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| | Several of the towns of the Castelli are connected with Termini station in Rome. There are two lines: one goes to Frascati while the other connects Rome with Marino, Castel Gandolfo and Albano. | | Several of the towns of the Castelli are connected with Termini station in Rome. There are two lines: one goes to Frascati while the other connects Rome with Marino, Castel Gandolfo and Albano. |
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| − | The Castelli is also conveniently reached from Ciampino airport (see [[Rome]]) now used by a number of the budget airlines like Ryanair [http://www.ryanair.com] and EasyJet [http://www.easyjet.co.uk]. However, you may have trouble finding a taxi willing to take you in the opposite direction to Rome. | + | The Castelli is also conveniently reached from Ciampino airport (see [[Rome]]) now used by a number of the budget airlines like Ryanair [http://www.ryanair.com]. However, you may have trouble finding a taxi willing to take you in the opposite direction to Rome. |
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| | The area is easily reached by car. Avoid Sundays between April and September as the area becomes crowded. Leave Rome on the Via Appia Nuova or the Via Tuscolana. If you take the Appia turn left at the end of the Ciampino Airport runway and follow the Via dei Laghi (Road of the Lakes). You will pass Marino on your left and eventually find Lake Albano on your right. Beware that several of the higher Castelli towns have narrow winding roads that are difficult to drive in for the inexperienced. | | The area is easily reached by car. Avoid Sundays between April and September as the area becomes crowded. Leave Rome on the Via Appia Nuova or the Via Tuscolana. If you take the Appia turn left at the end of the Ciampino Airport runway and follow the Via dei Laghi (Road of the Lakes). You will pass Marino on your left and eventually find Lake Albano on your right. Beware that several of the higher Castelli towns have narrow winding roads that are difficult to drive in for the inexperienced. |
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| | ==Get around== | | ==Get around== |
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| | * '''Nemi'''. Overlooks the lake of the same name. It is an important fruit growing area. The town is dominated by the Ruspoli Castle. At Via Diana 15, there is a small museum of the Roman Navy, which houses reconstructions of two ships of the Emperor Caligula, discovered at the lake in the 1930s and then unfortunately destroyed by fire [http://www.museumgrandtour.it/node/18?q=node/51]. | | * '''Nemi'''. Overlooks the lake of the same name. It is an important fruit growing area. The town is dominated by the Ruspoli Castle. At Via Diana 15, there is a small museum of the Roman Navy, which houses reconstructions of two ships of the Emperor Caligula, discovered at the lake in the 1930s and then unfortunately destroyed by fire [http://www.museumgrandtour.it/node/18?q=node/51]. |
| | * '''Rocca di Papa''' is an important equestrian center and also famous for its roast chestnuts. | | * '''Rocca di Papa''' is an important equestrian center and also famous for its roast chestnuts. |
| − | * '''Rocca Priora'''. At 768 meters, the highest town in the Castelli. | + | * '''[[Rocca Priora]]'''. At 768 meters, the highest town in the Castelli. |
| | * '''Tuscolo'''. Site of the ancient Roman city of Tusculum. Compared with the ruins of Rome little now remains but the setting on a ridge overlooking both the Castelli and Rome is spectacular [http://www.museumgrandtour.it/node/18?q=node/53]. Free admission. Guided tours in Italian at 10.00 on Sundays. | | * '''Tuscolo'''. Site of the ancient Roman city of Tusculum. Compared with the ruins of Rome little now remains but the setting on a ridge overlooking both the Castelli and Rome is spectacular [http://www.museumgrandtour.it/node/18?q=node/53]. Free admission. Guided tours in Italian at 10.00 on Sundays. |
| − | * '''Velletri''' is on the southern edge of the Castelli. Inhabited by the Romans from 500 B.C.it is the largest town in the region and allegedly home of the world's first pawnshop in the 15th Century. | + | [[Image:Tuscolo2.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The theatre at Tuscolo]] |
| | + | * '''[[Velletri]]''' is on the southern edge of the Castelli. Inhabited by the Romans from 500 B.C.it is the largest town in the region and allegedly home of the world's first pawnshop in the 15th Century. |
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The area of the Castelli is volcanic. The former crater is occupied by two lakes, Albano and Nemi. As the area’s altitude is higher than that of Rome the richer Romans used to frequent it for its fresher climate during summer. This tradition was followed by the Popes, who still have their summer residence at Castel Gandolfo.
The Castelli Romani have a number of small, but interesting, museums. They share a common web site at [1].
Several of the towns of the Castelli are connected with Termini station in Rome. There are two lines: one goes to Frascati while the other connects Rome with Marino, Castel Gandolfo and Albano.
The area is easily reached by car. Avoid Sundays between April and September as the area becomes crowded. Leave Rome on the Via Appia Nuova or the Via Tuscolana. If you take the Appia turn left at the end of the Ciampino Airport runway and follow the Via dei Laghi (Road of the Lakes). You will pass Marino on your left and eventually find Lake Albano on your right. Beware that several of the higher Castelli towns have narrow winding roads that are difficult to drive in for the inexperienced.
There are bus services, but your ability to see all of the Castelli area in one day will be rather limited.
No real need for predetermined itineraries. If you have a car and a good map (buy a map of Lazio, not of Italy, which won't have enough detail) you can plan your own. A quick driving tour around most of the major towns and other sights can be done in a day.
