Castelli Romani
For centuries a closed world, the papal gardens at Castel Gandolfo can now be visited, albeit accompanied and in groups. The regular one-hour tour involves a mini-train ride through the extensive gardens, taking in Roman ruins, flower displays, woods, fruit-and-veg patches and the papal helipad.
To explore on foot, there are scheduled Saturday morning visits when you're free to walk around accompanied by Vatican staff – see the website for details of this and other visitor packages.
14.92 MILES
Founded by Pope Julius II in the early 16th century and enlarged by successive pontiffs, the Vatican Museums boast one of the world's greatest art…
14.72 MILES
In the city of outstanding churches, none can hold a candle to St Peter's, Italy’s largest, richest and most spectacular basilica. Built atop a 4th…
13.07 MILES
An impressive – if rather confusing – sprawl of ruins, the Roman Forum was ancient Rome's showpiece center, a grandiose district of temples...
12.88 MILES
Sandwiched between the Roman Forum and the Circo Massimo, the Palatino (Palatine Hill) is one of Rome's most spectacular sights. It's a beautiful,…
12.81 MILES
Everyone wants to see the Colosseum, and it doesn’t disappoint, especially if accompanied by tales of armored gladiators and hungry lions. More than any…
13.27 MILES
Dating from 1471, the Capitoline Museums are the world's oldest public museums, with a fine collection of classical sculpture.
13.76 MILES
With its revolutionary design, this awe-inspiring temple has served as an architectural blueprint for millennia.
13.89 MILES
With its showy fountains, baroque palazzi and colorful cast of street artists, hawkers and tourists, Piazza Navona is central Rome’s elegant showcase…
0.04 MILES
Dominating Castel Gandolfo's skyline, the 17th-century Palazzo Apostolico was the pope's traditional summer residence. However, since 2016 it has been…
0.93 MILES
The larger and more developed of the Castelli's two volcanic lakes – the other is Lago di Nemi – Lago Albano is set in a steeply banked wooded crater. It…
2.11 MILES
Lording it over the small town of Ariccia, this 17th-century palazzo was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini for the Chigi family. Its interior, used by…
2.85 MILES
Grottaferrata's fortified monastery, the last of the Byzantine-Greek abbeys that once dotted medieval Italy, was founded in 1004. The walls and…
3.2 MILES
This museum on the shores of Lago di Nemi was built by Mussolini to house two Roman boats salvaged from the lake in 1932. These dated from Caligula’s time…
3.76 MILES
The small town of Nemi is perched high above Lago di Nemi, the smaller of the two volcanic lakes in the Castelli Romani. This area was the centre of a…
4.28 MILES
Looming over Frascati's main square, Villa Aldobrandini is a haughty 16th-century villa designed by Giacomo della Porta and built by Carlo Maderno. It's…
4.38 MILES
The former stables of Villa Aldobrandini, restored by architect Massimiliano Fuksas, house Frascati's single museum of note, the Museo Tuscolano…