Civitavecchia, the port of Rome

16 August 2014 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  7 minutes

© Luca Aless/cc-by-sa-3.0

© Luca Aless/cc-by-sa-3.0

Civitavecchia is a town and comune of the province of Rome in the central Italian region of Lazio. A sea port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, it is located 80 kilometres (50 miles) west-north-west of Rome, across the Mignone river. The harbour is formed by two piers and a breakwater, on which is a lighthouse. The name Civitavecchia means “ancient town”. The modern city was built over a pre-existing Etruscan settlement. The harbour was constructed by the Emperor Trajan at the beginning of the 2nd century. Civitavecchia today is a major cruise and ferry port, the main starting point for sea connection from central Italy to Sardinia, Sicily, Malta, Tunis and Barcelona. Fishing has a secondary importance.   read more…

Castel Gandolfo, the summer residence of the popes

5 September 2012 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Palaces, Castles, Manors, Parks Reading Time:  7 minutes

Castel Gandolfo © Deblu68

Castel Gandolfo © Deblu68

Castel Gandolfo is a small Italian town or comune in Lazio that occupies a height overlooking Lake Albano about 15 miles south-east of Rome, on the Alban Hills. It is best known as the summer residence of the Pope. It is an Italian town with the population of 8834. The town was voted one of the most beautiful towns in Italy.   read more…

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