Monte Cassino (today usually spelled Montecassino) is a rocky hill about 130 kilometres (81 mi) southeast of Rome, in the Latin Valley, Italy, 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) to the west of the town of Cassino and 520 m (1,706.04 ft) altitude. Site of the Roman town of Casinum, it is best known for its abbey, the first house of the Benedictine Order, having been established by Benedict of Nursia himself around 529. It was for the community of Monte Cassino that the Rule of Saint Benedict was composed. read more…
Marino is an Italian city and comune in Lazio (central Italy), on the Alban Hills, 21 kilometres (13 miles) southeast of Rome, with a population of 38,000. The territory of Marino was inhabited by Latin tribes from the 1st millennium BC. The Grape Festival (Italian: Sagra dell’uva) is held every 1st Sunday of October. This festival is very famous in the surrounding area because, for about one hour, some of the city’s fountains spill wine instead of water, recalling the memory of the old vintage and the historical event of the return to Marino of Marcantonio Colonna with 260 “Marinesi” from the Battle of Lepanto (7 October 1571). read more…
