Description
Your private day trip to Ciociaria offers a unique experience. Set between Rome and Frosinone, the Ciociaria area is famous for its rural activities and beautiful natural landscape.
As you will discover, this geographical region is rich with history and its roots go much deeper than you might imagine. While in Ciociaria, you will visit a stunning Romanesque cathedral, discover local wine, and explore a mysterious castle.
The tour unfolds around a common thread where you will learn how the towns of Anagni and Fumone relate to each other, and to Ciociaria’s fertile soil.
Anagni
First, you will arrive in Anagni and visit its extraordinary Romanesque cathedral, dating back to 1104, built by Bishop Pietro da Salerno, who was commissioned with this project by the Byzantine emperor Michele VII Ducas.
During the visit, you will be able to note the gothic interior of the church, its impressive Cosmatesque mosaic floor (1231), the remarkable Episcopal cathedral, the Ciborium, and a series of beautiful frescoes depicting the Apostles.
The church visit ends in a crescendo of masterpieces as you reach the crypt. Also known as the Oratory of St. Thomas Becket, you will find several biblical frescoes adorning the crypt walls in addition to the tomb of St. Magnus, the patron saint of the town.
Do not forget to admire the floor of the crypt; it also boasts another Cosmatesque mosaic.
Anagni, often referred to as the city of popes, is well known in the region as being the birthplace of several pontiffs, among them Pope Boniface VIII. As we will discover later in the day, Pope Boniface VIII also played a significant role at the Fumone Castle. He had imprisoned Pope Celestine V in the castle who eventually met his death in his small cell after ten months of imprisonment.
Wine Tasting and Lunch
After visited Anagni, you will get to indulge in a delicious wine tasting and lunch at a local winery. The Ciociaria produces many high-quality products, among which the renowned Cesanese wine.
Fumone Castle
During the final stop of your day trip from Rome, at Fumone Castle, you will learn how this fortress has served as a strategic mainstay in the region since ancient Roman times. Among the events contributing to its storied past, this is where Pope Celestine V met his death and where, centuries later, young Francesco was murdered when he was just two and a half years old.
While walking through the castle, listen carefully, and you may still hear the voice of Francesco’s ghost echo throughout the halls. This is just one of many reasons Fumone Castle has remained a well-known name throughout the centuries!
