IF you fancy enjoying rolling hills in the Italian countryside, while being only half an hour’s train ride from Rome, Castelli Romani is just the ticket.
It comprises a collection of small towns perched around the crater of an ancient volcano, each offering spectacular views of two pristine lakes.
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Anyone wanting to experience both the hubbub of the Italian capital and a more relaxed pace of life will love it. The train fare into Rome is just €4.
The Eternal City has long been on my bucket list and I was keen to tick off sights including the Sistine Chapel, Colosseum and Spanish Steps.
But having discovered Castelli Romani, a day in the city will soon have you longing to be back in the sticks — and while a hotel in Rome does not come cheap, you get so much more for your buck at the Park Hotel Villa Grazioli in Grottaferrata.
Flying into Rome Fiumicino Airport, it’s just a short transfer to the hotel, which sits in stunning hillside gardens with a majestic view of Rome.
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The grand, 16th century villa, built for a cardinal, is rich in historic detail and its 62 rooms start from around £100 per night in November.
It also provides a free shuttle service to Frascati train station for easy access to Rome.
The nearby medieval village of Rocca di Papa, its colourful houses tumbling down a steep cliffside in a maze of narrow streets, is a great starting point for those who want to explore the winding hillside trails.
The fit and fearless can hike to the top of Monte Cavo and be rewarded with not just more views of Rome but of the sparkling Mediterranean
These pass through forests of chestnut trees and afford stunning views of Lakes Albano and Nemi, where volcanic soil renders the water an intense azure blue.
The fit and fearless can hike to the top of Monte Cavo and be rewarded with not just more views of Rome, but of the sparkling Mediterranean.
In the town of Ariccia, we dine in one of the region’s traditional fraschetta restaurants. These casual, rustic affairs are often found in converted wine cellars.
At Osteria N.1, we feast on local speciality porchetta — a juicy, slow-roasted pork roast — apple slices, olives and ricotta drizzled with honey.
Pasta-making class
Also worth a wander is the town of Nemi, overlooking the same-named lake.
Cafes and restaurants line cobbled streets where you can eat and drink while taking in, yes, more fabulous views.
Heading farther south, to the Tenimenti Leone vineyard, we got to sample some of the region’s wonderful wines.
The beauty of the 178-acre site is matched only by the quality of the bottles of red and white it produces.
Rome is beautiful — about that there is no doubt — but it is wonderful to be able to dip in and out and appreciate it from afar as well as up close
Meanwhile, in Rome, we enjoyed a pasta making class at a cookery school in the city’s beautiful Trastevere neighbourhood.
For €59, you can make traditional Italian fettuccine and ravioli from scratch, while enjoying a glass or two of prosecco and aperitivo snacks.
We then joined a City Experiences tour of the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums.
These sites are crowded at all times of year, but the tour offered a very welcome, skip-the-line, small-group experience with expert guide.
However, you are still going to have to deal with the inevitable hordes of tourists, and it was a little difficult to appreciate the sheer mastery of Michelangelo’s ceiling in the Sistine Chapel while constantly rubbing shoulders with fellow visitors.
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Rome is beautiful — of that there is no doubt — but it is wonderful to be able to dip in and out and appreciate it from afar as well as up close.
If you want to experience the real Italy, Castelli Romani is the best of all worlds.
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