CASTELLI ROMANI

From Roma - tour 4 or 8 hours

 Usually volcanoes are unfriendly elements, but the quiet volcanoes surrounding Rome provide lush landscapes, famous wines and delicious strawberries for world-weary Romans. The 16 towns that comprise this area, perched on these ancient extint volcanoes and overlooking Rome, are known for their Renaissance villas and their wines.

FRASCATI: Frascati's patrician villas and famed fruity, dry white wines remain two of the town's finest attractions.  The 1598 Villa Aldobrandini dominates the hill over town: visit the sculpture-filled gardens, Bernini fountains and the Ninfeo a "theater of water" featuring Pan, Atlas and a Satyr.

ROCCA DI PAPA: The most attractive of the hill towns. It's a lovely spot, on the slopes of Monte Cavo facing the Alban lakes and its enveloping hills. The views of the lake, the far woods, and the papal palace of Castel Gandolfo on the opposite mountain are superb.

CASTEL GANDOLFO: the summer residence of the pope. The papal palace, a 17th-century edifice designed by Carlo Maderno, stands practically on the foundations of another equally regal summer residence, the villa of Emperor Domitian.

ARICCIA: it is located between two lakes; the Albano lake and Nemi lake. Its origins are very ancient. Its territory once included the Temple dedicated to the goddess Diana which was one of the most important Latin sanctuary. In 981 it became part of Earl of Tuscolo feud, but only during the 12th century, when the area was bought from Chigi family, the whole village was totally restored by Bernini.