The Ciociaria

Archaeological evidences
In Ciociaria there are several and quite relevant archaeological evidences (mostly roman). In Anagni, where in the site of Osteria della Fontana there was an important sanctuary of Ernicians, we may visit the imperial villa “Villa Magna”, of the antoninian times. In Cassino (the ancient Casinum) we mention the Theater, the Amphitheater and the Mausoleum, located close to the Porta Campana across the” via” Latina. The archaeological area of Castro dei Volsci, and the Civic Museum of Madonna del Piano, are related to an extremely interesting settlement with a republican villa, an imperial villa, religious buildings underneath a baptistry, and a necropolis from VI-VII century. The acropolis of Ferentino includes the interesting Roman Market; in Ferentino we also find a Theater (II century), imposing thermal buildings, several epigraphs. The plain where once stood the important colony of Fregellae, in between the territories of Arce and Ceprano, yielded a network of roads centred on “via” Latina, the Forum, thermal and religious buildings (specifically the temple devoted to Aesculapius. Important archaeological collections are found in the museums of Ceprano, Frosinone, Pofi. A roman villa dated from II century appeared in a site between Supino and Morolo.

Lakes, rivers, caves
Ciociaria enjoys several remarkable natural beauties, beginning from its chestnut woods. The lakes of Canterno, Cardito, St. John are rich in woods and provide a shelter for various fish, bird and mammal species. The lake of Posta Fibreno, characterized by a floating island, has a rich fauna including reptiles, frogs and fishes. The river Liri outsprings in Abruzzo and, after having crossed the plain of Sora, reaches Isola del Liri with a big waterfall. Then it goes on towards Pontecorvo and Cassino, where along with the Gari it forms the Garigliano, the boundary between Latium and Campania. From the point of view of environmental beauties, we must mention the National Park of Selva di Paliano, the Regional Park of Simbruini Mountains, the National Park of Abruzzo (latial side). Among natural beauties of Ciociaria there are the caves of Pastena, with the Halls of Wonders and of the Calvary Mountain, the cave “Regina Margherita” in Collepardo, with the Bambocci Grotto and the (nearby) big carsic hollow called Pozzo d’Antullo.


Sport and thermae
In Ciociaria there is a variety of possibility of practicing sports, from mountain bike to hang-gliding, from trekking to golf, to skiing in the resorts of Campocatino and Campo Staffi. The thermal offer ranges from the Terme di Fiuggi (with the Fonte Bonifacio VIII and the Fonte Anticolana) which healed Boniface VIII and Michelangelo, to the Terme Pompeo in Ferentino, supposedly built by Flavia Domitilla, the wife of Vespasiano born in Ferentino, to the Terme Varroniane in Cassino, witnesses of big people such as Terenzio Varrone, Cicerone and Marco Antonio.

The typical products
Among the di wealthinesses of Ciociaria, a leading position is covered by the typical products, from the wines Cesanese of Piglio, Cabernet of Atina, and Passerina of Frusinate, to virgin olive oil (in particular the” Rosciola” cultivar), from the ham of Guarcino to the beans “cannellini” of Atina and the peppers “cornetto” of Pontecorvo.

But we cannot forget the handicrafts: wrought-iron, forging of copper (in particular the so-called “concone”), manufacturing of marble, embroideries, musical instruments as the fifes and the pipes.