Italy - Torvaianica
History:
Torvaianica, a balneary borrow lying on the seaside of Lazio between Ostia and Anzio, owes its name to the Vajanico Tower (Torre del Vajanico), wanted by the popes of years 1500 for its warning and defence against the invasions of the Saracen pirates.
In the Aeneid, Virgilius tells that Aeneas, a legendary hero, while fleeing after the defeat at Troy, landed right on these Lavinian coasts, thus fulfilling the destiny decided by his fate for him to return to the ancient mother Lazio, the mother country of Dardano, forefather of the hero and founder of Troy.
Thus Lavinium, a town founded by Aeneas, where this latter's grave was located, was always considered as a sacred area for the imperial Rome and guardian of its Dei Penati.
In exchange, the renaissance of this land, in the modern sense, started in the 30's, when the important interventions that were meant to drain the land of Lazio ended, and along with the settling down of the first fishermen families in the 20's, the owners of agricultural households united together.
However, the tourist burst at Torvaianica started in the 50's, due to the attention caused by the bloody "Montesi case" and due to the large national mass-media interest for the trial that followed.
The attraction to this uncontaminated oasis, surrounded by sea and the smooth slopes of Colli Albani was almost magnetic, unique due to the richness of the Mediterranean wood, a wild espalier of fine sand inshore dunes.
The climax was achieved during the lovely period of the 60's: the lucky alchemy between the natural beauty, the closeness to the capital city and to the Roman castles, the practically in loco presence of the De Laurentis cinema studios during the time of kolossal, everything catalyzed by the unrepeatable social stimulus and by the compartments of that economic boom, consecrated for Torvaianica the role of forefront tourist centre with a huge potential.
Famous people like Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Roger Vladim, Jane Fonda wished to get accommodated at Torvaianica during the shooting of movies they were cast in, and the case of Ugo Tognazzi, who decided even to settle down here, was not unique and was imitated by many other personalities of the Italian cinematographic jet set and of the professional elites of Rome.
Thus, "Villaggio Tognazzi" appeared, a theatre of wonderful tennis contests, followed by the even more wonderful festivals of the August tournament "scolapasta d'oro" (the golden strainer) (a piece of jewellery carefully achieved every year by our cohabitant Ettore Costa), organized in the Tognazzi house and reserved for the celebrities of the show business, in reality interested more than anything by the distinguished haute cuisine of the master of the house, a well-known refined gourmet.
The excellent cuisine is another attraction that always accompanies and defines Torvajanica. The very famous local restaurants stand for proof, as they show off with great skill and originality the delicious treasures of this great daily nostrum, caught by the fishermen at the local cooperative, true pioneers and custodians of the historic memory of this borrow, as a matter of fact artisans of the most important Vajanic tradition: the procession to the sea in honour of Madonna dell`Assunta. This is one of the most suggestive manifestations of this genre in Italy, gathering each year, on the Assumption day, tens of boats in a convoy and tens of thousands of stalwarts on a natural plateau of ten kilometres from the shore.
Attractions and references in the area:
Currently, the 15 kilometres from the seaside are visited during summer by approximately 500,000 tourists.
Torvaianica has an exclusively sandy and very wide beach. Comfortable shores and large areas of free beach can be found. Towards the north, between Torvaianica and Ostia, there is the Capocotta beach.
- distance to the capital city of Rome - 28 km;
- the largest tourist harbour in Italy is at 20 km - Ostia;
- in the area, in a natural reservation, there is the holiday house of the Italian President;
- medieval castle and Roman ruins;
- Fumicino airport at 20 km;
- amusement park especially for children;
- the largest sea amusement park in Italy - Zoomarine;
- Sedici Pini Mall at 4 km from the centre of the town;
- outlet Castel Romano at 8 km from the centre of the town;