Lazio

Regions \ Lazio

Lazio is known for being the geographical divide between the north and south of Italy, however the reality is that it has become more-so the bond which holds the two together.

Location

Centrally located on the western coast of the Adriatic Sea, Lazio boarders to the east with Abruzzo, the north with Tuscany and briefly borders Marche to the north-east, Campania and Molise to the south, and extends down the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west.

Geography

20% Lowland – 27% Mountain – 53% Hill

â€¢ Majestic mountains characterize the southern and eastern countryside and slope gently into the rolling hills, which are typical the northern area.

â€¢ Flowing from Mount Fumaiolo of the Emilia-Romagna region southwest to the Tyrrhenian Sea, Italyâ€™s third largest river, The Tiber River flows directly through the eternal city of Rome offering beautiful views of Vatican City. Serving as an essential trade route, this river draws historical reference from the legendary story of the founding of Rome. Romulus and Remus, the legendary founderâ€™s were found abandoned by a â€œshe-wolfâ€.

â€¢ Situated along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the province of Latina runs for 62 miles between Campania and Rome. Home to warm, sandy beaches and beautiful small resort towns, Lazioâ€™s coast offers a fresh climate with a picturesque stretch of Mediterranean plant life.

â€¢ Towards the north-east the terrain becomes more wooded and green steadily merging into countryside reminiscent of neighboring Umbria and Tuscany, with rolling hills.

Climate

While the overall climate of Lazio is considerably mild, the difference of humidity and temperature between the coastal towns and the inner cities is incredible. Rain is scarce along the coast and through the lowlands, in contrast to the inner and mountainous areas where rainfall is more abundant, particularly during the spring and winter months. Along the coast the climate is warm year around providing a truly fresh environment. Rome on the other hand, like other typical inland cities, has average temperatures ranging from 39Â° in mid-January and increasing to over 85Â° on average during the summer months.

Major Cities

Rome
Latina
Guidonia Montecelio
Aprilia
Fiumicino
Viterbo
Pomezia
Tivoli

Distances

Map of Rome (click to enlarge)

Rome:

to Bari: 280 miles
to Bologna: 238 miles
to Florence: 173 miles
to Genoa: 317 miles o to Milan: 358 miles
to Naples: 136 miles
to Palermo: 647 miles o to Rome: miles
to Turin: 292 miles
to Trieste: 444 miles
to Venice: 352 miles

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Tourism

Hill Towns of Lazio

Tourists are found far and few in between throughout the less known towns scattered throughout the hills of Lazio, however, the ultimate experience falls to those who arenâ€™t necessarily in search of one. The peaceful and relaxing pace of life found in typical small Italian towns represent the rarely seen, traditional Italian lifestyle.

-Tivoli

Villa dâ€™Este: A true masterpiece of Italian architecture and exquisite garden design. Ideal for those intrigued by Italian lifestyle, design, and/or history. World-renowned for itâ€™s breathtaking gardens, exceptional cuisine, and entirely unique swimming pool.

Villa Adriana: Originally built for the second century Roman Emperor Hadrian, this palace reflects the various trips the former Emperor made throughout his reign. Drawing inspiration from Egypt and Greece, the components of architecture are quite diverse in origin and style.

-Viterbo

With an abundance of Etruscan remains, fine museums and a unique medieval demeanor, any trip to this fine city will be well worth your time.

-Rieti

Serving as the capital of the Rieti province, this town lies on the old Roman Salt Road known as â€œvia Saleriaâ€. In these days Rieti is lightly populated and the countryside around offers remarkable cuisine, while local goods such as truffles and goatâ€™s cheese from the surrounding Sabine Hills, continue to draw would-not be travelers in.

-Coastal Towns

Terracina, a nice little town, and Sperlonga, with whitewashed houses on a coastline of pretty coves and rocky cliffs. The Pontine Islands are accessible by ferry and make an attractive day trip.

Cuisine

[slider title="Pizzelle" type="auto-expand"] (pronounced with ts sound, like “pizza”) (singular pizzella) are traditional Italian waffle cookies made from flour, eggs, sugar, butter or vegetable oil, and flavoring (often vanilla, anise, or lemon zest). Pizzelle can be hard and crisp or soft and chewy depending on the ingredients and method of preparation.

Pizzelle were originally made in the Abruzzo region of south-central Italy. The name comes from the Italian word for “round” and “flat” (pizze); this is also the meaning of the word pizza. Many other cultures have developed a pizzelle-type cookie as part of their culture. It is known to be one of the oldest cookies, and is believed to have developed from the ancient Roman crustulum. Pizzelle are known as ferratelle in the Lazio region of Italy. In Molise they may be called ferratelle, cancelle, or pizzelle. 200px-pizzelle

The cookie dough or batter is put into a pizzelle iron, which resembles a waffle iron. The pizzelle iron is held by hand over a hot burner on the stovetop, although some models are electric and require no stove. Typically, the iron stamps a snowflake pattern onto both sides of the thin golden-brown cookie, which has a crisp texture once it is cooled. There are also several brands of ready-made pizzelle available in stores.

Pizzelle are popular during Christmas and Easter. They are often found at Italian weddings, alongside other traditional pastries such as cannoli and traditional Italian cookies.

It is also common for two pizzelle to be sandwiched with cannoli cream (ricotta blended with sugar) or hazelnut spread. Pizzelle, while still warm, can also be rolled using a wooden dowel to create cannoli shells. [/slider]

[slider title="Rigatoni alla Pajata"] is a classic dish of Roman pasta from the region of Lazio. The dish can still be found in some traditional trattorias in Rome. Pajata is the term for the intestines of an “un-weaned” calf, i.e., only fed on its mother’s milk. The intestines are cleaned, but the milk is left inside. When cooked, the combination of heat and the enzyme rennet in the intestines coagulates the milk and creates a sort of thick, creamy, cheese-like sauce. These can be served simply seasoned and grilled (also very common in Argentina and Uruguay, where they are called chinchulines or chotos) or in the traditional Italian dish in which pajata are stewed in a typical tomato sauce and served with Rigatoni. [/slider]