Lazio: Italy's heart between history, nature, and enjoyment
When people think of Lazio, they think of Rome. Yet the region is far more than the Eternal City. It is origin, crossroads and one-of-a-kind at the same time – poised between history and the present, between a Mediterranean breeze and a mountain wind. Lazio lies like a mosaic in the heart of Italy – inviting you to look closer.
Lazio – where history stays alive and the simple life still has a place
“I was absorbed in the quiet happiness of seeing and of being.”
– J. W. von Goethe, Italian Journey (1787)
Lazio is more than a geographical space – it is a state of mind. Among oak forests, Roman ruins and mist-softened hills, that quiet happiness Goethe described unfolds. Linger here and you feel history, nature and soul meeting – without fanfare, yet with a lasting effect.
Where Italy puts down roots
Lazio is the cradle of Roman civilisation. From a small settlement on the Tiber grew an empire whose traces remain unmistakable. Yet before the Romans came the Latins – the people who gave the region its name. Etruscan tombs in Tarquinia, Roman villas in Tivoli and medieval monasteries in Subiaco: in few Italian regions do layers of history lie so densely one upon another.
“In Lazio you don’t stroll through time – you live inside it,” an Italian writer once said. Indeed, every hill and every piazza tells stories that go deeper than a passing glance.
Rome’s quiet sister
Lazio arcs from the tranquil heights of the Apennines to the soft line of the Tyrrhenian Sea. In between: fertile plains, dense woods, rolling hills and ancient volcanic craters now shimmering as emerald lakes. The Alban Hills with Lago Albano and Lago di Nemi invite you to hike – Rome on the horizon and trattorias tucked away in leafy gardens.
Further south, the Circeo National Park shapes the coast with lagoons, dunes and pine groves – a rare fragment of untouched nature. Head inland and you discover quiet valleys, olive groves, chestnut woods and the rugged uplands of the Ciociaria – a land still spared mass tourism. Lazio’s landscapes are no glossy postcard; they are an invitation to stay.
Shepherds, farmers and markets – a cuisine with character
Lazio’s culinary identity is honest and intense – the cooking of shepherds, farmers and everyday people, turning essential ingredients into dishes full of character. In Rome, classics like Pasta alla Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe and Amatriciana have cult status. Beyond the capital, cooking stays hearty: the famed Porchetta – herb-stuffed pork roasted until the skin crackles – originated in Ariccia in the Castelli Romani. Add a glass of Frascati or the deep red Cesanese del Piglio and the meal is complete.
Specialities
Weekly markets carry the scent of aged Pecorino Romano, fresh wild asparagus and tender artichokes. In coastal towns, squid, swordfish and sea urchins go straight from boat to plate. Inland, simplicity rules: mountain lentil stews, hearty soups, chestnut flour and olive oil from centuries-old groves.
Lazio’s food needs no frills. It’s authentic, bold, local – and perhaps unforgettable for precisely that reason.
Culture in Lazio
Living history between antiquity and everyday life
Lazio is no backdrop but history lived. Roman heritage, religious tradition and rural daily life merge into a rare cultural density. The past is not finished – it still shapes the present:
- the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, heart of the ancient world
- Hadrian’s Villa and the Villa d’Este in Tivoli – symbols of Roman architecture and Renaissance elegance
- the necropolises of Tarquinia and Cerveteri, UNESCO-listed Etruscan sites
- the Abbey of Montecassino, a spiritual landmark of Europe
Culture doesn’t live only in stones.
In Lazio you find it at village festivals, in artisan workshops, at Sunday markets or in a simple song echoing through the lanes. Open-air theatre or a harvest shared with neighbours – here culture is part of life, not decoration.
Why Lazio?
A new home with an old heart
For many Germans moving to Italy, Lazio feels like a bridge between two worlds. Proximity to Rome guarantees international connections, healthcare and career opportunities – yet a few kilometres away begins a life of calm, clean air, close-knit communities and fair prices. The region balances infrastructure and authenticity, cultural depth and Mediterranean ease. If you seek quality of life without giving up schools, mobility or community, Lazio becomes more than a destination: it becomes home – shaped by history, warmth and a slower daily rhythm.
For those who want both
Lazio attracts people who don’t want to choose between city and countryside. The region offers both – often only kilometres apart. Life here holds perspective and memory, train lines and cypress avenues. It suits cosmopolitan souls who value structure and variety: an espresso on the piazza in the morning, a walk through olive groves at noon, the opera in town at night. If you love contrasts and seek balance, Lazio offers a way of living that doesn’t force a choice – it lets you have both. Not a compromise, but a lifestyle – somewhere between urban energy and rural lightness.
Lazio today: living in between
Today Lazio mirrors Italy itself: a region balancing growth and preservation. Rome, the economic hub, draws professionals from across Europe, while the countryside offers quality of life, nature and accessible housing – ideal for those who dream of Italy without a megacity.
Here there is space – for ideas, for life projects, for new perspectives. Perhaps that is Lazio’s true magic: it doesn’t only show the past, it opens towards the future.
Anja Sersch
Photos: © Anja Sersch