The
Roman Castles/Castelli Romani are located
in the Colli Albani/Alban Hills just
south of Roma. The area has been a resort/refuge for wealthy
Romans since the Middle Ages. Not much has changed, as
today this is where wealthy Romans come to escape the
city on weekends and holidays. The area is littered with
castles, villas, palazzi and refreshing easy towns to
tour. There are 13 towns in the Castelli Romani (Frascati,
Grottaferrata, Castel Gandolfo, Marino, Rocca di Papa,
Ariccia, Nemi, Monteporizio Catone, Colonna, Albano Laziale,
Genzano, Montecompatri and Rocca Priora). I use these
towns as a breather….to have a good dinner or lunch,
to start or end my trip (as they are relatively close
to the Rome airport) and they are pretty and charming
– they always deliver what I need.
In Frascati, the main attraction (to
me) is the Villa Aldobrandi. The fabulously
extravagant villa dominates the center of town and the
Piazza Marconi. The villa was designed by Giacomo Della
Porta in the 16th century and later completed by Maderno
and Fontana (over 100 years later to be exact). For views
and beauty – this is one special place. The Villa
Torlonia (nearby) is a lovely public park –
great for a stroll. Head to the city center and stroll
the narrow streets – you’ll find plenty of
wine shops selling the town’s refreshing wine. Also
in the historic center you’ll find two churches
– the Chiesa Santa Maria in Vivario
with it’s 17th century façade and Romanesque
bell tower and Chiesa Di San Sebastiano
– they date back to the 9th century. In Piazza San
Pietro you should see Chiesa Di San Pietro
(very Baroque) and nearby Chiesa Del Gesu
(17th century) with fine frescoes. The quality of the
soil and climate in Frascati (much cooler than nearby
Rome) have made the town and its wine famous. Market
day is Wednesday in Frascati.
In Grottaferrata, I enjoy the setting and a particularly
special hotel (Villa Grazioli). The town is situated amidst
vineyards, woods and rolling hills. It's a popular destination
for tourists and Italians within driving distance who
like to spend time in this special area. The famous abbey
in Grottaferato, the Abbazia Di S. Nilo
was founded in 1002 by St. Nilo and his followers (he
was Greek and one of his followers was St. Bartolomeo
the Younger). Through the years, the monks gained wealth
and power and the architecture of the abbey soon came
to look like a fortress. In adding protective walls, a
moat and other fortifications, this monastery became a
place of protection for the monks as well as royalty (erected
by Cardinal Della Rovere). Today, you can see the moat,
walls and other architectural changes that were made to
protect this abbey. The abbey is one of Italy’s
main centers of Byzantine culture. Make sure you see the
mosaics (12th century) in the Basilica Di Santa
Maria di Grottaferrata (near the abbey).
On a recent trip I found an itinerary that allowed me
to see each of the towns of the Castelli Romani (by car).
I started in Frascati (as I was staying
there); I moved on to Monte Porizio Catone,
a 16th century village – did a quick walk-about;
Went on to Tusculum (ruins of a Latin
city); on to Grottaferrata to see the
abbey there (had lunch); Headed on to Rocca Di
Papa, a charming medieval village on a hill;
I then hit the lake road (#217) and visited Nemi,
Velletri, Genzano, Ariccia, Albano Laziale, Marino
and back to Frascati. This was quite industrious of me…..I
wanted to get a taste of each town and lingered in some
and not in others.