After years of abandonment, the banks of the river Tiber have finally had a redesign and a makeover and the river Tiber has found its way on to hundreds of people’s must-see lists. Situated in west of Italy, about 30 to 40 miles inland from the ocean lies the new beauty that is the river Tiber. Rome isn’t fortunate to have its own beach but it has its own waters ways thanks to the river winding its way through the Eternal City. The nearest beach Rome does have is Ostia Lido and sits about 20 miles from Rome (that’s about a 40 minute drive!). As this is one of the few coastal areas in the region, it will come as no surprise to see the beach over crowded by tourists as soon as there is a hint of sun. Of course there are other, cleaner and less crowded beached that have a much more idyllic setting that are much more popular with the locals, these are a little further out.

But now there is an alternative for water-loving holiday makers in the form of The Tiber River. Stretching a gigantic 252 miles (406km) across, the river worms its way through the Tyrrhenian Sea, Lazio and Umbria, making it the third longest river in Italy. Orignially called the Albula River, the name was thought to have changed when the renowned king Tiberinus Silvius, or Thebris as some called him, was the ninth in the king-list of Alba Longa, and was said to have drowned here and so the river was renamed in his honour.

The Tiber River fringes the eastern banks of Rome and thanks to an enormous clean-up effort; the river has now become a great place to head to. After years and years of neglect, this natural area of beauty started to become less attractive and lost it old original charm. Over the course of recent years, the deterioration was clear to see and people stopped visiting.

A number of initiatives were put in place to help boost the popularity of the river. One was to address the lack of beach issue and so a large man-made beach was created. There were also a number of art installations added to the surrounding walls but by far, the most successful feature for the locals and tourists alike is the summer solstice event. To celebrate, the Tiber River was lit up with 2,758 torches. Each torch signified a year since the city was founded on April 21, 753. People from all over Italy and even further away, headed straight to the local area to get a glimpse of the spectacular views and find a new appreciation for the beauty of the Tiber River. Every year on Rome’s birthday, the country celebrates with a public holiday. On the nearest, there is a grand parade that travels from Circo Massimo to Campidoglio; participants dress in various Ancient Roman military costumes and gladiator outfits as well as in the traditional togas which were worn by civilians. Celebrations are held throughout the city and now the River Tiber is one of the places to be on this special occasion.

Rome is a top place to visit as a family, with friends or even on your own. If you are considering Rome as one of your top holiday spots for 2012, why not book your car hire with Carrentals.co.uk and start saving money today.