From story to journey
Southern Lazio is a region whose character is not always immediately apparent. This collection explores it through stories—some reaching far into the past, others concerned with its people, landscapes, traditions, enterprises and life today. Together, they provide context for the places travellers encounter.
Much of Southern Lazio’s history is preserved in local publications, usually available only in Italian, while historians and researchers have uncovered a wealth of further information about the region. Their work, together with knowledge shared by local people, provided sources and inspiration for the stories in this collection. Each story brings these different strands together within a wider account of Southern Lazio.
Four stories to begin
These four stories can be read in full without subscribing.
Italy's forgotten heart
Southern Lazio today lies largely outside the familiar routes of international tourism, but this was not always the case. Long before tourism became an industry, its landscapes drew painters, writers and travellers from across Europe, attracted by its antiquity, scenery, people and places.
The opening story traces how the region gradually faded from view and introduces the historical and cultural context for the collection.
Ciociaria: a remarkable cast
Art, literature, music, cinema and intellectual life reveal an extraordinary cast of people connected with Southern Lazio. Some were born here; others carried family roots or associations with the region into very different worlds.
Together, their stories reveal a cultural history far richer — and more widely connected — than these towns and villages might suggest.
From a cave to Montecassino
A young man leaves Rome and retreats to a cave above Subiaco. What begins as a search for solitude becomes a lesson in living with others, leading Benedict to found Montecassino and write a Rule that would travel across Europe.
His legacy survives in more than monasteries. It helped shape the towns, countryside and daily life of Southern Lazio, where the places connected with his journey can still be visited.
La Ferriera
At Rosanisco, below Atina, wine is made inside an ironworks built for the Bourbon kingdom. La Ferriera began with mines, waterpower and an ambitious attempt to bring modern industry to the Valle di Comino.
Its furnace operated for only a few years, but the buildings survived and eventually found an unexpected second life. It is a history shaped by industrial ambition, enterprising families and fine wine—turning La Ferriera into a rare account of enterprise, reinvention and confidence in what this valley could produce.
Explore the full collection
Discover the complete collection of stories and find out more about subscription access.