The Castelli Romani from Rome
Day by day
Driving times are approximate, from OpenStreetMap roads without traffic; long legs are rougher estimates. The Google Maps links give up-to-date times.Day 1
A papal hill town and a sacred lake
- Leaving from Rome
- ~35 min driving · 24 km
Castel GandolfoLazioLeave Rome for Castel Gandolfo, the popes' summer retreat for centuries. Visit the Apostolic Palace, then walk to Piazza della Libertà for Bernini's church, San Tommaso da Villanova, and drop down to the shore of Lake Albano before driving on to Nemi.
- ~25 min driving · 12 km
NemiLazioNemi sits on the rim of its crater lake, so start down at the water. Visit the Museo delle Navi Romane, with the remains of Caligula's ships, and look for the ruins of the Temple of Diana Nemorensis. Finish with the village's sweet strawberries, then take the road back to Rome.
- ~55 min driving · 33 kmReturning to Rome
What you'll eat
What each stop is known for, and the dishes its region is famous for.
Nemi
- Strawberries of NemiLocal produceGrown locally and celebrated at a festival on the first Sunday of June
- Fettuccine with porciniDish
- Polenta and sausagesDish
- Salt cod in guazzettoDishSalt cod soaked for five days, then stewed
- Coratella with broad beansDishLamb offal cooked with broad beans
- Stuffed pizzaBread and pasta
Also typical of Lazio
- Pecorino romanoCheese
- RicottaCheese
- Typical of LazioPenne all'arrabbiataBread and pasta
- Typical of LazioPasta with broccoliBread and pasta
- Typical of LazioPasta with broad beansBread and pasta
Adapted from Wikipedia (Nemi, Cucina laziale). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thermal baths along the way
Spas and hot springs near your stops, the closest by road first.
Data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Soundtrack for this trip
Music from Rome and Lazio: Renaissance church music, film scores, opera singing, then pop, soul and rock.
Music of LazioTradition
An overview of the music of Lazio.
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Giovanni Pierluigi da PalestrinaPublic domainGiovanni Pierluigi da PalestrinaArtist
Renaissance composer born in Palestrina, writing motets, masses and church music.
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Giulio CacciniArtist
Roman composer of the Renaissance and early Baroque.
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Claudio Villa mappamondoPublic domainClaudio VillaArtist
Roman singer and actor of popular music, 1926 to 1987.
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Ennio MorriconeArtist
Composer, orchestrator and conductor from Rome, writing film scores.
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Eros RamazzottiArtist
Singer-songwriter born in Rome in 1963, in pop and pop rock.
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Tiziano FerroArtist
Singer born in Latina in 1980, in pop, R&B and soul.
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NoemiArtist
Singer-songwriter born in Rome in 1982, between pop, blues and soul.
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MåneskinArtist
Rock band from Rome, in glam rock and pop rock.
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