Roman Countryside Discovery - NEW
Ciociaria, Lazio

We loved Lazio and our accommodations. We had a conference in Rome so went to Lazio and our villa first thank goodness because we had a chance to relax, eat good food, and be shown a wonderful time before the chaos of Rome. This is a great trip because there is very little tourism in the eastern Lazio area yet it is stunning. Staying at this villa was a great base because the host is a fantastic host (and an American who speaks Italian), the small town was incredibly historic. I could go on and probably will later but I wanted to get something up on the internet to let people know what a quality experience this trip was.
Joe R., OR

My husband and I honeymooned in Italy for two weeks. The first week we spent in Rome and southern Italy, and the second we spent in Lazio. On the plane, all we could say to each other was that if we could do it again we would’ve spent it all at Roman Countryside Discovery!

The first week of our honeymoon was busy – traveling all the sites, fitting everything in, and remarkably, we didn’t really get a feel for Italian culture. It was more of a melting pot of tourism everywhere we went. We were exhausted driving up to the villa, but busy cities melted away into inspiring mountain scenes and peaceful towns. The beautiful Italy we had in our heads sprung up in front of us, and we were just thrilled when we reached our accommodations. The days of small Rome hotel rooms were gone; we had graduated to large expertly designed spaces that offered all the comforts of home.
Thinking of our host, you can only think the best of both worlds:
1) He speaks fluent Italian and English, letting you access/talk to local people and get into the culture even if you don’t speak Italian
2) He has a medieval hill top property, but he’s also an interior designer, so all the modern amenities you want are there and you still get the history/authentic feel (he lets you use his internet and phone to call back home to the US at no extra charge!)
3) He knows the local markets and resources, but also has friends from all over Italy that came and helped us with our cooking classes
4) He’s far enough away from the hustle and bustle of Rome to get the relaxing
feel, but still close enough to major attractions in central Italy that you can access them if you want to (he took us to the Gardens at Ninfa – a MUST SEE, Tivoli, Villa D’este…)
5) There was enough structure that you felt there was plenty to do, but enough
time to relax as well. Our two major responsibilities were eating and resting, unless we felt like seeing something.

There were so many doors to Italy that our host opened for us. We went to an olive oil tasting, the local market, a cheese making place, an amazing local tavern where the food just kept coming; he even had a friend who opened her restaurant one night just for us! And all this in the middle of learning how to cook amazing Italian food in a kitchen that would give anyone kitchen lust! It was truly incredible.

It can be a nerve racking experience looking at vacations online – you have such high hopes for the experience you want, you’ve saved money to go, and yet you can’t say for sure if you’ll love it because you don’t know until you go. We have told EVERYONE, our closest friends and family, coworkers, random people who ask us about our honeymoon – if you want a trip of a lifetime where you get the best of both worlds – go to Roman Countryside Discovery. There is no doubt that the experience will be exactly what you want – an adventure for your senses in a home away from home!

Anita M., WI