The Rome Coast Walk allows you the opportunity to literally walk the roads of Caesar as you explore the countryside in central Italy. You will even see some towns and structures pre-dating the Romans, such as the burial tombs near Barbarano, traced to the Etruscans, who shaped civilization in central Italy from about eighth to the second century B.C. This trip truly blends history and culture with all the comforts, food and wine of modern Italy.
Your Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival. After lunch, if you want, you can have in the afternoon a soft and short independent walk in the Estate I Due Laghi, positioned between the volcanic lakes of Bracciano and Martignano. You’ll enjoy the view of both lakes, green pastures and cattle grazing, see also the Rome skyline in the far. This will be your very first touch with the Roman countryside (4 miles, 200 feet ascent). Before dinner, you’ll have a meeting and a welcome drink with Stefano, your professional Guide.
Day 2: Barbarano. The first urban culture in the western Mediterranean can be traced to the Etruscans, who shaped civilization in central Italy from about eighth to the second century B.C. Today we visit to the city of Barbarano Romano and the nearby Etruscan burial tombs. The Etruscans built their tombs from the soft volcanic rock known as tufa in a lush forest carpeted with cyclamen. On our hike we’ll see many such tombs, all dating from the eight/fifth century B.C. (7 miles, ascent 400 feet).
Day 3: Monterano, the Abandoned City. Our hike will take us down an old Etruscan road, past sections of a Roman aqueduct, and up a small hill to the Abandoned City. The city of Monterano was founded in 1677, by the Pope Clemente X, belonging to Altieri family. Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the great baroque architect was asked to build the new town. But because of marshes and the sack of the Napoleon’s French soldiers in 1798 the new town was abandoned and from those times it still stands like a ghost. We will walk along ancient roads deeply excavated in the tufa rock beside waterfalls, caves, and woods. On the way home we will visit Altieri Palace of Oriolo Romano, which hosts the unique Popes’ Gallery, with all the Popes’ portraits since St. Peter. (6 miles, 500 feet ascent).
Day 4: The Lake: Bracciano, Manziana. Today we visit the small town of Bracciano, where we’ll spend time visiting the magnificent, impressive medieval Castle Orsini Odescalchi founded in 1470 as a military fortress by Napoleone Orsini, that soon after was turned into a Renaissance residence. The Orsini family was a very strong one in those times. They were also relative to Medici family in Florence; in fact Lorenzo de’ Medici, called Il Magnifico, married a girl belonging to Orsini family whose name was Clotilde. The Castle was sold to Odescalchi family in 1695, and it is still owned by Odescalchi family. Later on a beautiful, easy walk in the forest of Manziana, where ancient an Roman road, Via Clodia III century B.C., can still be seen (3/5 miles, no ascent).
Day 5: Norchia. Today we will walk all the way along one of the most magnificent Etruscan necropolis, all excavated on the entire slop of a hill. The great English Etruscologist George Dennis and his companion Ainsley both sketched and painted extensively in Etruria during their travels in the 1840’s. Dennis wrote in his book "Cities and Cemeteries of Etruria", London 1848, with a great Romantic feeling, sweetest words about the carved cliff tombs as ‘dadi’ or dice shaped. Our hike will also include a ruined medieval castle, a church and a roman road (5 miles, 600 feet ascent).
Day 6: Civitella Cesi–San Giovenale. Beautiful hike along some of the most impressive countryside of the area. The first part we will walk from the medieval dwelling of Civitella Cesi on unpaved roads to the river Vesca, where on the other side stand the prehistoric village of San Giovenale. This Etruscan village was excavated by the King of Sweden Gustav Adolf VI in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s; he was a keen archaeologist. In the same area we can also visit interesting Etruscan necropolis and a medieval ruined castle (7 miles, 300 feet ascent).
Day 7: Departure after breakfast.
2008 Dates: April 13-19, May 11-17, June 1-7, June 15-21, September 7-13, October 5-11.
Meeting Point: Rome Airport. Transfers not included.
Difficulty of Walk: Flat terrain and footpaths, soft hills, maximum 300 to 600 feet descent. 4-7 miles per day.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
$2,400 per person, shared; $260 single supplement.
Price Includes:
- 6 nights hotel accommodation
- 5 guided walking days
- Breakfast and dinner each day
- Lunch on walking days
- Museum entrance fees
- Tax.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
Italy
Walking Tours
Archeology/History
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