Guidonia is certainly off the beaten track and not a place many people would consider visiting. Although the commune has few sites within the centre itself, it has a great location outside of Rome and is surrounded by a plethora of beautiful natural parks.
Guidonia Montecelio commonly known as Guidonia , is a town and comune in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital , Lazio , central Italy.
HIGLIGHTS
Guidonia Montecelio (often referred to simply as Guidonia) is a commune within the greater metropolitan region of Rome in the province of Lazio. Formed by the two towns of Guidonia and Montecelio, the commune lies to the east of Rome and has its own airport. Although the commune has a population of over 88,000, many of its inhabitants commute daily to Rome. In terms of economy, Guidonia is a large exporter of Travertine Limestone and Cement and also has a prominent service sector. The commune was first mentioned as early as 998 as a small fortification, but Guidonia was not majorly developed until the early 1900’s when it became a military base.
The municipality of Guidonia Montecelio, formed by the main towns of Guidonia and Montecelio, lies to the north-east of Rome , some kilometers from the Grande Raccordo Anulare – a ring-shaped motorway which forms a circle around the capital. The terrain of Guidonia Montecelio is mainly flat, and the community lies in between the Via Nomentana and the Via Tiburtina .
It borders with Fonte Nuova , Marcellina , Palombara Sabina , Rome , San Polo dei Cavalieri , Sant’Angelo Romano and Tivoli . The hamlets ( hamlets ) are Albuccione, Bivio di Guidonia, Colle Fiorito, Colleverde, La Botte, Marco Simone, Montecelio, Pichini, Setteville, Setteville Nord, Villalba and Villanova.
Today the town is part of the Rome metropolitan area , with a massive presence of industry (mainly travertine caves and cement industry) and the service sector . The number of residents commuting to Rome is high, with transport in a critical situation.
Guidonia is also home to Marco Simone Golf and Country Club , which will host the Ryder Cup in 2023.
Hadrian’s Villa
The complex contains a huge amount of structures including temples, theatres and houses.
Some of the buildings are mere ruins, whilst others are virtually complete with walls and doorways.
One of the most beautiful parts of the complex is the pool of Canopus – this long rectangular pool is surrounded by a series of trees and several walkways.
Aside from the structures, there is also a myriad of beautiful statues, artwork and relics that have been retrieved from the site on display.
Riserva Naturale Monte Catillo
This protected area was established in 1997 and covers an area of over 1300 hectares.
Mount Catillo is the main feature of this park and on top of this hill you can see a large steel crucifix.
The landscape is covered with lush vegetation and a plethora of trees and greenery – flora found in the park includes Maple, Chestnut, Tremulous and Cerro trees.
For those who love nature and exploring the outdoors, this region is a true playground.
Regional Natural Park Archaeological dell’Inviolata
You can find this sublime park to the south west of the city next to the smaller commune of Laghetto.
The landscape has a beautiful mixture of woodland and open meadows but also contains a multitude of archaeaological ruins and remains as early as the Roman era; you can see villas, streets, mausoleums and tombs.
In terms of wildlife you can see Herons, Kestrel, Lizards, Frogs and even scorpions, plus a range of birds and reptiles.
Museo Civico “Rodolfo Lanciani”
The museum contains a myriad of historical artefacts and relics from various time periods.
Examples of displays include Roman and Greek marble statues, pottery, ceramics, mosaics, coins and other items gathered from the surrounding countryside.
Cascata di Tivoli
This waterfall was originally part of a Roman villa complex created during the 3rd century BC and was added to over the years.
In the 19th century it was used as a hydroelectric power plant and the falls were direct through a series of tunnels.
Today it is possible to admire the falls from the bridge on the Via Quintilio Varo, but there is also access down to the top of the falls through a small park.
