Roman Castles Private Tour

8 HOUR PRIVATE TOUR TO THE SURROUNDINGS OF ROME

Duration: 8 Hours

Wine tasting

Description

Just outside Rome, on the hills that surround the Eternal city, where, during the Renaissance, all the richest aristocratic families chose to build their luxurious summer residence! Come on board and enjoy this magnificent tour with us?

Activity details

PICK UP TIME Suggested 8:00 am to avoid big crowds at least in the first part of the morning (it is flexible and you can decide when).

CASTEL GANDOLFO After meeting with your English Speaking driver you will start your drive southwards, over to this first amazing little town which you will reach in about 60-minute drive. Within the town’s boundaries lies the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo which serves as a summer residence and vacation retreat for the pope, the leader of the Catholic Church. Although the palace is located within the borders of Castel Gandolfo, it has extraterritorial status as one of the properties of the Holy See and is not under Italian jurisdiction. You will stroll around the highest part of the village enjoying the amazing view of the volcanic lake of Albano. You will spend about 40 minutes in here.

NEMI Your driver-guide after picking you up again from Castel Gandolfo will drive you downhill along the shore of the lake of Albano aiming at Nemi, another amazing little town on top of a hill that overlooks the same lake. Nemi’s history goes back to the Ancient Romans but has a few late medieval to 18th-century churches, but its main architectural monument, dominating both town and landscape, is the Castello Ruspoli, the core of which dates to the 10th century. Nemi is famous for its wild strawberries, which are smaller and sweeter than commercially grown varieties. Nemi’s strawberries are grown on the sides of the volcanic crater, which creates a microclimate that retains the warmth of the sun and provides a windshield. Nemi conducts an annual festival of strawberries. We will spend in here over 1 hour walking through its little narrow roads, visiting its medieval churches, admiring the wonderful landscape over the lake and possibly trying out this town’s culinary delicatessen (salumi and cheese tasting for about 8 euro per person) for a little snack before lunch.

FRASCATI Done with Nemi we will reach Frascati, another charming town of the “Roman Hills”. We will reach Frascati at around 11.45 am. This town is renowned for its white wine, Frascati. It is also an important historical and artistic center. It is famous for its notable villas, which were built from the 16th century onwards by Popes, cardinals and Roman nobles as “status symbols” of Roman aristocracy. These country houses were designed for social activities rather than farming. The villas are substantially well preserved or have been carefully and authentically restored following damage during World War II. One of them is the Villa Aldobrandini where you can visit its gardens (free entrance) and/or its museum (Little entrance fee). We will spend in here about 30/40 minutes.

TIME FOR A BREAK Done with Frascati we will reach our wonderful Hosteria in about 10 minutes for our fantastic lunch. Wow! For 25 euro per person, you will try out all the fresh dishes prepared by Mr. Amedeo and, included in the cost, you will have a little wine tasting too (3/4 wines) produced in a nearby wine factory!

MONTE PORZIO CATONE After lunch if we want to walk it off, the best spot where to do it is indeed this picturesque town always located on the “Roman Hills”. We will spend about 1 hour in here. It rises above the remains of a Roman villa, the “Matidia’s Villa”, from the first century AD. The imposing construction is a rationalist style and was used for preserving the equipment of the National Observatory in Rome; subsequently, it became a structure to promote the astronomic and scientific studies. Currently, the observatory is endowed with the Astrolabe and other didactic resources for initiatives to schools, university, associative and private groups. Other sights include the church of St. Gregory the Great, erected in 1666 by Carlo Rainaldi for the Borghese family, and the remains of the ancient Tusculum. In Monte Porzio you will have the chance to access the Wine Museum: with about 3 euro per person, you can visit all the little wine stores that display all the ancient tools of the wine production.

Back to the hotel by 04.00 pm

PRICING:
Starting from 420€ 
Contact us for more info about pricing

The costs above are for 1 English Speaking driver and 1 vehicle for the duration of the tour.
They don’t include entrance tickets, any walking guide service, lunch, drinks nor likely gratuities.
Prices can vary according to the month and the availability.

CANCELLATION POLICY
RomePrivateExcursions offers a very flexible cancellation policy, in case of arrival problems due to COVID, we are willing to offer a 100% refund.