When Rome gets too much, it is quite easy to escape. The Villa Adriana at Tivoli is perfect for a relaxed day out, while the ancient Roman remains of Ostia are far less crowded than any of the city centre’s sites; trains leave every 15 minutes for Ostia Antica and buses every 20 minutes for Tivoli. To the north is the mad monster park of Bomarzo and, to the south, the pastoral Castelli Romani. For a break from culture, head to Lake Bracciano for the simple pleasures of boating, swimming and picnicking.
1. Ostia Antica
Shifting sands of time
Mosaic in one of the bath houses
The remains of the ancient port of Ostia are among the most extensive and evocative Roman ruins in Italy. The town was originally built on the coast but, over the centuries, the Tiber shifted course further west and Ostia now lies stranded quite a distance from the sea. It is a fun site to explore with children – spend a relaxing day rambling along creeper-covered ruins that rise from the long grass, scattered with wild flowers in spring, and look out for oddities such as a taxi drivers’ bath house and a toilet decorated with a crocodile.
Key Features
1. Terme dei Cisiarii Since driving a cisia (taxi-wagon) to and from Rome was dirty work, the cisiarii (taxi drivers) had their own baths, which had wonderful aquatic motifs and mosaics.
2. Porticoes A series of arched porticoes, which had shops and taverns in little rooms, once lined Ostia’s main street. Some of these are now partially hidden by bushes, but it is possible to peep and even crawl inside them.
3. Terme di Nettuno This large bath complex has fantastic black-and-white mosaics and, in the next room, a huge mosaic of the sea god Neptune in a carriage drawn by serpent-tailed sea horses.
4. Theatre In the 4th century AD, the theatre – by then 200 years old – was converted so that the orchestra could be flooded for aquatic shows. When the Goths invaded in the 4th or 5th century, it was turned into a fortress.
5. Piazzale delle Corporazioni This futuristic corporation square is surrounded on three sides by the column stumps of the porticoes. These once sheltered the offices of various maritime traders, each advertising its trade on a mosaic pavement in front.
6. Via dei Balconi Along this street are several houses that had wooden balconies.
7. Casa di Diana One of Ostia’s best-preserved insulae, this apartment block has views as far as the river from its 3rd floor. Imagine standing here in ancient times.
8. Thermopolium of Via Diana This well-preserved ancient Roman tavern has its vaulted roof intact, a mosaic floor, a fresco of a carrot and chickpeas and marble counters with holes where pans of ready-cooked food were set.
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The theatre Middle Mosaics in the Terme di Nettuno Right Thermopolium of Via Diana
Kids’ Corner
Where can you find…
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A crocodile?
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An elephant?
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A swordfish?
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A silly mule?
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An aquatic arena?
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A carrot and some chickpeas?
What’s in a name?
Ostia comes from the Latin for ostium, which means mouth, because it lay at the mouth of the River Tiber.
Clattering carts
The cisiarii had to work outside the city walls because the carts – drawn by mules – were so noisy.
Location, location, location
Even in Roman times, the location of Ostia was not ideal – there was a sand bar offshore that prevented large cargo ships from docking. Ships bringing supplies of corn to Rome from Egypt had to dock at the port of Pozzuoli, near Naples, and unload the cargo on to smaller boats, which sailed on to Ostia. It was then transferred to even smaller barges that could sail up the river to Rome.
2. Villa Adriana
The emperor’s retreat
Wild orchid in Villa Adriana
Shaded by pines and beautifully set in the countryside, Hadrian’s Villa was built by the emperor in AD 128 as a magnificent private retreat, with bath houses, libraries, a fire station, temples and theatres as well as a palace. Hadrian had been very impressed with the buildings he had seen during his travels in Greece and Egypt and had a few of them reproduced here. Today, the villa is a wonderful place for a peaceful day out, with plenty of space to relax and enjoy picnics and games.
Key Sights
1. Poikile This arcaded court with a large basin and pool was originally used as a gymnasium. The pool has survived, and topiaried bushes imitate the shapes of the original columns.
2. Maritime Theatre This is a round pool with an island in the middle, surrounded by columns. The island, reached by a swing bridge and with an Ionic temple-like pavilion, was probably where Hadrian retired to think, write and paint.
3. Winter Palace Hadrian’s Winter Palace had a sophisticated heating system clearly visible under its pavement. In the courtyard is a water tank known as the fish pond, probably designed to fill the palace with beautiful reflections of light and water.
4. Piazza d’Oro Hadrian’s palace had great views over the Vale of Tempe, and opened on to this fine courtyard with alternating green Egyptian granite and pale cipollina marble columns. The courtyard also had a pool surrounded by hedges in the centre and a nymphaeum at the end.
5. Garden Overlooked by two elegant summer dining rooms, or possibly libraries, this garden retains the traces of a nymphaeum and a long, but now dry, canal with octagonal pools at each end.
6. Grandi Terme The west side of this bath house was open to let in the light of the setting sun, and its underfloor heating system is still visible. The big holes in the sides were used for scaffolding during construction while the little holes contained clamps to secure decorations.
7. Canopus This exquisite canal, surrounded by delicate columns and graceful statues, was created by Hadrian in memory of his lover, Antinous, who was drowned near Canopus in Egypt in AD 130.
8. Hospitium Guests slept in rooms on either side of this rectangular hall. There were three beds in each room probably screened by curtains. Notice how the mosaics in the rooms are much plainer at the edges where they would have been covered by the beds.
Left
Delicate columns and statues surrounding Canopus Middle Grandi Terme Right Piazza d’Oro
Kids’ Corner
Look out for…
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Hadrian’s private island
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Hadrian’s secret tunnel
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A stone crocodile
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A fish pond without fish
Tunnel complex
Hadrian’s Villa was the largest complex ever built anywhere in the Roman Empire. The complex is crisscrossed with tunnels that are thought to have been used by servants and delivery men so that their hustle and bustle, and the noise of horses and carts, did not disturb the emperor.
Treasure!
In 1881, a statue of Dionysus and 2,672 silver coins were found in a room under the stairs in one of the summer dining rooms.
Upstairs, downstairs
Archaeologists excavating the summer dining rooms discovered that there was no direct access between the upper and lower floors, presumably to keep the Imperial family and their guests separate from the servants. How the food arrived on the Imperial tables is not clear – maybe there was a system of lifts and hatches.
3. Parco dei Mostri
Mannerist monster mash
The screaming face in the Mannerist Parco dei Mostri
One of Lazio’s top attractions, the Monster Park, outside the little town of Bomarzo, is sprinkled with bars, a restaurant, a playground and even a football field for kids. Created in the late 16th century by the hunch-backed Duke of Orsini, it was the world’s first theme park. At the time, a style of art known as Mannerism was at its height – full of distortions and exaggerations designed to break the strict rules of the Renaissance – and the sculptures here, far from capturing beauty, celebrate the grotesque. Most famous of all is a 6-m (20-ft) high screaming face – queue up to walk into its mouth and have photographs taken. Other monstrous exhibits include a life-sized elephant crushing a Roman soldier, a giant ripping a man in two, and a number of dragons, nymphs and mermaids.
4. Castelli Romani
Strawberry fields forever
Café in one of the narrow backstreets of Castel Gandolfo, Castelli Romani
To the south of Rome lie 16 hill towns sprinkled over the long-since dormant volcanoes of the Alban Hills, known as the Castelli Romani (literally, the Roman castles). The towns are famous for wine, strawberries, mushrooms, flowers, and several festivals celebrating all of these. They offer the perfect escape from the city for Romans, who flock here on summer weekends to eat at the many restaurants or picnic on the shores of lakes that have filled the volcanic craters. Most of the towns are accessible by bus, but it is easiest – and most fun – to tour the lakes by car.
The Palazzo Pontificio in Castel Gandolfo is the summer residence of the pope. Below the town is a lido with a beach on the shores of Lake Albano. There is a path right around the lake from here; the entire circuit takes around two hours to cover by foot.
From Castel Gandolfo take Via dei Laghi towards the little town of Nemi perched high above Lake Nemi, and perhaps the most attractive of the Castelli towns. It is a great destination for food and there is a steep cobbled road down to the lakeside through fields of strawberries, for which Nemi is famous.
Continue to Genzano on the other side of the lake to visit the Museo delle Navi Romane, a fascinating museum dedicated to the intriguing remains and impressive replicas of two giant boats built by Emperor Caligula for the extravagant parties that he organized. The larger ship had mosaic floors, baths and a heating system.
Kids’ Corner
Caligula’s wrecks
Local fishermen had always known there were wrecks at the bottom of Lake Nemi. In 1535, adventurer and entrepreneur Francesco De Marchi discovered marble paving stones, bronze, copper and lead decorations, and a great number of timber beams on the bed of the lake. He made walking sticks and boxes from the wood, which he sold as souvenirs. Four centuries later, the Fascist government pumped water out of the lake and brought the boats to the surface in 1932. A museum was constructed over the boats; however, the boats were burned by Nazi soldiers during World War II.
Row, row, row your boat…
Lake Albano was used for the rowing competitions in the 1960 Olympic Games.
Sweet treats
The Castelli Romani towns of Ariano and Genzano are famous for their bread. During World War I, when sugar and honey were scarce, Roman children were brought to the towns on special occasions to eat pizza with figs.
Here we go gathering nuts…
It is fun to collect sweet chestnuts from the forests along Via dei Laghi in autumn. To roast them, peel the prickly outer layer off and then ask an adult to score them – a cross cut works best. Head to the Giardino di Diana picnic area on Via Tempio di Diana and roast them on one of the barbecues.
5. Lake Bracciano
Down by the lakeside
Colourful sailing boat on the picturesque Lake Bracciano
To the northwest of Rome is Lake Bracciano, a huge expanse of water filling a volcanic crater. Head for one of its resorts – Bracciano, Trevignano or Anguillara – or go to one of the small lakeside restaurants to eat and swim in peace: La Valletta, in Trevignano, has space to sunbathe and pedalos to hire. The main town, Bracciano, on the western shore, is dominated by the Castello Odescalchi, which has frescoed vaults and fantastic views over the lake. Swim or rent a boat from the beach at Lungolago Argenti – a 10-minute walk along Via del Lago.
