beaches and National Parks, culminating around Monte Circeo, and the town of San Felice Circeo, on a small promontory below the lidos and lagoons of Southern Lazio. If the spectacular sea-views, golden sand dunes and beaches are not enough during your villa holiday in Lazio, just a few minutes drive along the coast brings you to the port of Terracina, where ferries depart for the beautiful islands of Ponza and Ventotene, with traditions all of their own.

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