In January TraveLazio enters its fourth year presenting fun day trips from Rome. We’ve visited nearly 70 with many more to come in 2026. Here are five that we look most forward to visiting. They range from one of our favorite beach towns to a village with a population of 11. 

Thank you, dear reader, for following our many paths and hope you continue tracking all the roads that lead from Rome. Below are the five that we’ll highlight in 2026:

Civita di Bagnoregio

This will be bar the smallest village we’ve included in TraveLazio, by far. It has a population of 11 (sometimes 16, depending on who’s visiting family) and is one of the most unique places in Europe, let alone Italy. It sits atop a plateau of volcanic tuff and is only accessible by a concrete footbridge. Because of the fragility of the town and the dwindling population, it is often referred to as “the dying city.” Located one mile from the town of Bagnoregio, the village is worth seeing just for the ancient architecture which hasn’t changed over the centuries. It does get many intrepid tourists but it’s so different, who can resist?

Fiuggi

In the 14th century, Pope Boniface VIII claimed the waters around Fiuggi cured him of kidney stones. Ever since, the Acqua di Fiuggi has been famous for its healing properties. The water comes from natural springs flowing down from the mountains above Fiuggi. The area is sprinkled with spas that use the waters for medicinal purposes. The town consists of two levels. The springs are on the lower level. The upper level is a fortified medieval village featuring Palazzo Falconi where Napoleon Bonaparte once slept.

Rieti.

It’s considered the exact center of Italy and with 47,700 people, it’s one of the biggest towns in Lazio. It’s built on a hill and known for its 13th century palaces: Palazzo Vescoville and Palazzo Comunale. Its most famous structure is the Rieti Cathedral which dates back to the 13th century but was almost completely rebuilt in 1639. It features a stunning Romanesque bell tower. Surrounding the city are walls dating back to the 13th century. It is the Italian town where the late NBA star Kobe Bryant learned his basketball fundamentals as he lived some of his early years there.

Sabaudia

We’ll save this one for the summer. Sabaudia has one of the best beaches in Italy. Its fine sand stretches for 15 kilometers and earned the prestigious Blue Flag designation for its water quality and other features, such as waste management and green spaces. A boardwalk follows along the coast and is backed by the Circeo Forest. The town itself is one of the many that Benito Mussolini built out of the swamp that was southern Lazio in the 1930s. The downtown area naturally features fascist architecture. Halfway between Naples and Rome, it can get crowded on summer weekends but during the week it’s superb.

Tolfa

Located between Rome’s port of Civitavecchia and Lake Bracciano, Tolfa is near Monti della Tolfa, an extinct volcano. It still has remains of the wall from the Frangipani Castle which the French destroyed in 1799. Also worth visiting is the Town Hall featuring Etruscan and Roman antiquities and the 16th century Convent of Augustinians, now the civic museum. The town of 5,000 is a nice side trip for anyone docking in Civitavecchia for a day.