15–20 minutes
Sermoneta, Cori and the hill towns of the Lepini
Around the villa the towns sit on hilltops, as they have for centuries. Stone alleys, castles, Roman temples and trattorias that serve whatever there is. These are our favourite evenings.
- Sermoneta
- 15 minutes, the castle and the old town
- Cori
- 15 minutes, the temple of Hercules
- Norma
- 20 minutes, the balcony over the plain
- Castelli Romani
- 20–30 minutes, Nemi and Castel Gandolfo
Sermoneta
The best-preserved medieval town in the area: the Caetani Castle, the cathedral, the merchants' loggia and a view reaching the sea. Go around six, wander, and have dinner in one of the trattorias below the walls.
Cori and Norma
Cori has a Roman temple of Hercules still standing and 2,500-year-old cyclopean walls; the oil and wine are the village's own. Norma hangs over the Pontine plain: from its terrace you see Ninfa from above, and at sunset it's a show.
The Castelli Romani
Nemi, famous for wild strawberries, overlooks a small green volcanic lake. Castel Gandolfo, on Lake Albano, is the Popes' summer residence, with gardens you can visit. Ariccia is the home of porchetta: its fraschette are the Roman osteria as it should be.
