Rome Cooking Classes: Medieval villages, unspoilt natural beauty, fine food and authenticity: The Rieti province.

Toffia is one of the medieval hilltop village in the province of Rieti

With history beginning 2,600 years ago and its unspoiled landscape dotted with ancient medieval villages and monasteries, the Rieti Province, part of the Lazio Region directly north of Rome, is an exciting destination for the independent traveller. Part of its charm is due to the lack of mass tourism which you often encounter in other Italian areas. Authenticity is what the Rieti Province is all about.

The early inhabitants of this area of Italy were the 'Sabines', a highly civilised population that thrived in this region, east of the River Tiber. The Sabines left some truly refined art from 600 BC, including gold jewellery, greek-inspired pottery and bronze chariots. Most of these precious items are today found in Fara Sabina Archaeological Museum. The Romans took over the Rieti province and the Sabine Hills in 290 BC. Cities were built or improved and still today this is one of the most interesting areas of Lazio from an archaeological point of view. During the middle ages the Rieti province grew prosperous and became densely populated, which explains why there are so many 1,000 year old villages built on hilltops for defence.

With 2.5 million olive trees in the Sabine Hills, extra virgin olive oil is the main production

The culture of olive oil is all important for the Rieti province and there is evidence that people have been producing the "green gold" here for at least 2000 years. Olive groves literally cover each and every hillside, with windy roads and pathways making their way between the old, majestic trees. The beauty of the landscape is often associated with Umbria, and in fact Rieti and its territory was once considered part of this region and under Perugia's rule until the 1930's. The Rieti province and the Sabine Hills are amongst the greenest areas of Italy, due to the abundance of water springs, rivers and lakes. It's main aqueduct, called "Peschiera" is one of the largest in Europe and provides pure spring water to three quarters of the City of Rome and of course to the Rieti province as well. The large availability of pure clean water is a blessing for those working in agriculture, and in particular to a young generation of 'neo-rurals', who have recently moved from the city to start organic agriculture in this area.

Lakes are mostly to be found in the east part of the province, the most popular one being the lake Turano. Its clean water makes Turano a great destination for day excursions especially in summer where you can swim, take a rest on the shores and enjoy lunch or dinner on the lakeside.

While the climate is generally mediterranean with mild winters and warm, sunny summers. As you move towards the east of the region the territory becomes more mountainous, with the highest point reaching Monte Terminillo, 2,217 metres above sea level. Terminillo is a winter resort that is fully equipped for ski holidays during winter, while in summer it can be a refreshing escape from the heat, and is especially popular with Rome's inhabitants. Because of the variety offered by its geography, this province of Italy is a hiker's heaven. You can chose easier walks through valleys or more challenging hikes to the top of hills and mountains from where you can enjoy majestic views over the whole region.

Last but not least, the Rieti province has great culinary traditions. Apart from the DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) olive oil which is light and flavoursome at the same time, this is the land of pecorino cheese and ricotta, produced from fresh sheep's milk. The local producers also take pride in their cured meats, including prosciutto, capocollo and, above all, guanciale (cured pork cheek), an essential ingredient of Carbonara and Amatriciana pasta sauces. Wine production is also gaining momentum in terms of high quality, popularity and awards.