A brand new excursion!

For the first time I can offer deluxe accommodations in an elegant nineteenth-century manor house right on a Roman road, the Via Cassia. Set in a park of majestic pines and gorgeous flowers, Villa La Trinità has spacious bedrooms with ensuite bath, lovely antique furnishings and a large swimming pool. Best of all, Michela treats you like a guest in her home. Come spend a week with me next spring, exploring the magnificent landscape, discovering the rich history and relaxing in beautiful surroundings.

A bit of history

In the fourth century BCE, Rome was gobbling up Italy at a rapid pace. At Sutri to the north, they hit a roadblock: the rugged forest of the Cimini mountains. “Pathless and terrifying,” wrote historian Livy. This was the heartland of the powerful Etruscans and Faliscans, remarkable people who had built monumental cities while Rome was still a backwater. Skilled artisans and expert seafarers, the Etruscans had long traded with the Greeks and absorbed much of their civilization; they were the first literate people in Italy. Allied with the Faliscans, they held off the Roman juggernaut for two hundred years, but were ultimately defeated.

The pathless forest became a network of Roman roads, most notably the Via Cassia to Florence. Along it arose a way station near today’s Villa La Trinità, evidenced by numerous Roman inscriptions, tombs and monuments. One tomb yielded a stunning marble sarcophagus now in New York’s Metropolitan Museum. Two imposing funerary monuments mystified local people in medieval times. Having no knowledge of the Roman past, they dubbed the structures “The Towers of Orlando,” attributing their origin to the legendary knight of Charlemagne who was reputedly born nearby (see sidebar). The name stuck and is still used today.

Two other roads branched off the Cassia: the Via Amerina into Umbria and the Via Clodia to the west. Both are rich in artifacts cut in stone by Etruscans, Faliscans and Romans: marvelous bridges, ornamented tombs mimicking cozy homes; narrow passages cut into canyon walls; theatres, aqueducts, cisterns. Less than an hour away are the famous painted tombs of Tarquinia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A week of discovery

For seven days we’ll enjoy scenic walks and excursions: volcanic lakes, a lush canyon resembling a rain forest, numerous picturesque towns, archeological sites and museums. As always the meals will be memorable: I’ve personally chosen terrific family restaurants where we’ll enjoy delicious home-style food and wine.

With just four to six guests, there’s a refreshing sense of spontaneity, and you get just the trip you want. You can join a group or put together your own. Walks are typically 5 to 8 miles per day depending on the group’s ambition level.

All trips are custom designed for four to six guests, and there are many options. Learn more at www.romanroadwalks.com or write to me.

Survivors of the August earthquake in the Amatrice area are still in desperate need of help. You can donate to the Italian Red Cross here.

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