Frascati: villas, wine and porchetta in the Castelli Romani

Updated on October 5, 2026

Frascati, about twenty kilometres south-east of Rome, is the closest of the Castelli Romani towns and the easiest to reach by train from Termini station. Renaissance cardinals and noble families built country villas here on the slopes of the Alban Hills; Romans still come at the weekend for lunch with the local white wine, Frascati, and a porchetta sandwich. It is a half-day or full-day excursion with nothing to book in advance. The gardens of Villa Aldobrandini are open to everyone on weekdays; the villa itself is a private residence.

Highlights

The Teatro delle Acque at Villa Aldobrandini

This ensemble of fountains and niches, built for Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini in the early 17th century, overlooks the town. The gardens are explored on foot, along sloping paths.

The facade of Villa Aldobrandini

The Baroque villa crowns the hill; it belongs to a family and is not open to free visits.

Piazza Marconi and the cathedral

The town's central square, with its fountain, is the starting point for walks; the Cathedral of St Peter stands on the neighbouring Piazza San Pietro. The town was heavily bombed in September 1943 and largely rebuilt.

The viewpoints over Rome

From the terraces of Villa Aldobrandini and the town centre, the view plunges over the Roman Campagna, with Rome in the distance on a clear day.

The cantine and the porchetta

Cellars and small restaurants in the town centre serve Frascati wine, bread and porchetta, sliced to order.

The other villas

Among the villas in the area, Villa Torlonia (a public park) and Villa Grazioli are the best known; access conditions vary, so check on site. The ruins of Tusculum, higher up, can be reached on foot or by car.

Practical info

Tips

Access to the gardens of Villa Aldobrandini is free from Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:30pm according to local tourist information; at weekends access may be closed, so check before you go. The inside of the villa cannot be visited individually. The Scuderie Aldobrandini, the villa's former stables, host temporary exhibitions: check the current programme. To eat, pick a cantina or trattoria in the centre and ask for the wine by the glass or carafe: Frascati wine is served chilled and drunk young. The streets are sloping and cobbled: good shoes help. To extend the day towards the papal palace and the lake, see our Castel Gandolfo page and our guide to the Castelli Romani from Rome.

How to get there

00044 Frascati (RM). By train: regional line FL4 from Roma Termini to Frascati station, in about thirty minutes, for around €2; roughly one train an hour. The station is at the bottom of the town, a few minutes' walk from Piazza Marconi, up a sloping street. By bus: Cotral buses leave from the Anagnina terminal (metro A) for Frascati. More details in our guide to transport in Rome.