FRASCATI and THE ROMAN HILLS Ancient sanctuaries and princely villas

Morning flight with BA from London Heathrow to Rome Fiumicino. By coach to Grottaferrata to visit the 1000-year old abbey of St Nilus with 13th-century murals and mosaics, and early 17th-century frescoes by Domenichino. From there continue to our four-star hotel in Frascati where all four nights of the tour will be spent.

In the morning we drive through rugged mountains and thick woods to Subiaco and the monastery of the Sacro Speco, place of origin of Benedictine monasticism. Dramatically cut into the rock, Saint Benedict’s church is nearly completely covered by wall paintings from the 13th to the 15th centuries. After lunch, we continue to visit the monastery of Santa Scolastica, Saint Benedict’s twin sister, home to one of Italy’s richest libraries with fascinating examples of Italy’s first printing press.

The crypt of the cathedral of Anagni has justly been called the ‘Sistine Chapel of the Middle Ages’. By special arrangement, we will spend the morning exploring 13th-century frescoes, Cosmatesque mosaics and a treasury with the vestments of Pope Boniface VIII (d. 1303). After lunch, continue to Palestrina with its immense terraced sanctuary of the first century BC.

All-day excursion to Tivoli. In the morning we will visit the spectacular gardens and waterworks of the Villa d’Este, recently restored to their Renaissance glory. After lunch by the Temple of the Tiburtine Sibyl, we will wander through the expansive grounds of the villa of Emperor Hadrian.

During the 13th and 14th centuries Ninfa was a prosperous town, but papal wars and the spread of malaria led to its abandonment. Since Ninfa’s rediscovery in the early 20th century by members of the Roman Caetani family (and their American and British spouses), the ruins of churches and palazzi have been integrated into what is arguably the most romantic and ‘English’ of all gardens in Italy. After a light lunch, we will continue to Rome Fiumicino airport for our afternoon flight arriving at London Heathrow at 7pm.