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(Lakes and wine) |
Rates per
vehicle for this tour:
sedan (1/4 persons) 650 €;
minivan (4 persons) 670 €.
minivan (5/6 persons) 700 €;
minivan (7/8 persons) 730 €. |
Driving times:
Civitavecchia/Grottaferrata: 1 hr
Grottaferrata to Nemi: 30'
Nemi to Castelgandolfo: 30'
C.gandolfo/Civitavecchia: 1 hr
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The rates include: 9 hours of touring in the requested vehicle
conducted by experienced driving guide.
Each additional hour will be charged 1/9 of the total of the tour's
rate.
Rates do
not include: Entrance fees, meals, drinks or anything not
specifically listed as included. |
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After meeting at the port at 8:30 a.m. (your vehicle
will be parked on the pier with your name on its wind shield) and drive to the
hilltop towns south from Rome.
People call these towns the Roman Castles since they originated from the castles
that the Roman nobles built on the most suitable hill in their property. Over
the years the people built their homes outside the castles so to be protected by
it and finally they built walls around the city for more protection. When better times came, in the Renaissance, those castles were
made into villas and the nobles spent their summers there in better
climate than Rome. The location and the climate were ideal for
cultivating grape vines and the area has always been known for
producing wonderful white wines. The wines are usually named after
the town where they are produced and, to my advice, the most famous
is the wine produced in the town of Frascati. The area has beautiful hills and lakes and the
little towns have a special quaint atmosphere. |
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The
first one of the towns we reach is Grottaferrata, there we can visit the Abbey
founded in the 10th Century by St. Nilo. Later we proceed driving on the
beautiful "Via dei Laghi" (the road of the lakes) to Nemi. The road climbs the
hills between the woods of the Alban Hills and offers breath taking panoramas of
the towns and the lakes. |
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Nemi is a lovely little town overlooking the homonymous lake and
known for producing special strawberries. Finally we'll reach
Castelgandolfo which is the most charming of the small towns in the area. It
will be possible to make a stop at local restaurant for a typical lunch.
Castelgandolfo was chosen in the 17th Century by Pope Urban VIII Barberini to be
the Summer Residence of the Popes, so that's where still today the Pope spends
the month of August and some time in the winter when he needs to relax. The
Papal Residence cannot be visited, but the Palace can be seen from the outside.
In Castelgandolfo are also shops that represent the local wineries and so it
will also be possible to do some wine tasting. The area is also well known for
its food and willingly you could have a nice lunch in one of the restaurants in
the area. |
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