Lazio is far more than Rome. The region surrounding the capital contains a remarkable density of medieval villages, Etruscan sites, volcanic lakes, thermal springs and landscapes that most visitors never experience, staying only in the city. The Tuscia area to the north, centred on Viterbo and its surrounding towns, remains one of Italy's least known historical regions. The Tyrrhenian coast to the south, home to Sperlonga and Circeo, features some of Lazio's finest beaches. The Castelli Romani, the volcanic hills encircling Rome, have served as the Romans' weekend escape for centuries.
Civita di Bagnoregio
Civita di Bagnoregio is the most photographed village in Lazio and among Italy's most famous. Known as the dying city, it sits on a tufa ridge subject to continuous erosion; over the centuries, landslides have collapsed sections of walls and buildings, progressively reducing the habitable surface. Today only about ten people live here permanently.
Access comes via a steel pedestrian bridge stretching two hundred and twenty-seven metres across the Valle dei Calanchi. On the far side lies an intact medieval village, anchored by the Church of San Donato on the main square, with stone alleyways, tile-roofed houses and panoramic views of the grey clay badlands surrounding the ridge on all sides.
Entry requires a paid ticket. This village ranks among Italy's most searched destinations online.
La Tuscia and Viterbo
Tuscia is the ancient name for the Etruscan territory north of Rome, centred on Viterbo. It represents one of central Italy's richest yet least known historical areas.
Viterbo serves as Tuscia's main city, boasting one of Lazio's best preserved medieval historic centres. The 13th-century Palazzo dei Papi, with its distinctive external loggia of twin-light windows, stands as the principal monument. The San Pellegrino quarter is a labyrinth of medieval alleyways, exterior staircases, arches and fountains seemingly untouched by the centuries.
Around Viterbo lie natural thermal springs fed by volcanic aquifers. The Terme dei Papi and especially the Bullicame, a free public thermal spring with waters reaching approximately 58 degrees Celsius, have been known since Dante's time, when he referenced them in the Inferno.
Tuscania is an Etruscan city featuring two Romanesque churches from the 8th to 12th centuries, San Pietro and Santa Maria Maggiore, built on a ridge outside the main settlement. They rank among Lazio's finest Romanesque monuments.
Bolsena sits on the lake of the same name, Europe's largest volcanic lake. The medieval village with its castle, the Basilica of Santa Cristina and the lakeside promenade form an ensemble of considerable appeal. Lake Bolsena is suitable for swimming, with clean waters.
Calcata
Calcata stands as one of Lazio's most distinctive villages. Constructed on a tufa ridge in the upper Tiber Valley, it was abandoned in the 1960s due to landslide risk, then recolonised from the 1970s onwards by artists, craftspeople and bohemians. Today it presents a curious and captivating blend of stone medieval houses, art galleries, artisan workshops and alternative venues, with a small permanent community that has preserved the village's bohemian character.
Sperlonga and the Tyrrhenian coast
Sperlonga ranks among Lazio's finest coastal villages, located in Latina province. Its whitewashed historic centre crowns a promontory between two beaches, with narrow streets, interlocking houses and views across the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Spiaggia di Levante and Spiaggia di Ponente flanking the promontory offer sandy shores with full facilities.
The Sperlonga National Archaeological Museum houses sculptures of extraordinary quality discovered in the Grotta di Tiberio, the seaside cave the Emperor Tiberius used as a triclinium for banquets. The sculptural group depicting Ulysses rivals the Laocoön in artistic quality.
Circeo and its peninsula, a protected natural heritage site, lies a short distance from Sperlonga, offering sea cliffs, wild beaches and Lake Sabaudia inland.
The Castelli Romani
The Castelli Romani are the volcanic hills south of Rome, roughly twenty to thirty kilometres from the city centre. Castel Gandolfo, with its papal villa overlooking Lake Albano; Frascati, renowned for its white wine; Ariccia, home to the Palazzo Chigi and the protected designation Porchetta di Ariccia; and Nemi, the village nestled on its lake among strawberry forests, represent the principal destinations.
The Castelli are easily visited from Rome in a day trip via the Lazio regional railway. They have long served as Romans' weekend retreat, offering trattorias serving porchetta, Castelli wines and forest walks.
Sermoneta and the Agro Pontino
Sermoneta, in Latina province, is a medieval village crowning a hilltop, featuring a 13th to 14th-century Rocca Caetani among Lazio's finest fortified residences and a historic centre of churches, palaces and alleyways that remain largely unchanged.
Nearby, the Abbazia di Valvisciolo is a 13th-century Cistercian monastery set within a landscape of olive groves and Mediterranean scrub.
Practical information
Getting there. Rome serves as the primary hub. By car from Rome, all Lazio villages are reachable within two hours. By train, the Lazio regional railway connects Rome to the Castelli Romani and the coastal towns.
When to visit. Spring and autumn suit the Tuscia villages and Castelli Romani. Summer works best for Sperlonga and the coast. Civita di Bagnoregio is pleasant year-round, nearly deserted in winter.
Top tips: Book Civita di Bagnoregio tickets online to skip queues at the gate. The Bullicame thermal spring near Viterbo is free and always open; bring a towel and sandals. Sperlonga's museum housing Tiberius-era sculptures is often overlooked but rivals the village itself. Avoid the Castelli Romani on August weekends when Romans flee the city heat and crowds surge.
