When I first moved to the Castelli Romani, my husband Ettore and I would go on day trips to more remote areas of Lazio almost every weekend. There are so many interesting ancient and medieval towns, mountains with virtually empty trails, lagoons with flamingos, local ski resorts, and of course, some of the most incredible food and wine culture I have ever experienced. While there is no problem with wanting to have a dream holiday in Tuscany, I was often perplexed why the medieval towns of Lazio were so unknown, even to Romans.
A lot of the issue comes down to financial investment. Tuscany, Umbria, and now Puglia have significantly benefited from foreign investments that have been a boon to the tourism industry and to people working in construction and infrastructure. Lazio has not had the same kind of funding mostly because Rome is the region’s capital; the brilliant, monumental, eternal city sucks the life out of the provinces in Lazio. First it was the work force and a mass migration of laborers who left smaller country towns for opportunity in the city post WWII. And now this happens in a different way.
People come to Rome for monuments and sometimes food, but they don’t stay long enough to explore areas outside that are often a short 35 to 45-minute drive from the city center. Instead, they opt for places that have better PR. Many look for day trips to Tuscany to visit wineries when we have incredible, award winning wine here in the Roman countryside. If your interests are wider beyond wine, here you can also visit hilltop medieval towns. Lazio is full of them.
The Medieval towns of Lazio: places to visit
Just forty-five minutes southeast of Rome, there is a small cluster of towns in an area between the Prenestini Mountains, the Giovenzano Valley, and the Sacco Valley. It’s a beautiful part of the Lazio region that has activities for nearly everyone. From e-bikes and horseback riding, visiting caves, incredible trekking opportunities, and a tour through medieval history, along with stops for incredible food and wine.
Where to go and what to do
Olevano Romano is a gorgeous hilltop town that predates Rome. The town gives its name to the more well known wine, Olevano Romano DOC. The town has a very dramatic impact upon arrival, as it is at the summit of a hill, and seems to spiral upward, like the tower of Babel. This is because there are so many nooks and crannies from ancient to medieval to the 20th century. It is also Italy’s largest pedestrian-only town, which makes it safe and delightful for an afternoon stroll.
Cave is another medieval town in the area with a lively population and a delicious chestnut festival
every autumn. It’s a great town for a stroll for those interested in the Liberty style of architecture in
Italy from the end of the 19th century. The villas have yet to slip into decay as in other parts of
Italy. The cavesi citizens take pride in this more modern history, and the buildings are well-kept and showcase a remarkable and productive time in the area. Enjoy one of the delicious chestnut-based pastries from one of the family-owned bakeries along the way. For those interested in the art of the presepe (crèche nativity scene), Cave is home to the largest in Europe, by Lorenzo Ferri.
In Genazzano one of the highlights is a guided visit to the Castello Colonna, a Renaissance palace built by Pope Martin V of the Colonna family, one of the most important families from Rome for hundreds of years. The castle is a perfect example of balance and equilibrium, and definitely worth a visit. Genazzano also hosts an annual infiorata flower tapestry festival.
Subiaco is most well known for the Benedictine monastery Abbazia Santa Scolastica which was founded in the sixth century by St. Benedict of Nursia and which is set in the caves where the saint made his first hermitage. It seems to cling to the cliffside. The Abbey is carved into the rock of the original grotto which has stunning frescoes from the medieval period as well as the oldest known portrait of St. Francis, who had a retreat at the abbey in 1224. As with all Benedictine monasteries, there is a pharmacy onsite selling various herbal remedies, balms, soaps, beeswax candles, chocolates and sometimes beer and wine. Definitely worth a visit.
Food and Wine
If you’re a Casa Mia follower or client, chances are you’re here for the tastier side of Italy. Olevano Romano and the other medieval towns of Lazio will not disappoint in that department. The area is home to Rome’s queen of red wine, Cesanese. This is a red grape variety that grows exclusively in Lazio and, more specifically, in a small area southeast of Rome in the Castelli Romani, Olevano Romano, and Piglio. In 2008, Lazio obtained its first DOCG appellation wine, Cesanese del Piglio.
Cesanese is a noble grape variety that produces full-bodied wine with medium tannins and excellent freshness with aromas of cranberry, plums, and cherries. These wines are an excellent choice to pair with some of Rome’s heavier offal-based dishes, but locally they shine when paired with freshly foraged porcini mushrooms and truffles, as well as local aged pecorino and in the autumn, and anything with chestnuts.
In addition, these towns are a treasure trove of restaurants serving some of the best locally sourced dishes in Italy. In fact, Olevano Romano is home to one of Italy’s best trattorias, which has won many awards, Sora Maria e Arcangelo with chef Giovanni Milana at the helm. He takes what has always been simple, humble Lazio country dishes and elevates them with skill and precision by focusing on sourcing ingredients from the best producers. It is a wonderful place to taste local wines, like Cesanese, made by producers like Cantina Riccardi Reale, Damiano Ciolli and Marco Antonelli.
