Lazio

      

Lazio or Latium

In the same way that London is not the only city in the UK, so Rome is not the only city in Italy - and certainly not the only place in Lazio or, as it's sometimes called, Latium. This part of the blog deals with some of the places which I have visited over the last 21 years or so. Many of the photos you will see (in the link) are from near the town I now consider my home: Arpino. When visitors arrive in this town of approximately 7,000 people, they are always impressed with its beauty and charm. Arpino, so legend has it was founded by Saturn and the old acropolis, ringed by massive stone fortifications were said to have been built by the god's sons, the Cyclops. We know it simply as Civitavecchia.

Arpino, view across the Liri Valley

It was supposedly the birthplace of Marcus Tullius Cicero as well as another Roman consul, Gaius Marius. Like so many of the typical hilltop towns in Italy, it is steeped in history and each place you visit has its own little piece of the jigsaw that is unique and universal to it. 

Somewhere on a bookshelf, I have a tourist guide to the Ciociaria which details all the places of interest, local specialities, things to do and so on. One day, I may get round to visiting everything in the book but for now, you will have to make do with the very biased selection from my travels. I could devote an entire post to my adopted hometown. However, we will start with Isola del Liri.

Sometime during the late 1990s, I got off a bus from Rome which dropped me in this small but interesting town. It had been 16 years since I had visited the area but I knew the ancestral home was within walking distance. My companion and I stopped at a bar and, having spent countless evenings at Italian classes, ordered two beers (due birre). There promptly arrived two pear juices (due pere) so much for higher education. From Isola, we walked the longest possible route to the house where we were staying. It felt like ages in a very hot July sun. Later, we found out that here's a short cut which probably takes 20 minutes.

Isola was a nice laid back, modern town back then. And it truly is an "isola" - an island because the Liri river splits at the top of the cliffs behind the town and creates a little island. It has changed so much since I have lived here and is now populated by lots of bars and eateries. Weirdly enough, its other claim to fame (other than having an inland waterfall) is that it is twinned with New Orleans. This would be on account of it having a blues festival which is usually held in July. 

One of the nicest things to do is to sit near the waterfall at Bar Facchini and enjoy an ice-cream or coffee and watch the world go by.

MSGC and Boville Ernica

MSGC, or Monte San Giovani Campano is one of the many little hilltop towns which are dotted across the valley of the Liri. For a long time when I lived in another part of Arpino, my view would be across this valley. However, for one reason or another, I never made it to MSGC maybe because I didn't think there would be much there. What there is, is peace. During the hot days of summer, it's so relaxing to go to the castle area where Thomas Aquinas was imprisoned by his family (who didn't want him to become a monk). There is a cypress lined path where you can sit and listen to the cicadas going nuts and where the smell of the pines fills the air. There's also a restaurant there with a terrace from which you can look across the landscape in its multiple green vestments.

Boville Ernica

Adjacent to MSGC is Boville Ernica. From what little history I know of the area, the Romans in Latium were in competition with a number of neighbouring tribes: the Volsci, the Samnites and the Hernici. Eventually they all succumbed to the Romans but Boville is a nice town to visit and not a bad place to eat. It has a pizzeria called Il Frantoio which we used to frequent whenever we wanted to impress our guests because the table would rapidly fill with so many dishes. Add to that the fact that it is reasonably priced and it's obvious why the place is so popular. A little know secret is L'Altro Frantoio (the Other Olive Mill). It's not always open but I will always remember it as the place I first had cacio e pepe. Like MSGC, the belvedere offers stunning views across the Liri plain.

Collepardo

There are two sets of caves in the area: Pastena - which I visited a long time ago; and Collepardo which we visited last summer. For a modest fee, you can enter the caves with guide and an audio guide which tell you lots of interesting things about the caves. All this is done in hushed whispers since the caves are home to bats and the slightest noise may cause them to fly out en masse. The amazing thing is that these caves have been in use since the Bronze Age, if not before. Remains dating back to 1600 BCE have been found in the caves. Equally  interesting,  is the fact that the whole system still hasn't been explored. Nearby, there is a massive sinkhole called the Pozzo d'Antullo (included on the same ticket as the entrance to the caves.

Vico nel Lazio

According to some guidebooks, Vico nel Lazio is occasionally referred to as the Carcassonne of Lazio. The fact that the French city is approximately 20 times larger than this town seems to have escaped the writers of such guides. It's a pretty little town (of just over 2,000 people) Much of it was closed on the day we visited but the many towers and encircling walls give it an interesting vibe.

Casamari and Veroli

About 30 minutes or so from Arpino lies the abbey of Casamari. Casamari itself is a compound word from Gaius Marius, a Roman general and consul who was born in Arpinum. By all accounts, he was a successful but cynical politician who sanctioned the use of death squads to anyone who opposed the government. 

As for the abbey itself, it is run by Cistercian monks and architecturally is a fine example of early Gothic. The "windows" are made of alabaster rather than glass and give a subdued light inside the church. The monks also make a liqueur which is aniseed based and is incredibly strong. I haven't yet been able to drink it without diluting it first (it's about 90 proof!) I am not sure what the medicinal qualities are but it's marketed as a digestif and a cure for flatulence (among other things). Officially, it's called Gocce or Tintura Imperiali. Lethal.

Veroli. Just up the road from Casamari is Veroli. It's another of the hilltop towns that for years I observed from a distance but never actually went to. This is a mistake since it's a pretty little town with winding streets and interesting architecture. There's a beautiful church in the main square - the church of San Salome (no, not the dancing one but the supposed the mother of two apostles, James and John).   

The Valle di Comino

Heading down towards Cassino, if you follow the superstrada SSV Sora-Cassino, you are following the line of the Valle Di Comino. Along its route, there are again, a number of places which merit a stop.

Posta Fibreno

When people come to visit, this is always one of two places that are on the itinerary of visits. The lake is a nature reserve with lots of flora and fauna indigenous to the area. the lake is populated by ducks and coots (mainly) though the very weird coypu can often be glimpsed. Around the edges of the lake there is always somewhere to get something to eat or drink. On a sunny day, it's nice to sit outside and just watch the activity that is taking place on the water. A short run up the hill takes you to the town overlooking the lake from where you can appreciate its full extent and charm.

Vicalvi

It's hard to miss Vicalvi since it is a fortified hilltop town complete with a castle with a big red cross painted on it. The cross dates back to the Second World War when it was used as a hospital by the German forces. There are also the remains of ancient cyclopean walls. You will probably get bored of the narrative that it's a nice place wander around and occasionally sit and have a drink or two so you should take that as read. 

The day we visited Vicalvi, there was a group from the comune going into the remains of the castle (usually it's locked up and access is denied). They very kindly allowed us to enter and two visiting professors from Cassino who were there to assess its suitability as a potential site for tourism gave some very interesting insights into the history of site - including the fact that the castle came under attack from the Aquino family (including Thomas, later to become a monk and a saint). the site was also used in two films: Il Pataffo and Armata Brancaleone. 

Atina

Further south again, there is Atina. As usual, it is a place I have probably visited many times but never as a tourist. Entering through one of the old city gates, you follow a well-mapped route which displays the points of local interest. Such things are generally avoided in preference for getting lost and discovering off the beaten track treasures. However, it's done well and gives a little bit of background knowledge to the buildings in front of which the signs are displayed. 

Anagni

Past Frosinone and not far from the spa town of Fiuggi lies Anagni. It's a wonderfully historic place, giving rise to no less than four popes! Innocent lll, Gregory lX, Alexander lV and Boniface Vlll. They and the town certainly have a colourful history which is well worth reading up on. The main reason for visiting was to see the Crypt of San Magno (St Magnus) which is housed in the cathedral. It has some outstandingly beautiful frescoes. The floors are also amazingly intricate mosaics and can be seen in the adjoining museum. We had to wait to get in because it is only open at specific times but it was worth the wait and gave us a good excuse to try some of the local ice-cream including black vanilla! For history lovers, see also the outrage of Anagni when the French forces tried to grab Boniface and he was slapped by Sciarra Colonna (hence the outrage!)

Wandering around for a few hours was such a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. Fiuggi should also get a mention here because its water (and spa remedies) are famous the world over. We also ended up eating here at a very nice little restaurant.

Frosinone

The provincial capital. The 15th most polluted town in Italy and something of an understatement when it comes to many of the good things about Italian life. However, there are a few bright spots to be found in this city. There is a centro storico up on the top of the hill which has a 12th century campanile. There are also lots of little interesting bars and shops in that area of the town. It's far removed from the lower part of the town which often feels like its a place you are going through to get to somewhere else. Still, it has a nice municipal park, opposite it is Sbardella's gelateria - arguably the best ice-cream place in town. There are also plenty of places to eat including Mystic Pizza which is run by Pasquale and his wife. He spent some time in America but has "retired" back to Frosinone. Another place worth mentioning is the Biker Bistrot hidden away in Via Aldo Moro. It's run by Francesca (who also spent 4 years in the US) and serves filling and innovative dishes at very reasonable prices. Don't be put off by the name - the restaurant has some beautiful bikes as well as hosting live music. 

I worked in the city for 10 years or more and it has many happy memories for me. 💓

Romina Di Cesare 1986-2022

A word about the photos

This is the link to the photos for Lazio. It's a little Arpino biased (but my excuse is that I live here) It's a selection of the places mentioned in the blog but by no means anywhere near the sum total of all the photos I have.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZfTbSjk9t5YKWnJi7