Travel to Rome

When visiting Rome, Italy, travelers should follow the example of emperors and popes and see some of the encircling countryside. Fuori parta (beyond the gate), ancient romans mentioned, lie great treasures. The area surrounding Rome, the area of Lazio, is one of the most beautiful areas of Italy in its own right, and those that travel beyond Rome's city gates will certainly be in for a rare treat.

Ostia Antica
To the east of Rome ( about a half hour by train ) lies Ostia Antica, a site that is thought to be "the Pompeii of Rome. " Once the traditional location of Rome's port, this area lost its signification when the course of the Tiber stream changed, leaving it ( some 2,000 years later ) a sandy, muddy wasteland. Find cheap Appartement Rom next to Ostia Antica.

Set up in the fourth century bc, today it is little more than a site for excavated ruins. Travelers exploring Ostia Antica nonetheless , can gain a better appreciation of what life was like in traditional times by exploring the excavations and accompanying museum.

Among the things worth exploring at the site are the mosaic floors with Neptune and the sea goddess Amphitrite at the Terme di Nattuna ( Baths of Neptune ), the theater built by Agrippa ( original creator of the Pantheon in Rome ), and the Mithraeum, in which the balconies and walls of this building are decorated with symbols from the Cult of Mithras faith. Close to the ruins of Ostia Antica is the Medieval town of Castello della Rovere, which began in 1483.

Tivoli
Another spot worth journeying to on a short trip from Rome is Tivoli. In ancient times, Tivoli was the place where emperors went to flee the heat and misery of Roman life in the summer. Large palaces and villas were made, but by the Middle Ages, this area had principally been deserted. It was rediscovered by the top-notch of the Catholic Church, those cardinals and popes with abundant wealth, who revived the area by building again.

Today, Tivoli is a pretty and colourful area with amazing views and cascading waterfalls. 2 jewels remain from traditional times, the temple of Vesta and the ruins of the refuge of the Sibyl. Most travelers who make the journey from Rome ( via bus or train ) nonetheless , come to see the Villa Adriana ( Hadrian's Villa ) or the Villa d'Este's fabled gardens.

Villa Adriana / Hadrian's Villa
One of the most accomplished of the traditional Roman emperors, Hadrian rose to power in 1178 AD, and began a construction boom in Rome ( and some place else ) that was unequaled. His villa at Tivoli was a masterwork made by local workmen, which incorporated ideas from Hadrian's world travels. He much admired Hellenistic ( Greek ) culture. His gigantic estate in Tivoli was a conglomerate of baths, theaters, libraries, churches, open-air fitness centers, and guest pavilions. The most famous element at the Villa Adriana is the Canopus, a synthesised pool created to match a canal on the Nile. Those exploring the villa would do well, when visiting, to hire the audio tour ( together with it, you will get a complimentary map to help guide your tour of the area ).

Villa d'Este
At Tivoli's center lies the Villa d'Este, built by a cardinal in the 16th century. While the villa itself is not very much to see today, the reason for visiting this special spot are its gardens. To create these beautiful water gardens, the Aniene river was diverted, and the result's astounding. The gardens of the Villa d'Este are a masterwork, with sun and shade, water and stone all collaborating to make a truly memorable experience. Maybe the most romantic time to visit the gardens is on a summer evening, when the floodlit fountains work their sorcery. There are a lot of cheap Hotel Rom in this area.

Castelli Romani
contrary to what their name might imply, the castelli aren't castles, but instead captivating towns and hamlets scattered throughout the Alban Hills, which ( naturally ) aren't actually "hills, " but instead remnants of extinct volcanic activity.

These beautiful towns today are encircled by olive groves, woods full of chestnut trees, and lovely vineyards, with accompanying wine basements. Among those towns worth exploring are Frescati, with its Villa Aldonbrandini ; Castelgandolfo, where the Pope summers ( Villa Pontifica ) ; Ariccia, with the beautiful Palazzo Chigi ; and Nemi, the tiniest but most gorgeous of them all.

Whether one travels amongst the hill cities of the Castelli Romani or takes in the striking villas of Tivoli or takes a step backwards in time at Ostia Antica, it's clear that little more than an hour outside Rome ( and frequently less ), there is a stunning Italian countryside worth exploring. Rome is a tough town to leave, but a day trip outside the city is worth the time away.
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