Visit Sabina

We are situated on the edge of the village of San Giorgio di Tarano, on the border of Lazio and Umbria, an hour from Rome, and easily accessible by car or public transport. On site you can take part in experiences such as olive oil tasting sessions and farm experiences, or stay with us in our B&B suite, La Stanza.

Despite being so close to Rome, Sabina remains largely undiscovered by foreign visitors. We are often asked for recommendations for places to visit, and places to eat by visitors to our farm, so here are some "insider tips" for a great holiday in the "Roman countryside".

Our local village of Tarano (pictured above) is gorgeous, of course! We are located on the edge of the "Frazione" of San Giorgio, and have a cute little bar, La Tartaruga, as well as, in our humble opinion, THE BEST restaurant in Sabina, (and therefore possibly the world): Podere San Giorgio within a ten minute walk of the farm. La Tartaruga is literally open all hours and is a great place to drop in to for coffee or an aperitivo. Podere San Giorgio, however, is a small space and extremely popular, so requires booking in advance; fear not however, this is an "English spoken" environment.

Ten minutes by car brings you to the Santuario di Vescovio: the "cathedral of Sabina", famous for its ancient frescos and as a pilgrimage site, as it is believed to have been the final night stop on St Peter's journey to Rome. Located in peaceful parkland, the remains of the Roman outpost town of Forum Novum are also visible here. Vescovio is also the location of another of our favourite restaurants: L'Oasi di Vescovio, which specialises in fish and seafood. The gelato in the bar next door is also delicious, and served in the restaurant.

Casperia is the "jewel of Sabina". This gorgeous hill town dates back to the 10th century, and is a rabbit warren of medieval streets and alleys, nestled within the 13th town walls. Casperia is accessible only on foot, (there is a large car park outside the walls) and even now, one can only enter and exit the centro storico via the original gates: either the Porta Romana or the Porta Reatina. It really is a magical place to wander around, and maybe to stop for a bite to eat at La Vigna , an aperitvo at Rosita's lovely Al Solito Posto, or do some shopping at one of the several artists' studios, or Stefania's fabulous boutique.

Cross the border into Umbria (but still Sabina!) to visit Calvi dell' Umbria, another beautiful hill town, also mainly traffic free. Calvi has many events that take place during the summer months, including the Calvi Festival which takes place throughout the month of August. Food wise, we recommend an Agriturismo just outside the town called Il Boschetto. The town even has a pub specialising in street food and artisan beer!

Back in Lazio, no Friday is complete without a trip to Poggio Mirteto. Friday mornings see the weekly market in the town square, catering for your every need! We always start our Fridays at Tony's Bar, before heading out to hunt for designer bargains on the various discount clothes stalls! Poggio is also home to some fabulous food shops, such as Questo e Quello, and E Non Solo Carne (and its excellent trattoria, called La Chianina).

Close to Poggio Mirteto is another pair of villages: the sleepy hamlet of Catino, which nestles below a striking, pentagonal Lombard Tower, and its big brother, the village of Poggio Catino. Our favourite lunch spot, Bar C'e is located in Catino, with a truly breathtaking view over the Tiber valley to Monte Soratte and even, on a clear day, the dome of St Peter's in Rome! Seating is either outdoors in the piazza, or inside a shady pergola. The setting, and the food is rustic but sublime, and this spot is very popular with locals as well as Romans, so booking is essential on sunny weekends.

Beyond Poggio Catino, you are in the mountains, with hiking trails aplenty! One of our favourites is this 10km loop around Monte Tancia, the highest mountain in Sabina, at 1281 metres. The trail begins and ends at Tancia Hostel House, which has a large car park. For those looking for a more gentle walk (or a summer swimming spot) should head for the Pozze del Diavolo, a series of cobalt blue waterfalls that you will have all to yourself (except for weekends and public holidays ...)

Dominating our own view, and indeed the view of most of the area (right, from the peak of Monte Pizzuto), is Monte Soratte: not actually a mountain at all, but a limestone hill with six peaks, the highest of which is a a mere 691 metres. It is, nevertheless, Sabina's "sacred mountain", a place of worship for the ancient Sabines and Romans, a refuge for a pope, and the site of several hermitages. In more recent times, Mussolini built a bunker near the summit with the intention of using it as a refuge in the case of the fall of Rome; it was the Germans, however, who used it as their refuge from 1943 until they were bombed out of it in 1944. Subsequently, it became a nuclear fall out shelter during the cold war era, and can be visited on a series of open days throughout the year. A fairly arduous hike around the peaks should be finished off with lunch in the slightly surreal surroundings of the Cruscioff Pub: think Irish Bar meets Lord of the Rings Museum, with fabulous food!