Rome’s region of Lazio is 6,657 square miles (about 17,000 square kilometers). That’s not very big. It’s roughly between the size of Connecticut and New Jersey. Yet in two years of doing TraveLazio we have managed to visit 46 places worthy of a day trip from Rome. 

Today we are completing our second year, one in which we hit 21 spots. Almost like Pavlov’s dog at the sound of his bell, every other week Marina and I hit the autostrada, railway and windy alleys to visit softly trodden destinations that haven’t hit the guidebooks.

Tuesday marked the start of the Jubilee, the Vatican’s year-long celebration of spirituality and retribution. An estimated 35 million visitors will pour into Rome over the next 13 months. A tip to all 35 million: Get outta Rome for a day. Just peruse this TraveLazio.it website and you’ll find something to your liking.

This past year, we gave you arguably the best view in Lazio (Rocca Priora), a city of popes (Oriolo Romano), a terrific beach town (Nettuno), the pecorino capital of Italy (Picinisco), Gina Lollabrigida’s hometown (Subiaco), a 5,000-year-old necropolis (Tarquinia) and what we agreed is the best town of them all, one that has everything from great views, to a fantastic restaurant to an interesting history (Tuscania).

We also did a ranking of the best restaurants in North and South Lazio and a look into a Rome public market that has goods from every corner of the region. In 2025, the march continues. We still want to explore Viterbo and the ancient thermal baths where Michelangelo once bathed and Castel Gandolfo where the popes have their summer home.

Thanks again for reading us every other Friday. We hope we made your trip to Rome a little more interesting. If you’re coming in 2025, be sure to use this guide and tell us if we were spot on or totally missed the mark. 

Buon anno, tutti.