Category: Lazio – Rome

Rome was the capital of the Roman Empire before it was even an Empire. The city was founded as a settlement on the Palatine hill in the first half of the seventh century B.C. The Romans expanded, first in Italy, then throughout the mediterranean and as far as today’s England. The city of Rome remained the capital city until the Emperor Diocletian moved it to Mediolanum – today’s Milan – in 286 A.D. Today the planning for any building project...

Rocca Massima is a small hill town near Rome. Like so many of these wonderful towns it has been losing population for decades. At one time it was the home to people who worked on the farms in the valley below while enjoying the safety and warm breezes of living on a hill. There is no way for cars trucks or trains to climb the hill, so supplies are brought up by donkey to this day. As the jobs on...

Orvieto is a hill town about an hour from Rome by train, making it an easy day trip. After arriving at the train station in the valley below the city, you cross the street to the delightful Funicular which takes you up the hill to the edge of the town. Cathedral As with most of the small hill towns throughout Italy, there is a large cathedral. It’s cornerstone was laid in 1290. It was during this time that the city...

Tivoli is just 30 kilometers (19 miles) east of Rome, less than an hour by train. It was a favorite get away from Rome’s heat and squalor for the elite. Tivoli sits on a hill overlooking the plain below. The emperor Hadrian built his villa, which was more of a small city, on the plain just below the town and ruled from here when he was not touring the empire. The main site of this beautiful town is the Villa...

The Vatican, the center of the Roman Catholic church and the smallest sovereign country in the world. St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Peter’s square sit at the center of the city-state, but churches and catacombs around Rome are considered church property. The most significant of the churches are the four Papal Basilicas, San Giovanni in Laterano, St. Peter’s, San Paolo Fuoiri Le Mura and Santa Maria Maggiore. The Vatican by night Christmas season 2018 Each year a presepio, or nativity...