Often bypassed in favour of its northern neighbours Tuscany and Umbria, Lazio is brimming with treasures of its own. This large region contains too many places of interest to fit into one article, so we’ve restricted this piece to the provinces of Viterbo and Rome in northern and western Lazio. Here’s why they should be your next holiday destination.

1. The lakes

The first reason to visit North and West Lazio is really four: the two large lakes of Bracciano and Bolsena, and the two smaller lakes of Martignano and Vico. Lago di Bracciano is surrounded by the towns of Bracciano, Anguillara Sabazia, and Trevignano Romano, the first two of which can be reached from Rome by train for the price of a couple of cappuccinos. Pay a visit to Odescalchi Castle in Bracciano, walk among the picturesque streets of Anguillara which spill down into the lake, and eat fresh lake fish at one of the many restaurants along the tree-lined waterfront in Trevignano.