South of the Alban Hills, the land flattens into the Agro Pontino, the plain that was once the Pontine Marshes, a malarial wilderness that defeated the Romans, the popes and Napoleon. It was finally drained in the 1930s under Mussolini, in a vast project that created new towns, farms and canals. Cisterna di Latina sits on the edge of the plain, at the foot of the Monti Lepini.
In January 1944, after the Allied landings at Anzio, Cisterna was the scene of fierce fighting. American Rangers advancing on the town were ambushed and almost destroyed, and the town itself was largely ruined. It was rebuilt after the war, and today it is a busy agricultural centre.
Just outside Cisterna lies one of the most beautiful gardens in the world: the Giardino di Ninfa. Built among the ruins of a medieval town abandoned in the seventeenth century, it was created by the Caetani family in the twentieth century, with roses climbing over ruined walls, streams of crystal-clear water and rare plants from around the world. It opens only on certain days, and visits must be booked, but it is unforgettable. Above it, the medieval hill town of Sermoneta has a magnificent castle.
As a food stop and finish, the area is excellent. The Pontine plain produces buffalo mozzarella, vegetables and fruit, and the restaurants serve hearty Lazio cooking. The riding on the plain is flat and straight, but the roads into the Monti Lepini climb steeply with hairpins and views. Fuel and food are plentiful in Cisterna and Latina.