Ciociaria: a land to discover.
This sample itinerary is meant to demonstrate the variety of experiences possible. Itcan be modified to your personal wishes. So, if you would like to add extra days, make a detour or add new activities to the itinerary, just ask.
Cathedral and Tower Bell, Anagni.
Day 1 – Rome – Fiuggi – Anagni.
Arrive at the Airport in Rome and meet your Guide at the arrival hall. Transfer to Fiuggi, a well-known Spa Resort. Check in at our hotel and enjoy a welcome lunch.
In the afternoon there is a guided tour of the medieval town of Anagni, The small hilltown of Anagni has a historical significance that belies its tiny size. A host of popes were born here or summered here.; For this reason is also known as the Town of the Popes. The highlight of the visit is the Medieval Cathedral and the Crypt of San Magno, dubbed the ‘Sistine Chapel of the Middle Ages’. Every inch of wall and vaulted ceiling is covered in Byzantine-style frescoes from the 12th and 13th centuries. Biblical stories are depicted and the swirling Cosmati pavement underfoot means you hardly know where to look. We will visit the historical palace of Boniface VIII, where in September 1303 the fleur-de-lis (the French), as it is said by the medieval Poet Dante, had entered Anagni, and Christ had a second time been made prisoner in the person of his vicar. At the instigation of Philip the Fair, William of Nogaret and Sciarra Colonna had entered the papal palace at Anagni, and had insulted and, it is said, even beaten the aged pontiff under his own roof. Boniface did not survive the insult long, but died in the following month. This episode was”. Return to Fiuggi. Dinner is at our Hotel.
Monastery of St. Benedict, Subiaco.
Day 2 – Subiaco – Fiuggi.
This morning we drive north to Subiaco where we can visit the Benedict’s monastery, built around the Sacro Speco (Holy Cave) where St. Benedict lived for three years and St Scholastica’s Monastery, built by Benedict and his twin sister Scholastica. We see the cloisters from the 6th and 11th centuries, as well as the medieval Church decorated by Cosmati. We return to our hotel where we have a traditional Lunch. This afternoon we visit our host town and enjoy a guided tour of the old town of Fiuggi and also of the the modern town down in the valley among the chestnut groves, oaks and pines and location of the thermal baths and immense parklands. You will enjoy a guided tour of the Thermal Bath where you can drink freely the water from the enchanting little fountains scattered all over the Park. The healing properties of the waters of Fiuggi were appreciated at the time of Pope Boniface VIII (1235-1303) when he claimed his kidney stones had been healed by mineral waters from a nearby Fiuggi spring. Two centuries later, Michelangelo extolled the virtues of the water that cured him of what he called, “the only kind of stone I couldn’t love.” Dinner is at the Hotel
St. Peter Basilica, Rome.
Day 3 – ROME.
Today we will visit Rome. First a guided tour of the Vatican Museum including the Sistine Chapel followed by a tour of St Peter's Basilica. After lunch you will be free to explore the Eternal City on your own or if you prefer I can organize for you guided visit to particular sites or monuments. In the late afternoon we return to Fiuggi. Dinner is at our Hotel.
Castle of Fumone.
Day 4 – Ferentino – Fumone – Casamari – Sora - Isola Liri.
After breakfast we leave our hotel to reach the enchanting town of Ferentino, a little town perched on a tall knoll overlooking a valley. People have lived here for 3,000 years, and it’s a lesson in history just looking up at the high walls that gird the town. There will be a guided visit to: the Roman Covered Market, the Cathedral dedicated to St. John and Paul and the Cistercian Church of St. Mary Major. The itinerary goes on with the pictoresque medieval hamlet of fumone, located on a hill, with a wonderful panoramic view over more than 40 villages. Here we visit the historical Castle, with the tallest hanging garden in Europe. In this castle was imprisoned Pope Celestine V and he spent in the tiny cell the last ten months of his mortal life. Enjoy a walking tour among the cobbled lanes. After time for lunch we drive to the Cistercian Abbey of Casamari. The Abbey is one of the most stunning reminders of the middle ages that you will ever encounter. It provides a glimpse into the evolution of religious customs that are still practiced today, in addition to providing clues about the daily existence of people living in the Middle Ages. The first impression of the monastery will be one that you will not soon forget. To the peasants of the 13th century, the high stone walls must have made it seem like only the will of God could have created such a place. There is a guided visit of the Abbey: the Church, cloisters, the old refectory and the chapter house. Our day tour finish with the visit of the Abbey of St. Domenicus Abbot built over the estate of Cicero and the enchanting town of Isola del Liri to admire the spectacular waterfall: it falls from a height of ca. 30 m, in the historical centre of the town, it’s a unique sight in Italy. Return to Fiuggi for dinner.
Castel Nuovo, Naples.
Day 5 - Naples.
Today we drive south to the multicultural City of Naples. Many travellers tend to overlook Naples, or actually intentionally avoid it, but they’re missing out on a unique and unforgettable experience. It is true that Naples is more chaotic and haphazard than most other Italian cities, and it’s always good advice to keep close watch on your belongings here (as in any big city). But once you get past the hustle and bustle, you’ll discover treasures . Arriving in Naples we proceed towards the hill of Posillipo. Admire the spectacular views of the Gulf of Naples and Mount Vesuvius, which erupted in AD79, devastating the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Then, there is a walking tour of the old city, with its characteristic alleys, squares, shops and some of the most beautiful churches. Also stop at some of the most characteristic shops and markets with tastes of local sweets and the popular coffee. A pizza experience in Naples is a Must: for our lunch we will taste the authentic piazza in one of the oldest pizzeria. After lunch our tour continues downtown, along the famous via Toledo, towards the port of Mergellina, we arrive in the ancient fishing quarter of Santa Lucia and see the impressive Castel dell'Ovo (Egg Castle). Continue crossing the historical center of Naples to view Piazza Del Plebiscito, the Royal Palace, the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola, the San Carlo Opera House, the Gallery of Umberto I and the imposing Maschio Angioino. In late afternoon return to Fiuggi. Dinner is at our Hotel.
Carthusian Monastery, Trisulti.
Day 6 - Trisulti – Collepardo – Alatri – Veroli.
This morning after breakfast we visit the Certosa of Trisulti. This early Carthusian monastery sits in splendid isolation on a leafy mountain side just beyond the hilltown of Collepardo. Some of the buildings date from as long ago as 1210. There’s a perfectly-preserved 18thcentury ‘pharmacy’ with delicate figures and animals dancing playfully across its walls and ceiling, and a charming little garden stuffed with abstract topiary. We will then visit the nearby village of Collepardo where there is a guided visit to the “Museum of Herbs” After time for lunch there is a guided visit of the spectacular town of Alatri with its ciclopic walls. There is a guided visit to the walls, the acropolis and Cathedral dedicate to Ss John and Paul where, in 1228, happened one of the first Eucaristic miracle, recognised by the Church. Guided visit to the Acropolis, the walls and to the romanich Church of St. Mary Major. The last stop of our tour is the small hilltop town of Veroli, a Ernicis’ town surrounded by Cyclopean walls. One of the most peculiar sights of this town is the “Fasti Verulani”, an extraordinary Roman calendar in stone recording Roman festivities (1st century AD). The Church of S. Mary Salome, mother of the apostles James and John, whose relics were found in 1209 in the underneath crypt, here you can also find one of the three “Holy Stairs” which holds the same privileges of plenary indulgence as the more famous churches of Jerusalem and St John Lateran in Rome. Dinner is at our hotel in Fiuggi.
Temple Jupiter Anxur, Terracina.
Day 7 – Terracina – Sperlonga - Fossanova
After breakfast we drive towards the seaside to explore some of the most beautiful spots in the near province of Latina. Terracina's most unusual and striking site is the Temple of Jupiter Anxur. Anxur was the ancient Volscian name for the town; Jupiter has generally been assumed to be the deity to whom the sanctuary was dedicated. The main part of the temple is gone, but the impressive vaulted base can be seen for miles, and no visitor to Terracina should miss a trip to the fascinating hilltop site with its superb views. The complex is large and spectacularly-situated, dominating the shoreline and sea. Our archaeological visit continues with Piazza Municipio, the heart of historical Terracina , a pretty piazza containing paving stones from the Roman Forum, a crumbling archway, the town cathedral, the headquarters of the town council and the archaeological museum. Close by you can also see an ancient paved stretch of the Appian Way. The Cathedral was built over a Roman temple to Augustus, and is an attractive building composed of a mixture of styles. Note the picture of the town on the right-hand altar (one of three decorated altars). The stone pulpit resting on four carved animals is also worth a glance together with the Cosmati mosaic floor. We have our lunch in a traditional fish restaurant in the ancient port of Terracina. If the season allows we can have our lunch in the fishing harbour and taste the freshly caughed and cooked seafood. In the afternoon we will enjoy a tour of Sperlonga, the name Comes from the natural caves (speluncae) which look over the sea, the most famous of which is the Cave of Tiberius. This ancient and picturesque old town with its narrow and terraced streets was originally a fortress protecting the local population against invaders from many lands. The local homes are built into a massive rock which sits on a spur of land jutting out into the Tyrrhenian Sea. We Do take our time to visit the "Grotta di Tiberio" and Sperlonga's Archaeological Museum, located on the Via Flacca. In the grotto were found fragments of huge sculptures which once adorned the artificial fishponds at the cave mouth. These marble statues, dating from the 2nd century BC, depicted scenes from Homer's "Adventures of Odysseus". On the way home we stop at Fossanova to visit the Cistercian Abbey consecrated in 1208 by the powerful medieval Pope Innocent III. We will visit the Abbey with the cloister and the room where died St. Thomas of Aquinas. Dinner will be at our Hotel.
Abbey of Montecassino.
Day 8 - Abbey of Montecassino – Aquino.
This morning we visit the Abbey of Montecassino, founded by St. Benedict in 529 after he left Subiaco and where he lived until he died. Almost certainly the most famous monastery in Italy, the Abbey of Montecassino is a vast white building perched magnificently on a high hilltop overlooking the Garigliano Valley. Completely destroyed four times, it has been lovingly rebuilt. Enjoy the courtyard with its wide vistas, the church interior dripping with gold, and the excellent little museum of ecclesiasticalartefacts. Our tour continues with the visit of Aquino, hometown of St. Thomas Aquinas. Guided visit to his Palace and the Church of St. Maria della Libera where St. Thomas was baptized. This evening enjoy an authentic Ciociarian Italian farewell feast at the hotel.
Day 9 – Fiuggi – Rome.
After breakfast we travel by coach to Rome Airport. Check in for your flight to your final destination and Arrivederci Bella Italia.
This sample itinerary above can be modified according to your personal wishes including departure date, length and how long you wanspend in each destination.
Small groups and individual travellers are welcome. Ask for a customized trip & quotation.