Castelli Romani Day Trip from Rome: Frascati, Wine, Lakes and Hill Towns

The Castelli Romani are the hill towns of the Alban Hills, south-east of Rome. Frascati is 30 minutes from Roma Termini by regional train, for €2.10 one way. In one day you can taste Frascati wine, look down on Lake Albano from Castel Gandolfo and eat porchetta in Ariccia. To link several towns, a car or a driver helps.

Cover photo: Deblu68, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

For centuries, Romans have gone up to the Castelli Romani, the “Roman castles”, for wine, simple food and the views over two crater lakes. The name goes back to the 14th century, when many Romans took refuge in the castles of noble families such as the Colonna, the Orsini and the Savelli. We are a tour operator based in Rome and we run a wine tour in these hills, so this guide puts together the official information and our practical advice: how to get there, which towns to choose, which wines to taste, and when the train on your own is the better choice.

Where are the Castelli Romani?

The towns stand on the Alban Hills (Colli Albani), the remains of a large ancient volcano south-east of Rome. The Castelli Romani Regional Park covers about 15,000 hectares around the old volcano and includes 16 municipalities, among them Frascati, Grottaferrata, Marino, Castel Gandolfo, Albano, Ariccia, Nemi and Rocca di Papa. Lake Albano and Lake Nemi fill the bottom of volcanic craters, and the vineyards grow on volcanic soil.

The area has been tied to Rome since ancient times. The Appian Way, the Roman road that starts at the walls of Rome, ran through Albano, and Ariccia was its first stop after the city. If you like Roman roads, read our guide to the Appian Way before you go.

How do you get from Rome to Frascati by train?

Regional trains on the FL4 line leave from Roma Termini. When we checked Trenitalia’s booking site for early November 2026, the direct train to Frascati took 30 minutes and a one-way ticket cost €2.10. On weekdays there was about one train an hour; on Sundays, about one every two hours.

The FL4 has three branches: one ends in Frascati, one runs to Albano Laziale, with stops at Marino and Castel Gandolfo, and one runs to Velletri. Frascati and Castel Gandolfo are on different branches, so between them you have to change trains, and in our check the trip took from 48 minutes to 1.5 hours.

Plan your return before you set off. On the days we checked, the last direct train from Frascati to Roma Termini left at 22:36 on a weekday, 21:36 on Saturday and 20:36 on Sunday. Timetables change during the year, so check your date on trenitalia.com.

Which Castelli Romani towns should you visit?

You cannot see them all in one day, and you don’t need to. Choose two or three towns, or one town and a lake. Here is a quick overview; the time to allow is our own estimate.

Frascati is the closest and the easiest by train. The hills around it are dotted with villas built mostly in the 16th and 17th centuries; the best known is Villa Aldobrandini, which looks down on the town. Frascati is also the name of the area’s best-known wine.

Grottaferrata grew around the Abbey of San Nilo, founded in 1004. Inside the church, look for the Pentecost mosaic on the triumphal arch, the 13th-century frescoes attributed to the Roman school of Pietro Cavallini and a Byzantine icon of the Virgin Mary.

Marino is known for its white wine and for the Sagra dell’Uva, the grape festival held every year on the first Sunday of October, when the Fontana dei Mori runs with wine.

Castel Gandolfo sits on the rim of the crater above Lake Albano. Its Papal Palace, on the main square, was designed by Carlo Maderno and completed by Bernini, who also designed the square’s fountain and the church of San Tommaso da Villanova.

Albano takes its name from the ancient city of Alba Longa. Emperor Septimius Severus built a fortified camp here, and you can still see its gate, Porta Pretoria, as well as the amphitheater and the Cisternone, a huge Roman cistern.

Ariccia is famous for its porchetta and for Bernini, who worked on both the church of Santa Maria Assunta and Palazzo Chigi. Palazzo Chigi was also used for the interiors of Luchino Visconti’s film The Leopard.

Nemi looks down on its small lake, nicknamed “Diana’s mirror” after the goddess of hunting, and is known for its strawberries. Rocca di Papa climbs the slopes of Monte Cavo, one of the highest points in the park; an ancient road, the Via Sacra, leads to the summit, with views over the lakes of Nemi and Albano.

What wine is Frascati known for?

Frascati is a white wine, made mostly from Malvasia grapes. Under the official production rules, at least 70% of the grapes must be Malvasia bianca di Candia and/or Malvasia del Lazio, and the rest can be Bellone, Bombino bianco, Greco bianco and Trebbiano. The grapes come from a small area: the whole territory of Frascati, Grottaferrata and Monte Porzio Catone, and parts of Rome and Monte Compatri.

There are three Frascati names, each with its own rules:

DOCG is Italy’s top wine category, a step above DOC. If you see Cannellino on a menu, it is the sweet one, so it goes well with dessert. Marino and the wider Castelli Romani area have their own DOC wines too.

On our tour, wine is served only to guests aged 18 and over. If you plan to taste, leave the car keys to someone else.

What are the fraschette, and what should you eat?

The region’s tourism website sums up the Castelli Romani as the place for “a wholesome feast” at one of the famous fraschette. These are simple local taverns, and the classic order is porchetta with a glass of local wine.

Porchetta di Ariccia has been a protected product (PGI, IGP in Italian) in the European Union since 2011, and it must be made in Ariccia. The pork, from female pigs, is boned by hand, salted, seasoned with black pepper, rosemary and garlic, tied by hand and roasted, so the crust on top turns brown and crisp. Ariccia celebrates it with a festival on the first Sunday of September.

Other local specialties to look for are ciambelle al mosto, ring-shaped biscuits made with grape must, and, in season, the strawberries of Nemi.

Can you see Lake Albano, Castel Gandolfo and Nemi in one day?

By car, yes. By train, you can reach Castel Gandolfo for Lake Albano, but not Nemi, which is not on the railway.

The Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo and its Secret Garden are run as a museum by the Vatican Museums. A full ticket costs €12. The reduced ticket costs €6 for ages 7 to 18 and for students up to 25, and children under 7 enter free. Opening days and hours change during the year, and the palace closes for whole months at times, so check the official calendar before you go.

The Museum of the Roman Ships in Nemi was built between 1933 and 1939 to hold two huge ships of Emperor Caligula (37–41 AD), recovered from the lake between 1929 and 1931. A fire destroyed the ships in 1944. Today you see models of the ships at 1:5 scale, a reconstruction of a roof with bronze tiles, anchors and other equipment from on board. The visit takes about an hour.

• Open Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00–19:00, last entry 18:00; closed on Mondays, 1 January and 25 December.
• Tickets cost €3, or €2 reduced. Entry is free on the first Sunday of the month, 25 April, 2 June and 4 November.
• When we checked on November 4, 2026, the museum announced an extraordinary closure until 31 March 2027 (you can still see the lake and the village), so check the official page before you go.

Should you take the train or a tour?

It depends on how many towns you want and how many you are. Here is an honest comparison for two people:

The train on your own is the better choice if you want just one town, such as Frascati for lunch or Castel Gandolfo for the lake and the palace: it is cheap and easy.

A tour makes sense if you want several towns in a few hours, including places the train doesn’t reach, such as Grottaferrata, and you want to taste wine without worrying about driving.

See the Castelli Romani with us

On our Castelli Romani wine tour by vintage Fiat 500, you ride for 3 hours in a restored original Fiat 500 converted to electric, with an English-speaking driver at the wheel. The driver meets you at Frascati train station at 10:00, 14:30 or 18:30. The route usually includes Frascati and its views over Rome, Grottaferrata and the Abbey of San Nilo, the shores of Lake Albano and Castel Gandolfo, and Marino, with local food and wine tastings in each town and a final surprise stop on the way back. The route can be adapted to your wishes, and on request it can follow a local festival, depending on the time of year.

• Price: €600 for 1–2 people and €650 for 3, the maximum per booking. Only your group takes part. For a larger group, write to us.
• Getting there: take the train from Roma Termini, or add a round-trip transfer from Rome for €190 when you book. With the 18:30 tour on a Sunday, take the transfer: the last direct train back leaves Frascati before the tour ends.
• Good to know: sights are seen from the outside, and entrance tickets are not included. Drivers are not licensed tour guides, but they gladly help with your requests. We confirm each booking after checking availability.
• Children: welcome from age 3, with a parent. There are no child seats, and some cars have no seat belts, because they were built before seat belts were required.
• Rain: in rain or wet weather, the tour runs in golf carts with rain covers; if no golf cart is available, we offer you another date or time.
• Cancellation: full refund up to 72 hours before the tour, 50% up to 48 hours before, no refund after that.

Back in Rome, you can raise a glass on our Fiat 500 tour with aperitivo, a 3-hour evening ride from your hotel in the historic center with a stop for a cocktail or a glass of wine. See all our vintage Fiat 500 tours in Rome and our golf cart tours in Rome. For another easy trip out of the city, our private day trip to Tivoli visits Villa d’Este and Hadrian’s Villa, and Ostia Antica is about an hour’s drive away.

Explore it with us

Castelli Romani Fiat 500 Wine Tour3 hours from Frascati station, with food and wine tastings in each town · from €600 for 1–2 peopleBook nowFiat 500 Tour of Rome with Aperitivo3-hour evening ride with a cocktail or a glass of wine · from €650 for 1–3 peopleBook nowTivoli Day Trip from RomePrivate driver to Villa d’Este and Hadrian’s Villa, 6 or 8 hours · from €440 for 1–3 peopleBook now

FAQ

How do you get from Rome to the Castelli Romani?

Take an FL4 regional train from Roma Termini. Frascati is 30 minutes away, and Marino, Castel Gandolfo and Albano are 35 to 54 minutes away on another branch of the line; each one-way ticket costs €2.10. Grottaferrata, Ariccia, Nemi and Rocca di Papa are not on the railway, so you need a car, a taxi or a tour.

Is Frascati worth a day trip from Rome?

Yes, especially if you like wine and quiet towns. It is only 30 minutes from Termini by train, with villas, wine bars and views over Rome, and half a day is enough. To see more, combine it with Castel Gandolfo, but remember that you have to change trains between the two.

What wine is Frascati known for?

Frascati is a white wine made mostly from Malvasia grapes. There are three official names: Frascati DOC (dry, off-dry or sparkling), Frascati Superiore DOCG (dry, with a Riserva version) and Cannellino di Frascati DOCG, which is sweet.

Can you visit the Pope’s palace at Castel Gandolfo?

Yes. The Papal Palace and its Secret Garden are run as a museum by the Vatican Museums, with a €12 full ticket and a €6 reduced ticket. Opening days change during the year, so check the official calendar on the Vatican Museums website first.

What is porchetta di Ariccia?

It is pork, boned by hand, seasoned with black pepper, rosemary and garlic, tied by hand and roasted until the crust is brown and crisp. It has been a protected product (PGI) in the European Union since 2011, it must be made in Ariccia, and you can eat it in the local fraschette with a glass of wine.

Can you visit the Castelli Romani without a car?

Yes, if you choose the towns on the railway: Frascati, Marino, Castel Gandolfo and Albano. For several towns in a few hours, including Grottaferrata, our private wine tour starts at Frascati station and takes up to 3 people. For Nemi, Ariccia and Rocca di Papa, a car or a taxi is easier.