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The Castelli Romani (“Roman Castles”) |
Four hours tour of the main towns on the Hill around Albano a few kilometres from Rome. We will enjoy the art, culture, and tradition of the Castelli Romani (Roman Castels), so called by the name of the huge villas and palaces of the rich families that lived here since the Middle Ages. First we will see Castelgandolfo, where the villa of the Emperor Domitian was located in the 1st century a.D., and where since the 17th century is the summer residence of the Pope. Thru its wonderful historical center, the Collegiata of Saint Thomas from Villanova of Bernini, the town offers amazing landscapes over the lake of Albano and its surrounding bush. We will then see the town of Nemi, the smallest of all, linked in the remote archaic roman period to the cult of the goddess Diana which also hosted some luxury mansions since the time of Julius Caesar up to Caligula. The lake of Nemi is also linked to the finding of two ancient roman ships, which were built at the time of the emperor Caligula (37-41 a. D). which were some sort of “navigating palaces” , and which will be later sunk in the lake after the death of the emperor. Maybe they were also used to simulate naval battles. Last stop on the way back to Rome in the town of Ariccia and its famous Collegiata of Saint Maria Assunta and the Palace of the Chigi family, both designed by Bernini. |