A few miles drive Southeast of Rome lays an area called Castelli Romani, a charming and picturesque landscape featuring small villages set on top of hills looking over two lakes. A pleasant outdoor escape to enjoy history, architecture, wildlife and …the local cuisine.

5 hours - by private car & driver

The Castelli Romani are a renowned summer resort since the time of the Romans because of the fresher climate. The fertile soil and the mild temperatures still provide a perfect habitat for growing grapes (the local wine is one of the “must”) and the natives are people person used to welcome the tourists.

The “way to go” will be the ancient Appian Way, the main ‘highway’ of the Roman Empire, sided by the massive ruins of Caracalla’s bath-house, those of the Palace and the Circus of Emperor Maxentius, the Christian catacombs and pagan cemeteries, the Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella.

The Romans subdued Ariccia at the end of the IV cent b.C. and they made it one of the most important communities of their domain. Controlled by different families, later the town passed in the hands of the Chigis and in the 1700 became a heaven for artists and writers, being included in the Grand Tour. The Chigi Palace is the highlight and virtually it has been left untouched in its environment and furnishings.

Behind the park which frames the Palace there’s a “fraschetta”, a simple country inn where sometimes customers are accommodated side by side with other unknown people: a perfect place for the lunch break. The courses are as simple as the environs: a savory pasta amatriciana or carbonara followed by plenty of cold cuts and local cheese and everything washed down with some “romanella”, the local sparkling red wine.

Driving a few miles away from Ariccia it is possible to reach a viewpoint set atop Monte Cavo, the highest mountain near Rome. A short walk through a wood of chestnuts, stepping on the old cobblestones belonging to the Via Triumphalis leads to one of the most breathtaking views over the lake of Castelgandolfo and the lake of Nemi.

On demand it is possible to extend the tour an extra hour and visit one of the Christian catacombs along the Appian Way.