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| flowers in Castel Gandolfo |
On the last day of their visit (10 days ago), I went with Massimo and his family to see some of the
Castelli Romani, villages in the Alban hills south of Rome: Nemi, Rocca di Papa, and Castel Gandolfo. Earlier that day, Massimo's brother had texted him at 5 a.m. with the news of a large earthquake near their home in Bologna, so that was on our minds the rest of the day.
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| Nemi |
Nemi, famous for its
fragole di bosco (wild strawberries), is a popular weekend spot often frequented by Romans.
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| wild strawberries, anyone? |
One of my favorite villages, I first encountered Nemi last year.You can read more about that visit by clicking here:
Nemi, 2011
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| cyclists on a Sunday ride through the Alban hills |
Next, we drove to Rocca di Papa, where Massimo had read there was a panoramic view worth visiting. We walked up steep winding streets barely wide enough for a Fiat Panda, asking people along the way how to find the "rocca." Everyone seemed surpised by the request, then pointed up. When we finally reached the top, there was a ruin of an old fortress, which seems to be frequented by local teenagers rather than tourists. The view? Not much to write home about. On the way back down, we happened upon a Roman history re-enactment in a local park.
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| A Roman couple with an ancient machine used to grind grain into flour | |
Last of all, we drove to Castel Gandolfo, another popular weekend spot. Like Nemi, it is situated by a lake, Lake Albano, and is the summer residence of the Pope. During his absence, the town is often empty.
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| Castel Gandolfo and Lake Albano |
There were few people in town that day, and we had a leisurely stroll down the well-tended
centro storico.
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| Erika and Sofia walking towards Lake Albano |
Once we got back to Zagarolo, it was time for my guests to leave, just as it started to rain. They had spent three full days visiting sites in Tivoli and Rome before our drive to the Alban hills, and were pretty wiped out from their excursions. They were also worried about the earthquake damage they might encounter back home. I enjoyed having them around, and I was happy to be able to reciprocate the hospitality they showed me when we spent time together in
Bologna and
Vinci several years ago. Ciao, amici!
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| Erika, Massimo, and Sofia |
Nemi
In antiquity the grove around the lake was the site of one of the most famous of Roman cults and temples, that of Diana Nemorensis, also known as "Diana of the Wood." Some poets referred to Lake Nemi as “Diana's Mirror.”
Nemi is famous for its wild strawberries, which are smaller and sweeter than commercially grown varieties. Nemi's strawberries are grown on the sides of the volcanic crater, which creates a microclimate that retains the warmth of the sun and provides a wind shield.
We ate a delicious lunch at one of Deborah's favorite trattorias, and the food was incredibly satisfying. Too full for dessert, we bought a few tarts made with Nemi's wild strawberries and they were elegantly packaged for us to take home.
They were so exquisite, we savored every bite, and I wish we had bought more than one apiece. Now I have a good reason to go back to Nemi.
