Villa Vacardito, near golden sandy beaches of Sperlonga

Open-plan Lounge / Dining Room / Kitchen with Rustic Open Fireplace, Satellite TV.

Shower Room with: Shower cubical, Wash Basin, WC & Bidet.

Bedroom 1: Comfortable Double Bed.
Bedroom 2: Comfortable Double Bed.

Sperlonga

Itri, a historic township, nestling in the foothills of the Aurunci Mountains, part of the Aurunci National Park, an area of outstanding natural beauty. It is situated a few kilometres inland, between the towns of Fondi and Formia.

The town of Itri is divided into two halves, the upper, historic, medieval town, and the lower sprawling, more contemporary section.

The infamous highway, the Via Appia, runs directly through the town. Just outside Itri original sections of this road can still be seen, paved with smoothly fitting blocks of hard wearing lava.

Cicero, the Roman orator, writer and statesman, was brutally murdered in 43 BC on the Appian Way, whilst trying to flee from his political enemies. Cicero's Tomb, a cylindrical tower, is situated on the Via Appia, near to Itri, on the outskirts of Formia.

During the era when young British aristocrats and scholars undertook the cultural "Grand Tour" of Italy, a common itinerary would have included Rome, Venice, Florence and Naples. Thus many great artists and writers would have journeyed along the route of the Via Appia, and Itri may have been a welcoming resting place for weary travellers. Charles Dickens, when travelling through Itri during the 19th century described the castle in his journal as being "like a device in pastry, built up, almost perpendicularly, on a hill, and approached by long steep flights of steps."

The dominating castle, dating back to the 9th century, is strategically positioned high on a hill, providing a commanding view of the surrounding area. The twin towered castle, with its formidable walls and ramparts was considered to be impregnable. The round tower was given the name of the "Alligator Tower", as it is said that it contained a pool, which was the home of an alligator which fed on unfortunate prisoners who had been condemned to death.

Recently the castle has undergone extensive reconstruction and renovation. It was partly destroyed in 1944 when Itri was savagely pounded by aerial bombardment, which left seventy five per cent of Itri in ruins. The castle is now used as a venue for exhibitions and cultural events.

The historical centre, in upper Itri can be reached both on foot and by car. The fortified medieval quarter is a warren of narrow cobbled streets, archways, gates and stairways.

Today Itri is a lively, thriving municipality, with a variety of small shops, restaurants and bars and there is an excellent weekly market is held each Friday.

Nearby entertainment facilities include "Aquapark" an open-air swimming complex. There is also a bowling alley named "Play Off".

Three kilometres from Itri, perched on Monte Civita, is the Sanctuary of La Madonna della Civita.

Up here the mountain air is clean and fresh, and on a clear day the panoramic vistas are simply breathtaking. In one direction, there are views of dramatic mountain scenery, in another a splendid view of the Gulf of Gaeta, Ischia and the Pontine Islands, and finally the panoramic coastline sweeping round and culminating in the rocky promontory of San Felice di Circeo.

La Madonna della Civita, the "Madonna of the Old City" is the patron of Itri, whose annual feast day falls on July 21st. People from all over southern Lazio come to make a sacred pilgrimage and in Itri there is a week of local festivities.

The 19th of March is the feast of Fuochi di S. Giuseppe, in honour of St Joseph, the patron saint of Carpenters, and is also celebrated as Father's Day in Italy.
Originally this was a pagan festival, full of mystic symbolism of purification. It celebrates the end of winter and welcomes the long awaited arrival of Spring. Prayers are said to grant a good harvest for the year. In the evening the air is filled with the smell of wood smoke as large bonfires are lit around the town. Different neighbourhoods compete to build the largest bonfire. Afterwards the ashes are gathered and spread on the land to enrich the soil. Traditional zeppole, or fritters are served, made of sugar, eggs and honey.

Itri was the birthplace of the legendary bandit, Michele Pezza, born in approximately 1770, who became better known as Fra Diavolo. He was a notorious outlaw, who lead a bloodthirsty gang of bandits which preyed upon unsuspecting travellers along the mountain pass between Fondi and Itri. In 1830 Daniel Francois Auber wrote an operetta based on this story, and during the 1930s, it was later made into a comic film entitled 'The Devil's Brother' starring Laurel and Hardy.

The countryside surrounding Itri has been noted for the quality of its olives since Roman times. The Itrana variety is exclusive to this specific area, thriving in the unique environment. Itri's undulating hillsides are tinted with silvery green foliage of olive trees, indeed the cultivation and preparation of this fruit is the mainstay of the local economy. They are sometimes sold abroad as 'Oliva di Gaeta'.

The surrounding area is part of a protected Natural Reserve, the Parco Naturale dei Monti Aurunci. This mountain chain takes its name from the ancient Aurunci tribe, and has some impressive peaks, the highest being Monte Petrella at 1535 metres, Redentore at 1255 metres, and Monte Sant'Angelo at 1402 metres.
Much of the rock is limestone, and the scenery is ever changing - ranging from wild, barren, rocky reaches to shadier, wooded, slopes and verdant valleys. This tranquil area is rich in nature, providing habitats for numerous birds of prey, including: buzzards; sparrow hawks; wind-hovers; kestrels and peregrine falcons. It is also abundant in foxes, badgers, stone martens, weasels, porcupines. It is said that there are 1,900 different plant types found in the park land including more than 50 species of orchids, some of which are very rare.

From Itri it is a short drive to the Riviera d'Ulisse, and the pretty, fashionable resort of Sperlonga with its golden sandy beaches.