A route between the towns of Lanuvio, Genzano, Ariccia, Frascati and Castel Gandolfo

Villages, ancient towns, villas, medieval castles, archaeological ruins animate the Regional Park of the Castelli Romani, in the province of Roma. Placed on the Alban Hills, in the past this was the favorite resort of the noble families of the capital and of the popes. 9500 hectares of protected land, where live many animal species, such as badgers, martens, peregrine falcons, porcupines, and especially the wolf, which plays a key role in this ecosystem. There are 16 municipalities that are part of the Park of the Castelli Romani, however, to have an exhaustive panorama of the area you can organize a tour in six of them. You can start from Lanuvio, a medieval village that is located near Velletri.

The center of this village is enclosed by walls in peperino, through which, you will enter into an ancient atmosphere, thanks to the perfect state of preservation of houses, palaces and churches. Walking through the streets and alleys, you will reach the fourteenth-century fortress, with two striking cylindrical overlapping towers, in the past was a jail, now is the municipal wine shop. Here you can taste the fine Doc wines of the Lanugini hills and you can admire the interesting exhibition of instruments used for agriculture and wine-making. 
You can not miss the Baronial Mansion of the fifteenth century, built by the Colonna family and the nearby fountain of the Scogli, designed by Carlo Fontana in 1675, the medieval  collegiate church of Santa Maria Maggiore, restored in the seventeenth century, Loreto bridge, built in peperino, dated around the second century BC, and the Church of Madonna delle Grazie, dating back to the sixteenth century that retains the painting that each year is carried in procession as a sign of devotion.
Roses lovers can not miss the fair-market, “Lanuvio in Pink”, on May the 1,  where you can see over one hundred varieties of old, modern, and English roses.

From Lanuvio, along a scenic road you get in Genzano di Roma, a picturesque town placed along the Via Appia, on an outer slope of the crater lake of Nemi.
The historic center is rich in history and art, including the eighteenth-century Palazzo Sforza Cesarini surrounded by an huge park, the Capuchin church of the seventeenth century and the church of the Holy Trinity. The three main streets, called “the trident of Bacchus”, start from Piazza Fiasconi: the first is via Garibaldi, which leads to the route of Lake Nemi, the others are via Buozzi and via Berardi, through which you reach the church of Santa Maria della Cima. Via Berardi, in occasion of the feast of Corpus Domini, is completely covered by an artistic flower carpet of about 2000 m², becomes the protagonist of the ancient and famous event of Infiorata.
Through the Via Appia you reach Ariccia, artistic treasure of the Castelli Romani.

Here you can visit one of the finest architectural examples of European Baroque, by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Carlo Fontana: The monumental complex of Piazza di Corte. The complex includes: the Chigi Palace, with its rich halls and stucco decorations, precious antiques, as well as the ornaments of the walls made by original leather of Cordova, the large park surrounding it, and the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunta, inspired by the Pantheon in Rome.
Two other religious complexes worth a visit: the Sanctuary of Santa Maria di Galloro and the deconsecrated church of San Nicola in Bari. For food lovers we remind that this country is famous for its “fraschette” where you can taste the delicious Ariccia pork.
After crossing the famous bridge of Ariccia, a monumental viaduct sixty metres high and built by Pope Pius IX, and continuing for two kilometers you will arrive in Albano Laziale.

Picturesque village that lies on the volcanic Alban Hills and on the shores of Lake Albano, famous, thanks to the majestic Cathedral of St. Pancras in the Baroque style, and to the many finds of Roman times: the Romanesque church of Santa Maria of circular shape, the door Pretoria, with three openings in lava stone, the Cisternone, underground storage built by Septimius Severus and still used for water supply of the city, the Roman amphitheater, the tomb of the Horatii and Curiatii, a majestic building of parallelepiped shape built in tuff, known as the tomb of the legendary heroes.
The catacombs of St. Senatore and the Civic Museum are worth a visit. The Catacombs date back to the third century and represent the largest suburban cemeteries. In the Civic Museum, housed in the luxurious villa Ferrajoli, are collected valuable finds that date back to prehistory and protohistory.

Another stop of the tour of Park of the Castelli Romani is Castel Gandolfo. This village overlooking Lake Albano is the holiday destination of popes, cardinals and prelates of the Roman Curia, who stayed in the former residence of the Savelli, transformed by Urban VII in 1623 into a Papal palace. In the Residence Savelli there is the most important astronomical observatory, known as “the Vatican observatory.”