In this post I will tell you about my weekend in Ciociaria, a place that is really worth a visit.
Ciociaria is a territory in the south of Rome that includes 91 municipalities of Lazio, identified with the province of Frosinone, but without actual geographical limits. The name derives from the ciocie, a typical local footwear used by shepherds and farmers.
I chose to spend a weekend in Ciociaria by pure chance, wanting to take advantage of the offer of a free night at the B&B Day. Among the various options I thought: why not trying a place in Italy that is not so popular and well know from the touristic point of view, but where there is still a lot to discover?
I booked a double room at the B&B Rocca di San Leucio in Veroli, intrigued by the description of the structure that promotes social tourism.
I went to Veroli with my husband on a late Friday evening, greeted by a wonderful night view over the surrounding valley. Cristiano, one of the most cordial managers of the structure, received us describing the social purpose of the B&B project managed by Diaconia Cooperative, postponing an in-depth investigation the following morning.
The next day, after having a breakfast rich in fair trade products (available on-site or in the shop located in Frosinone) with delicious tropical fruit jams, the ciambellone and the delicious red wine ciambelline, we asked Daniele, the other manager of the B&B, advice about what to visit in Ciociaria.
Following his precious advice we started our short tour starting right from the visit of the small but beautiful historical center of Veroli, a town perched at almost 600 meters above sea level, where history has created a harmonious combination of architectural styles, from medieval to Romanesque, without forgetting the Gothic. Veroli is particularly known for Fasti Verulani, a rare example of a marble Roman calendar, located inside the courtyard of Casa Reali.
Few kilometers from Veroli, in Collepardo, we visited the Certosa of Trisulti, a buolding in Gothic and Baroque style. The beautiful monastery sees its first origins thanks to San Domenico da Foligno, which built nearby the present complex, a Benedictine abbey of which only ruins now remain. The present structure was built in 1204 and assigned to the Carthusians. Over the years the structure has undergone numerous changes and extensions. Inside you can see the old pharmacy, now turned into a museum. During our visit we met Roberto, “the handyman” in the Certosa, who explained us in a very detailed way every pictorial and historical element of the museum, full of objects and tools for the production of medicines, ancient volumes and fascinating, as well as mysterious, frescoes of the Neapolitan painter Filippo Balbi.
After the visit we received an invitation for lunch from Pierluigi from @TurismoOggi which warmly welcomed us in his Fiuggi. La Locanda (The Inn
) where we had our meal is a little place located in a nice alley of city, family run, offering fresh home-made pasta and typical products.
Buonissimo the Cesanese del Piglio, a local wine that originates from a native vine, with limited production. Pierluigi guided us in a pleasant visit to Fiuggi, a very beautiful city, with a historical center where every alley and every corner can intrigue. Fiuggi is famous for thermal baths and springs, it is a center equipped for tourism and is well known by those who love relaxation and well-being, but also by those who love walking through narrow streets and small squares observing the historical monuments and the ancient houses of the upper town.
Of particular interest is the Jewish ghetto located in the area of Via della Portella and Via del Macello, called Casa degli Ebrei, where an engraved stone representing a menorah has been recently found. Nearby there is a sort of lectern with a reproduction of a book that tells the story of the neighborhood.
In the evening we made a quick stop in Isola del Liri, a town located on a branch of Liri river, known to be one of the rarest examples of a city with a waterfall in the center (it seems to be the only one in Italy). The incessant rain, which has not abandoned us all day (and also the following one), made the scenery magical, impressive. At night, thanks to perfect lighting that underlines its power and the beautiful Castello Ducale in the background, the waterfall is truly impressive.
On the second day of our weekend in Ciociaria we visited Arpino, the city of Marco Tullio Cicerone, politician, lawyer, philosopher and Roman writer: the way to say “do as Cicero” is linked to his great oratory skills. A statue dedicated to the philosopher is erected in the main square of Arpino; another interesting attraction of the city is the Acropolis with the famous Tower of Cicero and the polygonal or cyclopean walls, present in almost all the urban centers in Ciociaria.
A visit to Cistercian Abbey of Casamari, name that derives from “Casa di Mario”, homeland of the Roman consul Caio Mario, who was born in these areas. Gothic architecture is one of the most important in Italy and the liturgy is in Gregorian chant.
It is worth a visit also Fumone, a town known for its castle, which housed in captivity Pope Celestine V, who died there in 1296. The castle is open to public and can be visited only with a guide, the visit lasts about 40 minutes.
Our weekend ended in Anagni. Probably the most famous town of Ciociaria, also known as the “City of the Popes”, for having given birth to four popes and being their home.
The most important monument in Anagni is certainly the Cathedral, where stands out the crypt, “The Sistine Chapel of the Middle Ages”, characterized by numerous frescoes of the Italian Duecento, an original pavement and Romanesque arches. The city has numerous other important architectural complexes, such as the 13th century Palace of Bonifacio VIII and the Casa Barnekow, a splendid residence of the famous Swedish painter of the same name.
Two days are certainly not enough to visit the Ciociaria, but they are enough to realize how much this land has to offer.
Solitary towns, often uncontaminated natural landscapes, an impeccable culinary tradition, but above all the kind hospitality of the inhabitants, make the Ciociaria a perfect place to pause for a long time, to reflect and observe with new curiosity a world that is an integral part of the history of Italy.
A warm thanks to Cristiano and Daniele of the B&B Rocca di San Leucio, with the hope that their social tourism project will spread more and more in Italy and abroad and thanks to Pierluigi for offering us a wonderful lunch and for having been our Cicero in the land of Cicero.
« Historia est testis temporum, lux veritatis, vita memoriae, magistra vitae, nuntia vetustatis» (Cicero, De Oratore 2.36)