There’s no disputing the allure of Rome, with its thousands of years of history and world-famous monuments, churches and ruins. But for those spending a few days in the Italian capital there are several enticing options for days out which offer not only an escape from Rome’s traffic noise and pollution, but also the chance to experience a side of Italy that’s a million miles from the crazy chaos of the capital.
Here are 5 suggestions for days out from Rome:
Tivoli
Once the country retreat for the Roman Empire’s rich and powerful, the old villas and temples of Tivoli are the big draw for modern-day visitors to this hill town. Hadrian’s Villa is so vast that its underground passages can accommodate modern cars, while the Villa d’Este, built in the Renaissance style of 16th century for the particularly wealthy Cardinal Ippolito d’Este, is famous for the spectacular water features in its lavish gardens.
It was from the hills around Tivoli that most of the stone used to build Rome’s monuments was quarried. Today you’re more likely to find olive groves and vineyards in the rolling hills around this pretty town, some 20 miles to the east of Rome.
Subiaco
A little beyond Tivoli is the town of Subiaco with its medieval Benedictine monastery. It was set up by German monks in the 15th century and it was here that the first books were printed in Italy. Nowadays it’s a lovely place to take a wander through the old streets, with the old bridge of St Francis and the impressive hilltop Rocca Abbaziale (Abbot’s Castle) making popular stops for the many day-trippers who come here from Rome.
Around an hour’s drive north of Rome, the lakes of Bracciano, Vico and Bolsena have for centuries been popular spots for Romans to take a cooling swim. The area is great for walking with plenty of trails around the Lake Vico region where the brooding volcano of Mount Venere makes a picture-perfect backdrop. The medieval villages are also popular tourist attractions, with the dramatic 15th-century castle in Bracciano a major draw.
Ostia Antica
Visiting modern-day Ostia it’s hard to imagine that this was once Ancient Rome’s main seaport. The town is now a couple of miles inland, but the old buildings and their mosaics and frescoes have been remarkably-well preserved. This town was also the site of a famous lighthouse and what is thought to be Europe’s first synagogue, which archaeologists only recently uncovered.
Circeo National Park
Around 60 miles south of Rome this narrow area of coastal wilderness was declared a national park in the 1930s and has been protected ever since. There’s a long narrow sand dune which reaches heights of over 25 metres in places, while the forest is home to a wide variety of plants and wildlife, including badgers, hedgehogs and several species of woodpecker.
