The Medieval villages around Lake Bracciano near Rome

A scenic drive across the villages of Lake Bracciano to discover its timeless beauties just 40 kilometers north of Rome

Country sightseeing tour - Scenic Drive - Central Italy - Latium

Itinerary: Bracciano, Vigna di Valle, Anguillara Sabazia, Trevignano Romano

This charming tour will take you all around Lake Bracciano (pic n°1) to discover the beauty, traditions, and art of the villages that lie on its shore. The lake is located in the heart of Parco Naturale Regionale di Bracciano-Martignano, in the region of Lazio, just about 40 kilometers north of Rome.

The city of Bracciano: you can enter its historic center and visit Saint Stephen's Church, the Fountain that is located in front of the eighteenth-century Town Hall, and the old hospital with Church of San Sebastiano. Among the other churches of the village, it is worth visiting Santa Maria Novella, which houses a small museum with interesting Etruscan and Roman collections. Do not miss a visit to Castello Orsini-Odescalchi (pic n°3), a jewel of military architecture, built in the fifteenth century and featuring a museum.

Then have a stop for a visit to the Italian Air Force Museum (pic n°4) in Vigna di Valle built near one of the oldest airports in Italy. Here, you can see more than 60 air crafts and a large collection of aeronautical engines, together with different kinds of memorabilia.

Just 8 kilometers west there is Anguillara Sabazia (pic n°2), an ancient Medieval village whose name comes from a Roman villa called "Angularia", built where the coast takes the shape of an angle. You will access the town crossing the ancient Porta Maggiore towards Piazza del Comune, and reach Corso Umberto I, the main street then get to Collegiate Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo. Here, you can visit Fontana delle Anguille (Fountain of the Eels, pic n°5) and the sixteenth-century Palazzo Baronale. Behind the building, there are the ramparts of a Medieval tower, which is home to the Museum of Rural Life and Popular Culture.

Then drive 17 kilometers north along the lake and get to Trevignano Romano. Once there, we recommend visiting Museo Civico Archeologico, which preserves interesting Etruscan finds. After a coffee in the central Piazza Vittorio Emanuele III, do not miss a visit to Rocca Orsini (pic n°6), built in 1200 and destroyed in 1496 by Giovanni, brother of Cesare Borgia. Also, Chiesa della Madonna Assunta in Cielo, built in 1500 on the foundations of an ancient Gothic-style religious building, is worth a visit.

Departure: Bracciano
Arrival: Trevignano Romano
Length:Km 25

Some pictures about Bracciano Lake and Surrounding:

Lake Bracciano (pic n°1); Anguillara Sabazia (pic n°2); Castello Orsini-Odescalchi (pic n°3); Italian Air Force Museum in Vigna di Valle (pic n°4); Fountain of the Eels (pic n°5); Rocca Orsini, Trevignano Romano (pic n°6)