| An Authentic Tour of Lazio Region | ||||||||||||||||||
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Dates: 2007 t.b.a |
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Length: 15 days |
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Cost: t.b.a. |
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Leaders: John Anderson and Andrea Bassan, Authentic Italy Tours |
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| Booking and information: Email IV Travel | ||||||||||||||||||
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VisitsItaly.com links: Region of Lazio-Roma |
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Description |
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Surprisingly
rural,
Lazio
comprises
numerous
contrasting
landscapes
of
intense
beauty:
lanes
lined
with
umbrella
pines,
stretches
of
the
nicest
Tyrrhenian
coastline,
the
stunning
Pontine
Islands,
beautiful
lakes,
rivers,
oak
and
beech
forests.
Our
path
follows
stretches
of
such
ancient
Roman
roads
as
the
Via
Appia,
Via
Tiburtina,
and
Via
Aurelia.
Castles
and
perfectly
preserved
hilltop
towns
and
villages
punctuate
a
succession
of
bucolic
landscapes.
These
scenes
are
further
embellished
by
the
abundance
of
water,
put
to
use
in
gardens,
fountains,
canals
and
aqueducts.
Ancient,
historical
landscapes
such
as
the
Alban
hills,
poetically
rendered
by
painters
Claude
and
Poussin,
the
Riviera
of
Ulysses,
and
the
Sabine
mountains
are
as
beautiful
and
fascinating
as
their
names
and
reputations
suggest.
Our itinerary incorporates over a dozen inspired and charming gardens, historical and modern. Some can be visited by prior arrangement or are only open occasionally. In stark opposition to the surrounding landscape, the formal structure, planting and water features of such gardens bestow an added visual potency and remind us of the true meaning of genius loci. |
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Itinerary - A few "sample" days |
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Day
1:
Roma
to
Gaeta
A morning departure from our hotel in Rome. En route southwards to Gaeta we visit the modern gardens of Landriana designed by Russell Page. Lunch at the garden restaurant there, and visit the nearby superb water gardens and medieval town ruins of Ninfa. Taking in the panoramic rocky mountain landscape between the cathedral towns Norma and Sezze, we drop down to the Via Appia on the canalled Pontina plain to Terracina, and pass along the exceptionally scenic coast to Gaeta. Dinner in the Gaeta historical port centre. |
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Day
2:
Ponza,
Gaeta Day trip by fast ferry to the enchanting island of Ponza, as interesting from an historical and archaeological point of view as for its natural beauty and charm. The colourful buildings and fishing villages invite exploration on foot and then perhaps a swim at one of the small beaches. The Cala di Chiaia di Luna is characteristic of the island's beautiful coves and reached on foot through a Roman tunnel. Return late afternoon to Gaeta, with time to explore and dine in the beautiful medieval historical centre. A port with pre-Roman origins, the town preserves many monuments, and a Medieval air. |
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Day
4:
Abbazia
di
Montecassino,
Abbazia
di
Casamari,
Fiuggi Striking inland through delightful hill country into the province of Frosinone, our first stop is the imposing abbey of Montecassino (founded in 529 A.D.) and its fascinating museum. Lunching at an historical location, Isola Liri, we then pass through the hill-town of Arpino, birth place of Cicero, with remnants of pre Roman gigantic "cyclopic" wall fragments built by the Volscans. Before arriving at the spa of Fiuggi, our base for the next few days, we soak up the Gothic ecclesiastical ambience of the church and cloisters of the abbey of Casamari. |
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Day
8:
Bomarzo,
Lugnano
in
Teverina,
Bagnoregio We are now in Alto Lazio, known for its rolling upland landscape cut by ravines, its fine gardens and palaces, and wealth of Etruscan sites and treasures. The day commences with a stroll through the nearby Palazzo Orsini by Vignola, and the Mannerist park of monsters at Bomarzo, where giant statues of imaginary animals lie scattered among huge rocks. We cross the Tevere River to Lugnano in Teverina for lunch, followed by a wine tasting at the Mottura cellars. We return via Civita di Bagnoregio, an abandoned medieval town of fantastic and surreal beauty, set atop dramatic looking ravines. |
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Day
9:
Viterbo,
San
Martino
al
Cimino,
Villa
Lante,
Caprarola We spend this morning in Viterbo, the provincial capital, like most towns in Alto Lazio founded in the Etruscan period, and subsequently a Roman colony, important medieval centre and for a time, papal seat. The beautiful historical centre has an intact medieval quarter and several imposing and notable buildings. Savour authentic local lunch dishes in a superb medieval cloistered setting. Then visit nearby Villa Lante and the famous water gardens, marvel of renaissance hydraulic engineering, architecture and garden design. A brief visit to the Cistercian abbey San Martino al Cimino and a drive around Largo di Vico brings us to Caprarola, dominated by Palazzo Farnese and its magnificent gardens, another masterpiece by Sangallo, Vignola et al. Back to Viterbo for an evening ramble, and dinner. |
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Day
11:
Tarquinia,
Cerveteri,
Roma A morning visit to coastal Tarquinia, its museum and famous frescoed Etruscan tombs. The numerous medieval towers in this town rival those of Bologna and San Giminiano. Driving down the coast we make a short stop at Castello Odescachi to see the Etruscan necropolis of Cerveteri that D.H. Lawrence described so beautifully. To our contemporary eyes the necropolis is also a wonderful work of landscape art. From here we turn inland to Lago di Bracciano and its charming lakeside towns. We visit the impressively situated gardens, laid out in the 1960s by Russell Page at San Liberato. We re-enter Rome to complete our circum-navigation of Lazio. |
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Day
14:
Museum
of
Modern
Art,
Villa
Giulia,
Fiume
Tevere,
Ostia
Antica,
Ostia
port A short visit to Villa Giulia, the Gallery of Modern Art next door, and the new Opera House nearby, by architect Renzo Piano, precedes a trip by ferry down the Tevere to the site of the Roman port Ostia Antica. Surrounded by the ruined splendour of Roman remains, we enjoy another of Stefano's sumptuous picnics, before a guided tour. A visit to nearby Castel di Torre in Pietra follows. This private residence and garden, was trans-formed from a medieval borgo several centuries ago. A drive around the sea side in Ostia and a walk along the lido precedes our evening sea food meal at Fiumicino, the present Roman port. |
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Day
15:
Three
of
the
seven
Roman
hills:
Caelian,
Esquilino
and
Aventino
Our final day. We enjoy the special atmosphere and places within these three quarters. First a food market and visits to some awesome church interiors: Santa Prudenziana, Santa Maria Maggiore, and Santa Prassede. Then a walk through the Oppio Garden visiting the recently restored Domus Aurea (golden house) and the Coliseum valley, lunching in a typical trattoria of the Esquilino quarter. Spend the afternoon in the Celio quarter visiting other churches: San Clemente, for example, is a unique building illustrating a sequence of spaces and epochs from classical antiquity through the early Christian era, to the late Middle Ages. We conclude the day with a stroll around the serene Aventino quarter overlooking the Tevere and old city, and share a last meal together in characteristic Roman. |
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