Another period of strict restrictions linked to the development of the Covid-19 pandemic has started all over Italy, in a further attempt to prevent a possible third wave of infections. This time around, my region (Lazio) has also been heavily affected, as we have been “downgraded” to orange zone – which, according to the latest Decree of the Prime Minister, means that it is not only forbidden to travel across regions, but also outside of one’s own municipality.
A couple of weeks (not too much longer, I hope) have therefore started in which some lucky ones will still be able to enjoy remarkable views, whereas others will have to settle for keeping on dreaming about better times.
In this time of forced stasis, even the villages of my beloved Sabina (Sabine), the area where I grew up, seem to be light-years away. There is one thing that we all keep on saying since last year: should we try to find a tiny bright side to this whole situation, this would be that being locked at home made us appreciate the little things, especially those we used to give for granted… well, my area is basically this to me: something I have always given for granted, that I have only recently started to look at with different eyes.

Along that same line of reevaluation of Italy that many of us have followed last summer, I have decided to dedicate some time to the discovery and re-discovery of this territory north of Rome which is almost entirely unknown and rarely beaten by general tourism – except for a little niche. Sabine can offer rural landscapes dotted with olive trees (often secular ones), with beautiful medieval villages perched on hilltops that are every bit as picturesque as some of those in the more famous Tuscany region.
I will give you just an overview of my land and its millennial history for now, but throughout the next weeks I would like to focus more in details on some of the towns, itineraries and attractions that would most deserve a visit (don’t expect any Colosseums or Pisa Towers! Although charm is still plentiful, albeit in “smaller size”, plus the pleasure to venture off the beaten track, to enjoy the peace of places which haven’t been targeted by the masses yet… and a good cuisine, which never hurts!).

Where is Sabine and why its name might ring a bell

Unless they have personal connections with this area or they heard about it from someone who has visited (by chance or because they happened to live here for some time), I noticed that when I mention Sabine my interlocutors rarely have a clear idea of where it is located.
The territories that we might define as Sabine are actually not delimited in an unequivocal way: in its narrower sense, it could be entirely enclosed within the province of Rieti, in north-eastern Lazio region, whereas the wider definition also includes many municipalities across the provinces of Rome, Viterbo, L’Aquila and Terni. In my view, “hardcore” Sabine (the area that still seems to reflect a common overall essence – though not so common, as we will see in a moment) is the territory that descends from the area around Rieti and by the Appennine mountains (also known as Upper Sabine) towards the south, over the hills that separate the Rieti plane from the Capital (Lower Sabine), barely crossing over the border between the provinces of Rieti and Rome (these latter towns also known as Roman Sabine).

The reason why there isn’t a clear outlining of the area is that, historically speaking, we are talking about a wide territory originally inhabited by the population of the same name, way before the foundation of Rome. This territory has later been incorporated by different states, then divided into local dukedoms, united as part of the Papal State and finally divided again into provinces when the Kingdom of Italy has been proclaimed… and this is just to simplify the whole process.
Therefore, if the name still seems to ring a bell for you, it’s probably thanks to memories of ancient history studies: the Sabines are the popoluation who happened to clash agains the Romans almost immediately after the foundation of the new city. Legend has it that Romulus, after welcoming people from all over (mostly quite disreputable fellows), noticed a certain lack of women in his new city, therefore he laid his eyes over the “neighbors” and conceived the plan known as “Rape of the Sabines”. A war between the two populations followed this outrage, the end of which was only possible thanks to the fundamental role these women played, as they threw themselves between the crossfire of their original families and the new ones to stop the long-lasting battles and encourage a compromise.
As a consequence of this peace, many prominent Sabine personalities became well-known names in Rome: Titus Tatius, king of the Sabines at the time of Romulus, ended up being the latter one’s joint-ruler for a few years, thus introducing a fusion between the two people which led to the birth of some well-known Roman gens (dynasties) such as Marcia, Hostilia, Claudia, Valeria, etc. Sabines and Romans have therefore been tightly linked with one another throughout the rest of the monarchic era (Titus Tatius’ daughter married the second king of Rome, Numa Pompilius, and the fourth king Ancus Martius was also of Sabine origins) as well as the imperial time (the Flavian dynasty was originally from the area of present-day Rieti).

A genuine, multi-faceted soul

After a review of ancient history, it needs to be said that the passing from hand to hand of this land following the fall of Rome hasn’t completely erased a certain common identity in it, which has kept intact throughout the centuries. The definition of “Sabine” has therefore also survived, whether it is used to refer to a geographical location, the local cuisine or the most rooted traditions. However, as previously stated, it’s a definition that includes numerous nuances, as it often happens when talking about territories which harbor a history spanning millennia: it’s easy to move across villages and spot little differences in the local dialect – as a kid I was fascinated by how residents in places only separated by a few kilometers could use very different terms to refer to the exact same thing. Even the basic ingredients of local recipes sometimes show minor differences from town to town.

There is a shared essence then, though foiled by a more mundane ‘parochialism’, the rivalries between neighboring towns which originated a whole series of (often false) rumors, which in turn led to the invention of mocking nicknames for inhabitants of different towns, such as “pallonari” (fib tellers), “corsari” (sounds like corsairs although the name has nothing to do with pirates, but rather derives from the ‘Corso’ mastiff breed that was used in the past by local men to help protecting their families and properties), “caccailli” (this is the name in dialect of a specific type of locally-grown plum), “ciumacari” (the snail people), and so on.
I’ve grown up listening to some of these curious and often absurd stories, which many residents of these villages still like to tell as if they were talking about real history. I remember, for instance, the story of the two villages perched on top of two adjacent hills, the inhabitants of which have fostered a harsh rivalry between one another for centuries. One day, this animosity has apparently brought the residents of one of the towns to take an elder tree and hollow it out to use it as a cannon. Then they filled the empty space inside the tree trunk with gunpowder, nails and much more, they pointed “the weapon” in the direction of the hated neighbors and lit the fuse… only to be the ones invested by the explosion. Yet it is said that, in front of the obvious failure, someone ventured to remark how “if this made such damage here, let’s not even think about what it caused over there!” (of course rigorously pronounced in strict local dialect).
Also, the story of the town where it is said that a popular vote led to the acquisition of the town symbols, two statues representing Mercury and Minerva which are currently placed at the two sides of the entrance gate. Legend has it that decades ago the inhabitants were asked to choose between having running water reach the town center or erect the two statues (locally known as “bambocci”), and the population started crying unanimously and without hesitation that they wanted the latter ones… which led to the local inhabitants being nicknamed “bambocciari”.

NB: I would like to stress once again that these anecdotes are nothing but lighthearted stories, which I am only mentioning here as trivia in order to add a touch of color, without any malice… yet I have chosen to still not mention the names of the towns in question, so as to avoid someone possibly getting offended. We are many things around here, and proud people is one of them! 

So, all in all, what sets Sabine apart?

Perhaps nothing really unique, since many more renowned Italian destinations offer similar landscapes and vibes, as previously mentioned… but I think the characteristic aspect here is to be able to enjoy such things at a slower pace, without any stress, yet also knowing that one will have to “make do” sometimes (many nature trails are still not well marked and fully accessible for trekking- and bike-lovers. Despite the Italian Alpine Club tracking  most of the local trails, there are still less beaten areas, though not less deserving of attention, for which a good map or a suitable app will be necessary, if not an actual hiking guide to be on the safe side).
It might sound like a clichè to call them “hidden treasures” – how can any place possibly be off the map in a technologically advanced world such as the one we live in? And yet there are attractions (even historically and culturally remarkable ones such as the Benedictine Abbey of Farfa, one of the most important spiritual places in Central Italy that was declared a National Monument in 1928) which are sometimes quite difficult to reach without someone giving you specific indications… something that was also confirmed to me by some of the guests at my wedding, who tried to follow GPS instructions to get to the above-mentioned abbey and found themselves by a dicth instead!
Travelling around some of these areas certainly proves to be rather complicated from an organizational and logistic point of view, partly because of the lack of a proper, really widespread network of public transports – many towns in Lower Sabine are not even touched by the railway line that runs along the Tiber river valley north of Rome, and can only be reached with buses travelling at not so regular service. Nevertheless, I believe dedicating a couple of days to these places might be worth the effort.

You could travel following the course of the Tiber river upstream towards the point where it meets the Farfa stream, where one can also explore the Natural Reserve of the same name by the municipality of Nazzano; there are also numerous nature trails one can venture to, from the Gorges of Farfa to the very top of Mount Terminillo, the mountain rising just behind the city of Rieti (also nicknamed “the belly-button of Italy”).
You can visit hamlets that have been awarded the Italian Touring Club’s Orange Flag recognition such as Casperia (that many might remember seeing in “this TV commercial”, but that I simply consider the emblem of the almost untouched villages you can find in these territories, as it offers a unique vibe), whereas others such as Poggio Mirteto (my first home) have undergone some modernization works of the area just outside the historical town center, but you can still find glimpses of the past like the ancient laundry fountain just by turning around a corner.
There are hamlets dotted with medieval towers and bell towers, bishop palaces sitting just next to more modest dwellings from the ancient times, towns of medieval origins as well as some whose foundation dates even further back, before the Roman conquest, such as the old Cures (the capital city of the Sabine territories, which today roughly corresponds to the extant town of Talocci but that we unfortunately don’t have very extensive archeological remains of).
There are places where one can still breathe a quiet spirituality, from secluded retreats such as the Saint Sylvester hermitage on top of Mount Soratte, to the sanctuary of Vescovio (formerly Forum Novum), all the way to the Sacred Valley in Rieti’s surrounding, where one can follow an itinerary on the footsteps of Saint Francis of Assisi (the iconic Sanctuary of Greccio is particularly remarkable here – it’s believed, among other things, that it was also the place where the Saint organized the very first nativity scene in history).
Some of these towns have attracted members of the Roman nobility over the centuries, such as the Orsini, Colonna and Lante della Rovere families, who shared the territory and embellished it by building aristocratic palaces and massive castles like the fascinating Castle of Nerola.

However, more than anything else, to me these are places rich of centuries-old folkloristic as well as culinary traditions, which offer the most authentic image of them. I would indeed suggest to embark on a visit in this direction with a calendar of the many local events at hand: from the historical reenactments in the towns of Vacone, Torri in Sabina, Roccantica and Bocchignano (just to name a few), to the celebrations of Carnival featuring parade floats, not to mention the festivals spread out throughout most of the year where local products of excellence are celebrated, such as the famous amatriciana pasta, the porchetta from Selci, the melon of Cantalupo, the Sabine-style fregnacce (a type of home-made, irregularly cut pasta with tomato sauce, mushrooms and olives) and the bruschetta (toasted bread) topped with Sabina DOP extra-virgin olive oil – the crown-jewel of these territories.

Lack of promotion: good or bad?

Although I’ve been noticing a slightly higher interest towards these areas for some time by several websites, informative tv programmes and even international magazines and newspapers (The Guardian  mentioned us only a few months ago), for the most part I find this attention to be just for the sake of it. The bucolic beauty of these areas still largely unexplored by flocks of tourists is often praised as an inspiration for excursions, or as a mere curiosity, but no real commitment from the local institutions seem to follow in order to ride the wave of experiential travel – which is such a big thing these days. Just saying: at last October’s TTG expo, the stand of the Region of Lazio, although equipped with the well-known “Lazio Eternal Discovery” logo, had absolutely no informative material whatsoever about these areas! If one doesn’t count the commitment of some voluntary associations, the touristic vocation doesn’t seem to really be perceived around here… which actually makes me both sad and pleased at the same time.
On one hand, as I was raised surrounded by these villages, I feel the same way about them as someone who grew up in an apartment facing the big dome of St. Peter’s Basilica would feel about it: I know they’re there, they’re part of my being, I kind of give them for granted to the point of even wondering what others might possibly find fascinating about them… Then I’m the first one looking for similar, little known hamlets and picturesque villages in other regions, which leads me on the other hand to wonder why a proper commitment from local administrations aimed at promoting this territories the same way that others seem to be able to do so well is practically nonexistent here. On yet another hand, as I work in the tourist sector and have an insider perspective on what this world can do and undo in the destinations it touches, that hint of jealousy and even overprotectiveness comes into play, which makes me say that maybe things are not too bad as they currently are…

Anyway, should you wish to be part of that group of travellers interested in responsible tourism who seek something different and less beaten for when borders will once again be open, I would like to take you on a virtual journey of discovery of “my” Sabine over the next few weeks, to tell you about some particular places, itineraries you can follow and local food you should try.
If you want, with my next article I will take you to Mount Soratte, among hiking trails, local traditions and the maze of subterranean tunnels of the bunker of the same name.
In the meantime, let me know if you already knew about some of these areas or whether you happened to have already planned a trip this way.
See you next time!