The south of Italy traditionally starts at the first gas station south of Rome. The southern part of Lazio has a substantially different climate than the northern part. The forested hills of the north give way to a melancholic mixture of wetlands and wild, inaccessible mountains. Many travelers on their way to Naples skip this area, which is understandable.
With more time, however, it is worth visiting some sections of the coast. Baths of Anzio, Terracina, or Sperlonga provide a pleasant relaxation after a race in the capital, and the Pontine Islands, a few hours away, by sea (Pontine) belong (at least off-peak season) to Italy's most familiar treasures. The inland landscape also has its charms: the towns around Castelli Romani are the most characteristic of the region, and at the same time the most accessible - you can visit several of them on a day trip from Rome. Subiaco and the Ciocaria region lie the furthest south, but they are marked by a landscape that is among the most beautiful in Lazio with extensive, tree-covered hills and valleys hiding little ones, towns unknown to many tourists.
Castelli Romani and the Albanian Mountains (Alban Hills)
Thirteen cities are located just outside the vast suburbs of Rome, that made up the Castelli Romani and dates back to the Middle Ages. The Colli Albani hills then served the rich and the powerful as a shelter from the summer heat. It is a vineyard area (the grapevine likes volcanic soil), currently densely built-up (most of the cities are bordered by the not-so-pretty new suburbs); on summer weekends, Romans come here to eat dinner in local trattorias. However, if you manage to avoid rush hour and public holidays in high season, this region is worth visiting, during a day trip from Rome or on the way south. There are two convenient routes for car owners. They both leave Frascati and Grottaferrata, then they fork out at Marino, embracing Lago Albano on both sides. The region is also served by buses departing from the station opposite Subaugusta Metro Station (line A).
Frascati and to the east of Lago Albano
The closest, because only Fr. 20 km from Rome, is FRASCATI, the most fascinating of the cities of Castelli. It is dominated by the majestic Villa Aldobrandi, erected by Giacomo della Porta in 1598 r. for Cardinal Aldobrandi. The villa is still owned by the family, so you can't go inside, on the other hand, after checking in at the AAST office in Piazza Marconi, you can visit the gardens. They are a bit neglected today, and the impressive water garden at the rear end of the property is unfortunately often closed. However, the wonderful view from the terrace in front of the house is worth seeing; on clear days you can see Rome without any problems. Frascati is also perhaps the most famous city of vineyards among the Albanian Mountains: Information on combined tasting tours is available at the AAST office, organized by local wine producers. You can also dine at the Spartaco restaurant on viale L. Bonaparte. In summer there are tables outside.
The tourist office also provides information on Tusculum, a settlement beautifully situated on the top of a hill just behind Frascati. It was the favorite refuge of Roman patricians (Cicero owned a villa here). However, in 1191 r. Pope Celestine III destroyed the resort, and the inhabitants moved lower, to today's Frascati, most of the ancient Roman ruins apparently disappeared underground for centuries. There is a small theater and nice views.
About three kilometers away there is also the famous GROTTAFERRATA wines and the 11th century Basilian Abbey - a fortified Greek Catholic monastery, surrounded by high defensive walls and an empty moat. This place is out of time, and the small church of Santa Maria has a Byzantine interior decorated with 13th-century mosaics and Domenchino frescoes in the Chapel of St.. They. In the inner courtyard there is a small museum of classical and medieval sculpture (9.00-12.30 i 16.00-19.00).
For more 4 km away is MARINO, which may not be particularly attractive places, but the local wine ranks among the best in the region after Frascati. On the first Sunday of October you can get them for free during the Sagra dell'Uva festival. The panoramic via dei Laghi leads from here around the western shore of Lago Albano, then the road to NEMI diverges from it, built high above a tiny lake in a crater. The town itself is not very exciting, but a paved road leads down to the strawberry fields between the steep crater walls and the shores of the lake, where you can have a beautiful picnic. The city is famous for its strawberries, and it expresses this every year in June during the Sagra delle Fragole. On the northern shore of the lake you can see a hangar-like building, where there are scant remains of two Roman ships, which Caligula is said to have built. Arrows in nearby GENZANO suggest, there is something interesting to watch here, but the local museum is closed indefinitely.
Before the exit to Nemi, a winding road, departing from via dei Laghi, leads to Monte Cavo, the second highest peak among the Albanian Mountains (949 m), covered with masts and satellite dishes of the Italian army. (The army is stationed at the nearby Ciampino airport). It used to be a hotel here in a former convent of the Order of the Passion of Christ, but the building has fallen into disrepair and the summit is no longer as much of a tourist attraction as it used to be. Centuries ago, the Temple of Jupiter used to stand here, but now the only surviving monument of antiquity is the Via Sacra. About 1000 m below the summit, it emerges from the dense undergrowth and winds through dense forest for a kilometer, before it disappears back into the bush.
On the other side of Monte Cavo the road leads right towards ROCCA DI PAPA, the highest one (680 m) and one of the most picturesque towns of Castelli Romani, with a medieval district falling down the hillside with a series of chaotic terraces. Traffic is necessarily negligible here. Big town square, Republic Square, it is modern and boring; Piazza Garibaldi is more interesting, where in summer you can sit at a table of one of the bars or restaurants and enjoy the views.
West of Lago Albano
After leaving Marino, the road joins the ancient Roman Via Appia, which runs straight as an arrow along the western shore of Lago Albano. The first major stop is Castel Gandolfo. The name comes from the castle, owned by the powerful 12th-century Genoese Gandolfi family, and now known mainly as the summer refuge of popes. It is true that it is said, that John Paul II prefers to travel to the mountains north of the city in the summer months, to the dissatisfaction of the inhabitants. Located 400 m above the edge of Lake Albano, the village is full of charm, but almost all the attention is focused on the Pope, especially on Sundays from July to September, when he traditionally delivers the midday homily in the courtyard of the Papal Palace. You can visit the palace with gardens, originally erected by Carlo Maderno in 1624 r., but you need special permission from your supervisor. In hot weather, it is better to take advantage of the cool waters of the lake: there is a nice beach just outside the town, from which you can walk around the whole lake in two hours with a brisk step.
From Castel Gandolfo, the panoramic road leads to ALBANO LAZIALE, probably the most beautiful of the towns on via Appia. Its great square - Piazza Mazzini - opens to the south to the wonderful park of Villa Communale, with the skimpy remains of a villa that once belonged to Pompey. There are also other Roman monuments in the city. On the main street, Corso Matteotti is home to the Church of St.. Peter, built on the foundations of the baths of the Roman garrison. In the opposite Palazzo del Commune (codz. 9.30-13.30 i 16.30-19.30.) fit small, but high-quality archaeological collections of Roman artefacts from local finds. It is also worth seeing the grave of the Horacjusz and Kuriacjusz family just outside the city, on the road to Ariccia, with bizarre 'chimneys” from the Republican era. There is also an amphitheater on the hill above the city, currently closed and in ruins, but once housed 15 000 viewers.
Through the 19th century Ponte di Ariccia, from where you can see the spans of the ancient Roman viaduct below, via Appia then leads to ARICCIA, to the town square. It is a proportional square decorated with the circular Church of Santa Maria deU'Assunzione Bernini. The situated Fr. 2 km further GENZANO is also nice, medieval center built around Piazza Frasconi. There is a road leading through the rim of the crater and dense forests to the shores of Lake Albano. An Infiorata is held in the city every May, when the via Italo Belardi climbing the hill from the square is covered with a carpet of flowers. VELLETRI town, although bigger, it's not much more interesting. The center was rebuilt after the war and the baroque cathedral can be mentioned among the few monuments, The 14th-century Torre del Trivio, as well as a small archaeological museum.