The Rieti basin, surrounded by hills, is a perfect spot for lovers of nature and landscape. There are two main attractions here: the nature reserve of the Rieti Lakes and Mount Terminillo.
In ancient times, the plain was occupied by a huge lake. The reclamation of the area was begun as early as 271 BC by the Romans. Further works were ordered later by a number of popes to defend the plain, a fertile basin rich in streams, from floods of the river Velino. It is these streams which have given rise to several little lakes, the last vestiges of the original great lake. The two most important are lakes Lungo and Ripa Sottile, right in the middle of the Santa valley. The nature reserve extends for about 3,000 hectares around these two lakes.
The history of Terminillo is much more recent. It began in the second half of the 19th century. Till then only shepherds, charcoal-burners, and one or two brave skiing pioneers went up the mountain on foot. The Rome Ski Club built the Umberto I refuge between 1901 and 1903. During the 1920s the road which turned Terminillo into the "Mountain of Rome" was inaugurated. The limestone mountain is shaped like a big dome. It is one of the most important winter and summer tourist resorts in the center of Italy. Between 1500 and 2100 meters of altitude there is a cableway, three chairlifts, and nine ski lifts, serving 40 km of slopes, three of which are approved for international competitions. On the way down from Terminillo is Leonessa, a summer and winter resort. A 13th-century town, it still has medieval buildings and Renaissance and baroque palaces. The church of San Francesco, with its 14th-century frescoes and a chapel with a Nativity scene dating from the beginning of the 16th century, is of particular interest.
