Carbonara pasta with guanciale, egg, pecorino romano and black pepper
Guanciale, egg yolk, pecorino romano and black pepper: Rome's signature pasta comes from a recipe fought over between trattorias and army rations.
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Today's Lazio is far larger than ancient Latium, which lay entirely between the lower Tiber, the sea, the Pontine marshes and the Sabine hills. It is the second Italian region by population but only the ninth by area, with 378 comuni in five provinces, and it contains an enclave that is also a state: the Vatican City. Everything converges on Rome, and understandably so — three thousand years of layered history and the most visited centre in the country.
But the Lazio around it deserves the detours. At Tivoli there are Villa Adriana and Villa d'Este, both UNESCO sites; the Castelli Romani have the wine and the fraschette; Civita di Bagnoregio hangs on its spur of tuff; the Etruscan necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia are visited by going down into the painted tombs; and the sea of Sperlonga and the Circeo is an hour from the capital. The trick is to use Rome as a base and allow yourself at least one escape.
The best of Lazio
The places worth the trip on their own, picked by our editors.
The provinces of Lazio
Map and list are connected: hover one to light up the other, click to enter.
The top 20 places in Lazio
Our editors' ranking: the area's most important places, drawn from the individual town guides. See the national rankings →
1 🏺 Archaeological sites Colosseo 📍 Rome The largest ancient amphitheater ever built, completed in 80 AD by the Flavian dynasty, is the iconic symbol of Rome. 
2 🖼️ Museums Musei Vaticani e Cappella Sistina 📍 Rome Founded in 1506 by Julius II, they house one of the world's largest art collections, including the Sistine Chapel. 
3 🏺 Archaeological sites Pantheon 📍 Rome The largest concrete dome ever built, with a hole open to the sky for nineteen centuries. - 4 Fontana di Trevi Rome · 🏛️ Squares & old towns
- 5 Villa d'Este Tivoli · 🌿 Gardens & spas
- 6 Hadrian's Villa Tivoli · 🏺 Archaeological sites
- 7 Civita di Bagnoregio Bagnoregio · 🏛️ Squares & old towns
- 8 basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano Rome · ⛪ Churches & sanctuaries
- 9 basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore Rome · ⛪ Churches & sanctuaries
- 10 Castel Sant'Angelo Rome · 🏰 Castles & palaces
- 11 Foro Romano Rome · 🏺 Archaeological sites
- 12 Garden of Ninfa Cisterna di Latina · 🌿 Gardens & spas
- 13 basilica di San Paolo fuori le mura Rome · ⛪ Churches & sanctuaries
- 14 Galleria Borghese Rome · 🖼️ Museums
- 15 Musei Capitolini Rome · 🖼️ Museums
- 16 Terme di Caracalla Rome · 🏺 Archaeological sites
- 17 Vittoriano Rome · 🖼️ Museums
- 18 Arco di Costantino Rome · 🏛️ Squares & old towns
- 19 Domus Aurea Rome · 🏰 Castles & palaces
- 20 palazzo del Quirinale Rome · 🏰 Castles & palaces
Lazio and around, on the map
Straight-line distances from the town centre. Tap a point to open its page.
🍝 At the table: Lazio
✨ Lazio by theme
🏖️ Seaside 5 🏛️ UNESCO heritage 4 🏘️ Villages 1 🍷 Food & wine 1 🛶 Lakes 1 ♨️ Spa towns 1
Tours, tickets and experiences
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Upcoming events in Lazio
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Feast of Saint Luke the Evangelist
📅 Every year, on 18 October
On 18 October Capena celebrates its patron Saint Luke the Evangelist; the municipal territory preserves the Villa dei Volusii Saturnini and the archaeological site of Lucus Feroniae.
Feast of Saint Gaspar del Bufalo and Our Lady of Grace
📅 Every year, on 21 October
On 21 October Sonnino celebrates Saint Gaspar del Bufalo and Our Lady of Grace, among its patrons; the third is Saint Mark the Evangelist (25 April), whose fair was already regulated in the 13th century.
Feast of Saint Mary Salome
📅 Every year, on 22 October
On 22 October Castelliri celebrates its patron Saint Mary Salome; the town also preserves the Parco Principe di Piemonte.
Feast of Saint Celsus
📅 Every year, on 30 October
On 30 October Sambuci celebrates its patron Saint Celsus; the town also preserves the Convento di San Francesco.