Two places that make a pleasant change from the centre of Rome - both of them easily visited by train as day trips... . Ostia Antica: Enjoyable for the medieval borgo, adjacent to the Papal castle, and also the extensive remains of the port city that once supplied ancient Rome - whilst not a patch on Pompeii and sites around Vesuvius, those are still worth a look! For more details, see....http://www.ostia-antica.org/touristguide.pdf And for photos of the nearby ruins of Portus, a contemporary town constructed around Trajan's hexagonal harbour after the one at Ostia had begun to silt up, see __http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/portus . . Bracciano: Go for the Castello Orsini-Odescalchi - where Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes married - and, on the shores of the volcanic crater lake at Vigna di Valle, a fine museum with racing seaplanes that competed for the Schneider Trophy and other unusual aircraft. For details ___http://www.aeronautica.difesa.it/museo_storico_eng/Pagine/default.aspx Otherwise the local tourist board website is on ___http://www.turismobracciano.com/ Click the individual images for larger versions, lots of them with a few notes and comments!

. The Ponzan archipelago is an enchanting group of islands off the coast of Lazio, relatively undiscovered by international tourism but perennial favourites for holidaymakers from Rome. . There are year-round connections with places on the coast of Lazio, however the high summer hydrofoils that used to operate from Naples (stopping in at the island of Ischia along the way)to both Ventotene and Ponza have offered only a weekend service recently (incl 2012). In July 2011, a summer-only service from Rome's port, Fiumicino, to Ponza restarted - but may well have ended again? . Click on the individual pictures to see a larger version!

. Whilst Rome casts a long shadow over its region, and commands the full attention of many visitors, there's plenty more to Lazio than just the nation's capital! Here are three very pleasant coastal towns from southern Lazio that are each well worth a look - Terracina, Gaeta and Fondi. Click on individual images for a larger version ..... Pictures from the ruins of the octagonal harbour of Portus (near Ostia Antica, just outside Rome), can now be found here ___http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/portus