Fans of antiquity can also go north of Rome to the historical region of Etruria, where the Etruscans lived before the Romans, who created the first developed civilization on the Apennine Peninsula. The closest city to Rome in this region is Cerveteri. It has been known since the 10th century BC as a major trading center and as one of the key cities of Etruria. In 358 BC. it was conquered by the Romans and received the name Caere (Kere). Excavations on the territory of Cerveteri have been carried out since the 19th century, since then many artifacts have been discovered here, many of which are now kept in Roman museums and in the Archaeological Museum of Cerveteri. Of greatest interest are necropolises with rich burials dating back to the 9th-3rd centuries BC. The most extensive necropolis of Cerveteri is the Necropolis of Banditaccia. The complex of more than 1000 tombs covers an area of 400 hectares, of which 10 hectares are open to the public. The plan of the complex is similar to the plan of the city: there are quarters, streets and squares. Many tombs are carved into the rock and covered with earth mounds on top.
According to PHONECATIONS.COM, Etruscan necropolises can also be seen in the city of Tarquinia located to the north. The necropolises of Tarquinia include about 6 thousand stone graves carved into the rocks. On the walls of some tombs, ancient drawings are perfectly preserved, the earliest of which date back to the 7th century BC. Also in Tarquinia is the Etruscan Museum, which is considered the best Italian Etruscan museum outside of Rome.
Not far from here on the coast lies the port city of Civitavecchia .. It appeared in the 1st century AD. on the site of the Etruscan settlement and replaced Ostia as the main port of the Roman Empire. At the end of the 14th century, under Pope Julius II, a fort began to be built in the city. The construction of the fort ended in 1535. The top of its tower was designed by Michelangelo, which is why it got its name Fort Michelangelo. The fort has dimensions of 100 X 82 m, 4 towers with a diameter of 21 m rise at its corners. Also of interest in Civitavecchia are the Roca Castle of the 15th century, the Franciscan Cathedral of San Francesco d’Assisi of the 17th century and the Archaeological Museum, which exhibits finds from the excavations of the Roman port. To the north of the city are the Taurine Baths, which were built during the Roman Empire and are still in use today.
Be sure to go to Lake Bracciano, which is located 30 km north of Rome and is one of the sources of drinking water for the capital of Italy. The area of the lake is 56.7 sq. km, and the maximum depth reaches 156 m. It is forbidden to go on motor boats or boats on the lake to avoid its pollution, but here you can swim and swim in canoes and boats. On the eastern shore of the lake stands the town of Bracciano, which is famous for its well-preserved castle from the end of the 15th century, built by princes from the Orsini family. The castle is very beautiful, this is evidenced by the fact that in 2006 the wedding ceremony of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes took place here.
Also north of Rome is the city of Viterbo. – one of the best preserved medieval cities in the Lazio region. In the vicinity of Viterbo there are hydrogen sulfide hot springs, on the basis of which spa centers are built, medieval cities and Lake Bolsena- the largest lake in the Lazio region and the largest volcanic lake in Europe.
South of Rome, on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, there are numerous resort towns. 28 km southwest of the Italian capital is the city of Lido di Ostia, which during the time of the Roman Empire was a major port city. The ruins of the ancient city are located 3 km from Lido di Ostia and are called Ostia Antica Archaeological excavations are underway here. Ostia Antica was founded by the Romans at the mouth of the Tiber River in the 4th century BC. In Ostia Antica, you can see the remains of an ancient amphitheater, temples, streets, squares and baths. Also, the medieval castle of Castello di Giulio (15th century), which served as a defensive function, has been preserved here. The Archaeological Museum has been opened in Ostia Antica, where statues and sarcophagi found in these places are exhibited. The town of Lido di Ostia itself is a great place for summer holidays for residents of the capital, the local beach is called “metropolitan”, as it is located closest to Rome. In addition to the beach, Lido di Ostia has hotels and many bars and restaurants.
60 km south of Rome is the ancient port – Anzio. During Roman times it was known as Antium and served as a resting place for the Roman nobility. The famous emperors Caligula and Nero were born here. Numerous remains of palaces scattered along the entire coastline of the city testify to those times. In ancient times, the largest villa in the city was the Villa of Nero. It extended for 800 m along the coast. It was in its place that the legendary statue of Apollo Belvedere was discovered, which is now on display in one of the Vatican Museums. Also in Antium was the temple of the goddess Fortune – an important religious center of the Roman Empire. Today, Anzio, together with Nettuno located just to the east, is a popular recreation area. The local beaches stretch for several tens of kilometers, they are surrounded by hotels and fish restaurants.
South of Anzio, a whole series of seaside resorts stretched for 100 km along the coast, united under the common name Odysseus Coast. The main city of the Odyssey Coast is Terracina.
