The municipality of Bracciano is nestled in the Sabatini mountains on the shores of Lake Bracciano. The enchanting medieval town of Bracciano is criss-crossed by narrow streets and dominated by the famous 15th century Orsini Odescalchi Castle.
Castello Odescalchi di Bracciano
The Castle is pentagonal in shape and has three outer walls with five towers, one at each vertex of the outer fortification. The castle was built by Braccio da Montone and then passed to the Orsini family at the request of Pope Martin V (1418). At the end of the 17th century, following the decline of the Orsini family, the Duke of Bracciano and the castle were purchased by the Odescalchi family, who are the current owners.
It is said that a ghost hovers in the rooms of Bracciano Castle. In her beautiful Renaissance dress with a long train, the unfortunate Isabella de’ Medici was killed by her husband Paolo Giordano I Orsini for infidelity or political reasons. Her spirit seems never to have left Bracciano Castle.
La spiaggia del Lago di Bracciano
For nature lovers, a must-see is the Regional Natural Park of the Bracciano-Martignano lake complex. The lakes of Bracciano and Martignano lie at the bottom of a basin originated by the ancient extinct Sabatino volcano, in a landscape of wooded hills and sinuous shadows on the water. The light and constant rocking of sailing boats and canoes keeps company to birdwatchers, ready to spot coots, ducks, Turkish fistions, ‘pesciaiole’ and loons, but also rapacious birds like the brown kite, the owl and the hawk. Lakes Bracciano and Martignano and the entire Natural Park are ideal places for sailing, canoeing, hiking, trekking, horseback riding and sport fishing.
Bracciano’s culinary tradition is based on fish from the lake: roast whitefish, breaded tench fillets, fried pike fillets, baked pike and eel “alla cacciatora” or in wine.