Southern Lazio it is a tourist area Italian of the region Lazio, largely corresponding to the ancient Latium adiectum.
To know
Geographical notes
It is the southern area of the Lazio region, it borders on Abruzzo, Molise, Campania and Tyrrhenian Sea. It includes the Provinces of Frosinone is Latina. The most populous city is Latina, followed by Aprilia, Frosinone, Terracina, Funds, Formia is Cassino.
Physical geography
It embraces an Apennine area, whose reliefs slope down to the Tyrrhenian Sea. Among the main mountain ranges we find the Lepini and Ernici Mountains to the north, and the Ausoni and Aurunci Mountains to the south. The main rivers are the Liri and the Garigliano, which marks the border with Campania.In inland areas, the mountain ranges are interspersed with flat areas such as the Valle del Sacco and the Liri Valley (Middle and Lower Latina Valley), or the territory of Cassinate (the ancient land of San Benedetto), of lake origin. Along the coast, the northern part is called Pianura Pontina, once a marshy territory, obtained from land reclamation in the 1930s. The archipelago of the Pontine Islands belongs to southern Lazio.
When to go
To visit the cities in the hinterland, the recommended periods are spring and autumn (March-June and September-October). The summer period is ideal for seaside and mountain resorts.
Background
The territory of southern Lazio was inhabited in ancient times by various Italic populations of the Osco-Umbrian language, in particular the osci, the Volsci (probably coming from the Sabina) and then colonized by Latins and Romans. In particular, the coastal areas saw the creation of several Roman colonies, while the internal area was colonized through large settlements of Latins. In the Middle Ages, southern Lazio was divided into two distinct parts. North of the Liri River, there is the historically called territory Countryside and Maritime, which belonged to the Papal State until the unification of Italy and part of the Province of Rome until 1927. To the south of the Liri, following the Sora-Gaeta axis, up to the Garigliano, there is the territory that historically belonged to Work land, from the homonymous province of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and, until 1927, of the Kingdom of Italy. From that date the territory was part of the Province of Frosinone, to which the Province of Latina was added in 1934. The territory that belonged to the province of Terra di Lavoro is often referred to as Alta Terra di Lavoro, and includes centers of considerable historical, monumental and tourist importance such as Fondi, Sperlonga, Itri, Gaeta, Formia, Minturno with the archaeological area of Minturnae, Cassino and the abbey of Montecassino, Aquino, Atina, Arpino, Sora.
Territories and tourist destinations
Southern Lazio can be further divided into:
Frusinate (Average Latina Valley) - The Latina Valley is a large region that extends southwards from the southern area of the Metropolitan City of Rome (Alta Valle Latina) to the city of Cassino. The middle part of the valley, corresponding to the Valle del Sacco and the Frusinate (erroneously defined by tourists as "ciociaria", a use inherited from the fascist dictatorship), hinges on the city of Frosinone. In addition to the capital, the main tourist centers are Anagni, Alatri, Veroli is Ceccano. The Valley is crossed by the ancient Via Latina.
Agro Pontino - squeezed between the Lepini Mountains and the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Pontine countryside is a completely flat territory once the kingdom of swamps and reclaimed during the Fascist regime. Isolated in the south-west corner stands the Circeo promontory with the seaside resorts of San Felice Circeo is Sabaudia. The Pontine countryside is scattered with cities that arose as a result of the reclamation. Besides Latina, the capital, and Sabaudia are worth mentioning Pontinia is Aprilia. Also worth mentioning Terracina, very developed seaside resort.
Lepini Mountains - located between Colli Albani, Valle del Sacco and Agro Pontino, the territory of the Lepini Mountains, whose highest peak is The Evervisa it is scattered with small villages such as Norm, Roccagorga, Sermoneta, Morolo.
Ausoni Mountains - squeezed between the Lepini Mountains to the north and the Aurunci Mountains to the south, the territory of the Ausoni Mountains is made famous from a tourist point of view Caves of Pastena. Other villages are Roccasecca dei Volsci, Lenola, Pico, Sonnino.
Aurunci Mountains - is the territory south of the Ausoni Mountains, which separates the Cassinate area from the South Pontine. The main centers are Itri, Spigno Saturnia, Esperia, Ausonia.
Liri Valley (Lower Latina Valley) - is the territory bathed by the Liri river, whose main municipalities are Sora, Island of the Liri, Liri Fountain, Campoli Apennines, Arpino, Fontechiari, Pontecorvo.
Comino Valley - it is a mountainous area close to Abruzzo, between Sora and Cassino, characterized by small villages, among which they deserve to be mentioned Atina, Casalvieri is San Donato Val di Comino.
South Pontine - also called Riviera of Ulysses, is a very developed bathing area that goes from Fondi to Minturno. Gaeta, Sperlonga is Formia, are the most popular tourist destinations.
Cassinate - is the area bordering Campania is Molise which hinges on the city of Cassino, famous for the Abbey of Montecassino, which for centuries governed the territory called Terra di San Benedetto. Other centers to mention are Aquino, Roccasecca, San Vittore del Lazio and the mountain municipalities of Acquafondata is Viticuso.
Pontine Islands - are an archipelago of volcanic origin located in the Tyrrhenian Sea, off the coast of the Gulf of Gaeta. The main islands are those of Ponza is Ventotene.
Urban centers
- Latina - Major center of southern Lazio, it is also a popular seaside resort.
- Alatri - among the main centers of the Latina Valley, it is famous for the acropolis, located on top of the hill around which its historic center stands.
- Anagni - known for having been the papal seat and for this reason defined City of Popes, Anagni has a well-preserved historic center, embellished by the cathedral and the palace of Pope Boniface VIII, in which the famous outrage to the Pope occurred Slap by Anagni.
- Aprilia - Second city in southern Lazio, among the youngest in Italy by foundation, it owes its development to industrialization and proximity to Rome and Latina.
- Cassino - Ancient Oscan city, later conquered by the Volsci and the Samnites, became an important center in Roman times, the last city of the Latins and today the last city of the Latin Valley. With its Abbey of Montecassino, the monumental war cemeteries and the archaeological park of the ancient Roman city Casinum, the Martyr City, as it was defined after the Second World War, is one of the main tourist destinations in Lazio.
- Formia - Important for seaside tourism and for the port, from which ferries depart for the Pontine Islands.
- Frosinone - Main center of the Media Valle Latina, it is an ancient Volscian and later Roman center. In medieval times it was a city of the Papal State. In 1927 it became the provincial capital. It is a city of services, trade and the tertiary sector. It has a well-preserved historic center and Roman ruins. There is an archaeological museum with pre-Roman and Roman repositories
- Gaeta - important seaside resort, for years Blue Flag for the cleanliness of its waters. It has a historic center of medieval origin of great interest.
- Sora - is crossed by the Liri river, which makes its historic center very suggestive.
- Terracina - Ancient Volsca and later Roman city, it is one of the liveliest centers of the Lazio coast and one of the main tourist destinations in the region.
How to get
By car
- From the north: A1 direction Naples
- From the center: A25 direction L'Aquila, Exit Avezzano, then SS690 direction Sora.
- From the south: A1 direction Milan
On the train
- Railroad Rome-Cassino-Naples: connects southern Lazio with Rome and Naples passing through the hinterland.
- Rome Railway-Formia-Naples: connects southern Lazio with Rome and Naples passing through the coastal territories.
- Railroad Avezzano-Roccasecca: connects southern Lazio with theAbruzzo.
How to get around
What see
Abbeys
- Montecassino Abbey (Cassino). Founded by St. Benedict of Nursia in the year 529, it is the most famous monastery of Christianity. It stands on the hill overlooking the city of Cassino. Here, the patriarch saint founded the famous "Rule" which spread throughout the Western world. The monastery, which has undergone four destructions in its millenary history, is known throughout the world for the last one, which took place on February 15, 1944, in which it was completely razed to the ground by Allied bombing. It was rebuilt after the war "as it was, where it was" and, returned to its original majesty, it is a destination for pilgrimages from all over the world.
- Casamari Abbey (Veroli). One of the most important Italian monasteries of Cistercian Gothic architecture.
- Charterhouse of Trisulti (Collepardo). Monastery located in Collepardo, part of the Cistercian congregation.
- Fossanova Abbey (Priverno). Located on the slopes of the Lepini Mountains, the abbey declared a "national monument" in 1874, is the oldest example of Gothic-Cistercian art in Italy.
Castles
- Castle of the Counts (Ceccano). Located on the highest point of the hill, in a panoramic position of the valley of the bag, it preserves numerous medieval elements and testimonies of the inmates who were imprisoned there when it was a prison.
- Sindici Castle (Ceccano). Located in the city center, an elegant neo-Gothic style residence, surrounded by the greenery of a park full of centuries-old trees, represents the conservation of the precious white wine produced by the Sindici family, and its rooms hosted personalities of the caliber of Gabriele D'Annunzio .
- Cantelmo Castle (Alvito). It rises on the top of Monte Albeto, the high hill covered with olive groves on whose slopes Alvito is perched, in a panoramic position over the Alta Val di Comino.
- Castle of San Casto and Cassio (Sora). Also called "Rocca Sorella", in certain periods the castle was part of a larger complex of fortifications, that is to say a real defensive line of the Kingdom of Naples, which starting from Val Roveto reached Val di Comino.
- Vicalvi Castle (Vicalvi). Located on a hill between the Valle del Fibreno and the Val di Comino, it is one of the easternmost fortresses in the area, close to the border with Abruzzo, and also represents one of the greatest examples in the region of defensive architecture inserted in the urban fabric.
- Caetani Castle (Sermoneta). It is one of the most important, majestic and best preserved manors in Lazio and Italy.
- Castle of the Counts of Aquino (Roccasecca). It was built by Mansone, abbot of Montecassino, in the year 994, to defend itself from the Lombards. Today majestic and significant ruins remain. A wooden path now facilitates the visit from the Church of Santommaso to the highest part.
- Longhi-De Paolis Castle (Fumone). The Rocca di Fumone also called by "Longhi De-Paolis" is famous not only for being the prison of Celestino V, as well as the place of his death, but also for hosting an extraordinary hanging garden, which, with its 800 m asl , is the highest in Europe.
- Rocca Guglielma (Esperia).
- Rocca Janula (Cassino). Recently restored, the fortress was for centuries the military fulcrum of the Lordship of the Land of San Benedetto and still dominates the city of Cassino today.
Cathedrals
- Cathedral of Santa Maria (Anagni).
- Cathedral of Saints Erasmus and Marciano and of Santa Maria Assunta (Gaeta).
- Terracina Cathedral (Terracina).
- Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (Frosinone).
- Co-cathedral of San Paolo (Alatri).
Caves
- Grotta del Turco (Gaeta). So called, because in the ninth century, at the time of the Duchy of Gaeta, the ships of the Saracens found refuge in the crevices of this strategic promontory, ready to attack ships in transit by surprise, in order to plunder them of their loads.
- Caves of Pastena (Pastena). Caves of karst origin, among the most important on the national territory.
- Caves of Falvaterra (Falvaterra). Caves of karst origin.
Parks
The bridge, Gardens of Ninfa
- Circeo National Park (Sabaudia).
- Garden of Ninfa (Cistern of Latina). It can be visited only on certain days of the year or by reservation, it houses the ruins of the ancient city of Ninfa, submerged by vegetation and surrounded by a botanical oasis that hosts plants from all over the world.
Archaeological sites
- Archaeological Park of Casinum (Cassino). The area includes the remains of Casinum, the ancient Roman city that stood at the foot of Montecassino. The amphitheater, the theater and the remains of streets and houses can be visited.
- Temple of Jupiter Anxur (Terracina). A Roman temple located on Mount S. Angelo overlooking the city.
- Tomb of Cicero (Formia).
- Acropolis of Alatri (Alatri). The Acropolis of Alatri, known locally as Civita, is located in the heart of the historic center of Alatri. The fortress is surrounded by polygonal walls, called cyclopean walls, in which two doors open.
Events and parties
- Pontecorvo Carnival (Pontecorvo).
February. - Feast of the Ràdeca (Frosinone). Shrove Tuesday. Festival of pagan origin in which the participants brandishing an agave leaf parade through the streets of the city.
- Week of San Benedetto (Cassino). until 21 March. Solemn celebrations in honor of St. Benedict, patron saint of Cassino and of Europe which culminate with the arrival of the torch and the performance of the "Terra Sancti Benedicti" historical parade.
- Liri Blues Festival (Island of the Liri). July. One of the most important Italian blues festivals. It has been held since 1988 in July in Isola del Liri, a country twinned with the city of New Orleans.
- Atina Jazz Festival (Atina). July. International jazz music festival.
- "Severino Gazzelloni" International Festival (Roccasecca). August September. Classical and opera music festival.
February.What to do
Spa and wellness
- Source Bonifacio VIII (Fiuggi). Fonte Bonifacio VIII has large open and closed spaces and a flourishing and luxuriant vegetation where the numerous fountains for water are immersed.
- Source Anticolana (Fiuggi). The Fonte Anticolana is located inside a forest with chestnut trees, sequoias, silver cedars and flowers of all kinds. La Fonte has minigolf, bowling green, tennis courts, an area equipped with games for children, a dance floor with music.
- Terme Pompeo (Ferentino). Equipped and modern spa complex, immersed in a centuries-old park, it is also equipped with two thermal pools and the qualified Beauty Terme Pompeo which is able to take care of the beauty of the spa guests by offering skin purifying treatments for the face and body, masks with thermal mud and clay mud, circulatory, lymphatic drainage and anti-stress massages, sauna, solarium, hydro-dietology, beauty services.
- Terme Sant'Egidio (Suio Terme, Castelforte).
- Varronian Baths (Cassino). In the area where once stood the villa of Marco Terenzio Varone, today there is a hydropinic complex rich in mineral water springs particularly effective for kidney stones, gout and diuresis in general.
- Terme Vescine (Suio Terme, Castelforte).
Ski resorts
- Campocatino (Guarcino). The lifts go up on the different sides of the basin and include ski lifts with a total hourly capacity of 5,000 people. The 10 km of slopes of various difficulties (blue, red and black) are able to satisfy both the most experienced skiers and beginners.
At the table
Safety
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Southern Lazio
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