Checkered tablecloths, baskets full of goodies, beer and honest wine, we are ready for the long-awaited picnic! Whether on the grass, by the sea or a lake, or in a city park, an open-air summer weekend is a must. Here are some unmissable destinations in Lazio.
The Lake of Villa Ada
Villa Ada in Rome is a precious urban green lung dedicated to Ada Hungerford, Count Telfner’s wife, who bought it from the Savoia in 1878. In the 50’s, the Villa became a public park, a heavenly expanse, where you can listen to the sound of bongos and guitar, while watching wine bottles head balance challenges or having snacks. Along the lake shore, you will come across brave runners, training in view of the fateful swimsuit test.
The sea of Ladispoli
“Ci vuole un fisico bestiale”
The beaches along the coast north of Rome: Fregene, Ladispoli and Santa Marinella are very crowded in Summer. You can enjoy a drink under a gazebo with white, waving tents, or have a chat with chill-out background music, while the children build sandcastles. In summer, the sporting spirit is renewed, and the Tyrrhenian Sea is dotted with surfers and kite-surfers. After a quick lunch of fresh fried fish, you can pay a visit to the Odescalchi Castle in Palo Laziale and enjoy the atmosphere of the movie “I tre Corsari”, shot here in the 50’s by Mario Soldati.
The Castle of Santa Severa
The town of Santa Marinella preserves the gorgeous Castle of Santa Severa, kissed by the sea and animated with events throughout the year. This magnificent medieval fortress was built in the ancient Etruscan settlement of Pyrgi.
The hostel in the Castle of Santa Severa
In the hostel inside the Castle, you can spend a dream holiday, contemplating the sea with its sandy and rocky inlets and the Art Nouveau summer residences.
The Orsini Odescalchi Castle on Lake Bracciano
If you are passionate about lakes, we suggest you visit Lake Bracciano, dominated by the sumptuous Orsini Odescalchi Castle, where you can enjoy a picnic in the shade of the Sabatini Mountains.
The Macchia Grande Forest
A stone’s throw away, you will enter the Macchia Grande Forest by Manziana, the location of the movie “Pinocchio” by Roberto Benigni. Here, in spring and summer, you can admire the colourful bee-eaters.
Caldara di Manziana Natural Monument
Among birches, alders and ferns, you will come across the ruins of the seventeenth-century Mola di Manziana and the Caldara. It is said that the formula of the philosopher’s stone, capable of transforming lead into gold, was thrown into this large depression of volcanic origin.
Will it be true?
The Beech Tree of San Francesco in Rivodutri
The Beech Tree of San Francesco in Rivodutri is a refuge for the soul, an enchanted place, where, in 2000, an old shepherds shelter, immersed in the silence of nature, was transformed into a small church. Here you can only hear the tinkling bells of the cows and the festive cheers of the picknickers.
The Pratoni del Vivaro in the Castelli Romani
You cannot miss the Pratoni del Vivaro, surrounded by the Castelli Romani, where even the Romans, at least once in their lives, have organized a picnic, immersed in the radiant nature between Velletri and Rocca di Papa. In this area, it is also possible to practice Nordic walking, mountain bike or horseback riding.
Campaegli
Campaegli will surely be appreciated by the lovers of horses, that run free among the meadows and karst rocks in the heart of the Simbruini Mountains Park. It is the perfect place for outdoor activities and mountain bike rides. Worth a visit is also Cervara di Roma, a pedestrian village enriched with sculptures, murals and verses engraved in the stones by artists from all over the world.
Canterno Lake
Lake Canterno in Ciociaria is the ideal place for a barbecue. Its fresh waters lap the shores of Ferentino, Fiuggi, Fumone and Trivigliano, creating an atmosphere of peace in this naturalistic oasis surrounded by the Ernici Mountains.
Posta Fibreno Lake
Further south, in the Comino Valley, you will spot Posta Fibreno Lake, with its bizarre boomerang shape, where some fishermen still silently sail on their nàue, the traditional wooden boat.
Cardito Lake
Below the Mainarde, the artificial basin of Cardito, or Selva Lake, offers the possibility to take mountain excursions and open-air picnics at about 1000 metres above sea level.
Lake or sea? The choice is yours!