Antico Ristorante Pagnanelli

Castelli Romani


A local landmark for more than a century, this colourful wisteria-clad restaurant oozes romance, particularly on warm summer nights when the views over Lago Albano melt the heart. The seasonally driven Italian food rises to the occasion too, especially when paired with outstanding wine from the terrific list – bottles are racked in an amazing cellar carved into tufa rock.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Castelli Romani attractions

1. Palazzo Apostolico

0.19 MILES

Dominating Castel Gandolfo's skyline, the 17th-century Palazzo Apostolico was the pope's traditional summer residence. However, since 2016 it has been…

2. Giardini di Villa Barberini

0.19 MILES

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…

3. Lago Albano

0.97 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…

4. Palazzo Chigi

2.29 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…

5. Abbazia Greca di San Nilo

2.68 MILES

Grottaferrata's fortified monastery, the last of the Byzantine-Greek abbeys that once dotted medieval Italy, was founded in 1004. The walls and…

6. Museo delle Navi Romane

3.34 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…

7. Nemi

3.88 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…

8. Villa Aldobrandini Gardens

4.12 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…