Between hermitages and abbeys under the shadow of olive trees
The Tiburtanian-Sublacensis Area includes 49 towns, on a territory of more than 386 square miles run through the Aniene River. You can reach them with the Tiburtinian Way and the A24 highway, but secondary roads connect most of the places. Remarkable are the remains of the Roman times, but what marks the region was the medieval monasticism phenomenon, witnessed by hermitages, sanctuaries, and abbeys. Not less important is the environmental aspect, thanks to the charming Aniene Valley and to the presence of the two Regional Parks
of the Mounts Lucretili and Simbruini. The landscape is characterized by the green colour of the olive groves that, from the Sabine to the Colli of Tivoli, give the extra virgin olive oil. The south is plenty of grape: the villages of Olevano Romano, Roiate, Arcinazzo Romano and Affile produce the red D.O.C. wine Cesanese, to be tasted with typical dishes such as homemade pasta, "polenta", mutton, meat, pork meats, almond cakes, chocolate and honey.
Guidonia and Montecelio worth a stop; the first has recent origins, while the latter, born in the X century as Castrum Monticellorum, has evidence of medieval times: the fortified fortress and the Princes Palace. From here you reach Sant'Angelo Romano, from where it is possible to do excursions in the urban park of Grotta Cerqueta. In the Mounts Lucretili Regional Park, house of the golden eagle, and where tower the Pellecchia and Cennaro peaks, is situated Marcellina, cited as an urban centre from the year 1000, even if its development was in the late Middle Ages, period to which S. Maria in Monte Dominico monastery belongs, together the church with the same name. Of outstanding interest is San Paolo dei Cavalieri, where you could visit the S. Nicola church and the XV-century baronial castle, and Palombara Sabina. Here, the various dominations have left much evidence such as the Savelli Castle and the collegiate of S. Biagio, but the pride of the town is the S. Giovanni in Argentella abbey, a Benedictine centre in Romanesque style.
Towards the border with the Reatin region you'll find Moricone, Monteflavio, Montorio Romano and Nerola. In Moricone, one place to visit is the castle, dating to the X century, which overlooks the Mount Moricone, and the medieval village. Of remarkable interest are Monteflavio and, between the Tiber and the Turano lakes, Montorio Romano with the baronial palace of XII-XIII century and the S. Lorenzo Abate church.
Then, is Nerola, with its medieval village and the Orsini Castle.
Leaving the Sabine to go inside the Tiburtinian area, you find Tivoli, the most known centre of the area. Famous are the Thermae of Acque Albule, the Renaissance
Villa d'Este and the Adriana and Gregoriana Roman villas. Along the Tiburtinian Way there are two other small towns, full of villages, castles, medieval and Renaissance churches: Castel Madama, which was named after Madama Margherita d'Austria, daughter of Charles V, and Vicovaro, where the S. Giacomo small temple and the monastery of S. Cosimato of oriental inspiration worth a visit.
In the park stands Roccagiovine, overlooked by the ancient Orsini Castle (XIII century), whose history is linked to the poet Orace, to whom Mecenas gave a villa that lies today in the town of Licenza, a village towered by the Orsini baronial palace; always in the park is Percile, where you can visit the feudal castle of the Orsini and the churches of S. Maria della Vittoria and of S. Anatolia. At the border of the province are the towns of Vivaro Romano, Vallinfreda and Riofreddo, between 600 and 800 metres high. Vivaro maintains the remains of the medieval castle, while Vallinfreda, on the slopes of the Mount Croce, offers much quietness and a healthy climate. At the foot of the Mount Aguzzo is Riofreddo, with Roman ruins and the Oratorio of the Annunziata of Romanesque origins, but worked over in the XV century.
Returning on the Tiburtinian Way you arrive to the towns of Cineto Romano and Mandela. In the first is situated the castle of the Del Gallo family, with its square tower, and the S. Vincenzo church, while two churches and a baronial palace represent the artistic dowry of Mandela. At about 37 miles from the capital stands Roviano, where a visit to the Museum of the Aniene Valley Peasants Civilization, the Brancaccio Castle of X century, the Scaramuccia gate and the S. Giovanni Battista parish church is worth. Anticoli Corrado follows, which was the holiday place of Luigi Pirandello, and has maintained the medieval aspect, with narrow little streets and the small place with Noah's Ark Fountain. A few miles ahead Arsoli is situated in an overlooking position on the Valley of the Bagnatore. An ancient property of the Farfa monks, the village still has the Massimo Castle, with rooms frescoed by the Zuccaris and by Marco Benefial, and the churches of SS. Salvatore (end of XVI century) and of S. Bartolomeo.
From the Tiburtinian Way you reach the sublacensis are that gravitates around the most important centre, Subiaco. The first stop is in Sambuci, dominated by the castle of the Theodoli remains, and at about one mile is Ciciliano, raised as a castle around the X century, but of Roman origins. Many are the archaeological evidences, such as the remains of the Trebula Suffenas little Roman centre, inside Villa Manni (private) and the medieval centre with the Madonna della Palla and the S. Liberata churches. Not far away lies Saracinesco, probably built by the Saracens. On the Empolitanian Way you see Cerreto Laziale, where it is imperative to visit the S. Sebastiano church and that of Santa Maria Assunta, and Gerano with the XIV-century Court Palace (Palazzo di Corte) and the churches of Our Lady of Assumption and S. Anatolia, just outside the village, where the saint is venerated.
The next stops are Marano Equo, originally under the jurisdiction of the sublacensis monks, Canterano, Rocca Canterano and Agosta. Set in a wonderful position, the origins of the first two villages are linked to the abbot of Subiaco, Giovanni V; while the medieval village characterizes Agosta, which was built by monks, too; you, then, arrive at Subiaco, inside the Mounts Simbruini Regional Park. Known for
its monastery of S. Scolastica and the Sacro Speco, where San Benedetto da Norcia, who here wrote his Regula, lived (end of V century), Subiaco has Roman origins, witnessed by archaeological findings: the statue of Ephebus and the ruins of the majestic Villa of Nero, finished in 60 B.C. Here is the only ski resort near Rome, the Mount Livata.
Always inside the Simbruini Park, which covers 38,000 hectares you will find Cervara di Roma, Jenne, Vallepietra and Camerata Nuova. Cervara appears rich of arches, staircases and little places. Beautiful are the remains of the fortress, the collegiate of Maria Santissima della Visitazione and the Staircase of the Artists. If the most outstanding monuments of Jenne are the churches of S. Andrea Apostolo and of the Madonna delle Grazie, together with the chapel of the Madonna della Rocca,
Vallepietra is famous for the Trinity sanctuary on the Mount Autore, near the Simbrivio springs. Then, is Camerata Nuova, at the outmost border with Abruzzo.
Not far from Subiaco is Arcinazzo Romano, the highest town in the Aniene Valley. Very interesting are the remains of a XII-century medieval tower and the church of Santa Maria Assunta. In the same are you will see Affile, where San Benedetto made his first miracle. At Roiate, which was named after Fonte Roia, you can visit the churches of S. Maria, the SS. Salvatore and of S. Tommaso. Finally you encounter Olevano Romano, known for its wood of the Serpentara, which inspired Doré and many other German painters.
Following on towards the sublacensis area, you arrive at Bellegra, Rocca Santo Stefano, San Vito Romano, Capranica Prenestina and Pisoniano. Returning towards Rome, a point of interest is San Gregorio da Sassola, which shows the interesting Borgo Pio that was being built by the cardinal Carlo Pio di Savoia, and the castle overlooking the town that dates to the X century. Just outside the town the S. Maria Nova convent and the S. Giovanni Evangelista church lie. At only 2 miles from there, lies Casape, with its narrow houses around the ancient castle of the Borgias, and, then Poli, with a beautiful ducal palace and the Gothic S. Antonio church.
Not to miss:
Affile Sagra del Fallone The second weekend of October
Agosta Pellegrinaggio al Santuario di Vallepietra Luglio, 24-25-26
Capranica Prenestina Sagra dei Ciammaruchigli The first Sunday of August
Castel Madama Sagra della Pera Spadona July, 21-22
Cerreto Laziale Festa della Gatta April, 25
Cineto Romano Sagra delle Sagne di Farro The second Sunday of August
Gerano Infiorata April-May
Moricone Festa dell'Assunta August, 22
Palombara Sabina Sagra della ciliegia The third week of June
Rocca Canterano Festa del cornuto e sagra della Rola The 2° weekend of November
Roviano Sagra dei Cuzzi July
Roviano Sagra de ju salavatico August
S.Gregorio da Sassola Sagra delle olive da tavola August/September
Subiaco Festa di S.Benedetto March, 20-21
Tivoli L'Inchinata August
Tivoli Sagra del pizzutello September
Vallepietra Festa della SS.Trinità May, 26
Vicovaro Sagra della pagnotta vicovarese October
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