Velletri

Velletri is a sizeable town with over 50,000 inhabitants. It is part of the province of Rome and lies just southeast of the Castelli Romani or Alban Hills. In Roman times it was a popular place for the rich of Rome to build their country villas. In the late Middle Ages it was one of the few independent cities in central Italy. During this time it is claimed that Velletri saw the establishment of the world's first pawn shop. After the Allied landing at Anzio in early 1944 Velletri was a major battleground in May of that year as the Allies pushed north towards Rome. It was much damaged by the war and most of its important monuments were not rebuilt. Thus the city does not, in itself, offer many sightseeing attractions. However, it is an attractive base for exploring the surrounding region and could even be an inexpensive base for visiting Rome if you are not interested in the capital's nightlife.