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Bracciano: Rome’s great lake escape
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Ernest Hemingway made Lake Maggiore famous and George Clooney’s mansion polished up Lake Como’s already shiny image. Napoleon Bonaparte, a Frenchman who knew luxury, used Lake Garda as a base to crush the Austrians. Yes, Italy’s lakes are nearly as famous as its ancient monuments but not all of those crystal-clear watery wonderlands are in Northern Italy.
Just 20 miles (30 kilometers) northwest of Rome is Lake Bracciano, one of the prettiest and underrated lakes in the country. It doesn’t have the international cache of its northern brethren but in 20 miles you feel a million miles from Rome.
The lake’s big plus is the town of Bracciano is worth the visit without even getting wet. Hovering over the lake is one of the best-preserved castles in Europe. Hang out in sun-splashed piazzas and the narrow windy streets of the old town and you’ll see why the famed Orsini and Odesalchi families used the castle to defend the town so fiercely.
Things to do
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1 • Castello Orsini-Odescalchi. The Orsinis were one of the most powerful families during the Italian Renaissance with influence stretching across half of Europe. They chose Bracciano to build their castle in 1470. It could be a model for every movie that needed a castle. On a visit last week, three of us walked through a classic arched entryway and passed a statue of the Orsini she-bear family symbol (“Orso” means “bear” in Italian.) up to a huge courtyard. In various rooms are a well-preserved ancient kitchen, bedrooms with four-poster beds and fireplaces and a huge armaments room featuring three-meter-long swords and coats of armor they used to defend the castle. There’s a library with a series of volumes on the Roman Empire. Climbing outside to the top turret next to the clock tower, we had spectacular views of the lake on one side with the Lazio countryside on the other. This trip will make you feel like royalty.
Info: Via Giulio Volpi 12, 39-06-9980-2379,
https://odescalchi.it/, museo@odescalchi.it, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, €10 includes audio guide.
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2 • Old town: The castle is smack dab in the middle of town so it’s an easy jaunt down the castle’s steps into the narrow windy cobblestone roads. This town of 19,000 is not a suburb. It has its own identity. Sit outside and have a caffe or Prosecco at the charming La Bottega del Caffe. It’s only five years old but has an Old Italy feel that makes it seem as old as the 200-year-old building it’s in. We took 14 steps down to the huge Piazza IV Novembre where the city’s government building stood. Locals sat in 60-degree sunshine next to two big trees with a big fountain anchoring it all. Poke your head in all the little family run shops selling local goods like the hazelnuts called nocciola romana and garum, fermented fish sauce dating back to the Roman Empire.
3 • Italian Air Force Museum: Yes, Italy has quite an extensive Air Force history. This museum covers 13,000 square meters located near the southern end of the lake. It’s separated chronologically into four hangars: From the start of aviation to World War I including the first plane used in the Italian Air Force, between the two World Wars including objects from Umberto Nobile’s polar expeditions, from World War II to the post-war period including planes supplied to the Allied Forces and the modern period, including the Fiat G.091R. Who knew Fiat made planes? Unfortunately, in October the museum closed for renovations and will reopen sometime this year.
Info: Via Circumlacuale, Vigna di Valle,
https://www.aeronautica.difesa.it/home/storia-e-tradizione/museo-storico/.
Lake Bracciano
Rome is too hot in the summer? You’re right.
Take a bus from Rome to Bracciano. There is a small sandy beach where you can sun yourself and cool off in a volcanic lake that is 77 degrees (25 centigrade) in July. Don’t try it now. It’s 14 and 57, respectively.
The eighth largest lake in Italy is 20 miles (32 kilometers) around and originated during tectonic activity 40,000-600,000 years ago. It supplies the drinking water to Rome, which is only one reason motorboats aren’t allowed.
The biggest reason is you can stroll along the lake surrounded by the Sabatini Mountains and the quiet solitude is mesmerizing. In fact, many members of the Ancient Roman aristocracy had villas here although a flood in the 1st century A.D. destroyed many of them. Today from April to September you can take a boat that goes from Bracciano to the neighboring towns of Anguillara and Trevignano.
Where is it:
20 miles (30 kilometers) northwest of Rome.
How to get there: Trains leave every 30 minutes from Rome’s Termini station. The 1-hour, 45-minute trip is € 3.60. Two buses daily (except Sunday) leave Rome’s Cipro Metro station. The 45-minute trip is € 2-4. Both stops are in the middle of town. The lake is less than a mile (1.3 kilometers) downhill from the stops and a town bus can take you there.
Where to eat:
Il Pescatore dal 1957, Via Lungolago Argenti, 14, 39-06-998-06013, 39-320-022-2555, 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Casual restaurant hanging over edge of lake with seafood pasta dishes from €12-18 and fresh seafood dishes from €10-22.
For more information:
Tourist office, Piazza IV Novembre 6, 39-06-998-161, https://renatoprosciutto.com/bracciano-city-guide/, urp@comune.bracciano.rm.it, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday-Sunday until April 30; 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 4-6:30 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, May 1-Aug. 31; 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 1-March 31.
Castello Orsini-Odescalchi.
The Orsinis were one of the most powerful families during the Italian Renaissance with influence stretching across half of Europe. They chose Bracciano to buildtheir castle in 1470. It could be a model for every movie that needed a castle and the dream site for the ultimate romantic wedding. It was good enough for Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes to marry there in 2006. On a visit Thursday, three of us walked through a classic arched entryway and passed a statue of the Orsini she-bear family symbol (“Orso” means “bear” in Italian.) up to a huge courtyard. In various rooms are a well-preserved ancient kitchen, bedrooms with four-poster beds and fireplaces and a huge armaments room featuring three-meter-long swords and coats of armor they used to defend the castle. There’s a library with a series of volumes on the Roman Empire. Climbing outside to the top turret next to the clock tower, we had spectacular views of the lake on one side with the Lazio countryside on the other. Thistrip will make youfeel like royalty.