Regional Feature- Frascati
Frascati is an easy day trip from Rome. This hilltop town in the heart of the Castelli Romani; these are translated as ‘Roman Castles’ in English and they are actually a group of towns that lie at the foot of the Albian Hills but are still elevated over Rome. Unlike many of the neighboring towns, Frascati can be reached by train from Rome’s Termini station in a quick 30 minutes. This town tucked into the hills overlooking Rome is a source of nostalgia for me. I celebrated my 26th birthday there, with a group of friends, some now long gone from my Roman life but still in digital contact, others I have regretfully lost touch with.
On my birthday in Frascati (almost a decade ago!)
The name, Frascati, might be familiar for the white wine that is named after it. Do as the Romans and visit this town on a Sunday afternoon to escape city life, have a massive lunch and drink some of the namesake.
Eat at Cantina Simonetti. This charming restaurant is representative of a fraschetta (‘tavern’ is a close translation but not exact). The Castelli Romani are famous for the fraschette culture. These ‘tavern’ like restaurants are sometimes ‘revamped cellars’. The seats often resemble long picnic table benches and food is served on butcher paper and plastic plates. The atmosphere is delightfully casual, and food is usually shared between everyone. That is why Italians like to go to these fraschette with a sizable group of friends. Wine is local and served by the half litro or litro (go for the full liter, of course).
Cantina Simonetti
A gorgeous tagliere with porchetta in the forefront
Most people start with a heavenly tagliere (charcuterie I have noticed is at peak trend in America right now) with a mix of fresh cured meats and cheeses, including fresh mozzarella. The Castelli Romani area, and the neighboring town of Ariccia, in particular, is famous for the porchetta. Porchetta is spit-roasted tender pork rubbed with herbs. A meal in a fraschetta is not complete without porchetta! To be traditional, you should also order the marinated vegetables and olives.
You might feel full after this first course but push on. There are always excellent homemade pastas and specialty meat dishes not to be neglected. Here is the website; I would recommend making a reservation.
There are other restaurants I love in Frascati. Ristorante Belvedere dal 1933 is special; it is a little more upscale with a ‘belvedere’ (beautiful view) over Rome in the distance. Next time I will try Cacciani which was recently Michelin recommended. Here is the official restaurant website.
Drink in between lunch and dinner. As you can see from above, there are multiple delicious eating options. A trip to Frascati can consist of arriving for lunch, walking around and observing (see below) drinking in between and then dinner before heading back on the train to Rome. Sounds pretty good, right? As Frascati is the namesake of a popular regional wine, you will not have trouble finding cute ‘cantine’ (wine cellars) where you can stop and have a glass. A caveat that is also discussed in my Food and Wine post for the region of Lazio: Frascati wine is not known to be the highest ‘quality’; it is a wine for all to enjoy and in large quantity! A charming place with a wide selection of wines to take home is Enoteca Molinari . Have a nicely curated aperitivo here in the afternoon.
Walk and Observe views of Rome and life in the Roman countryside. I will warn you that not all of Frascati is ‘beautiful’ or pristine; it is a functional town in the outskirts of Rome. Many people, in fact, commute into Rome to work, but prefer a quieter life in the not so distant countryside. But that is the point; Frascati is not defined by upscale luxury, but it does have plenty of charm, in my opinion. Also, many visitors claim to be searching for the ‘authentic’, well here you have it; an ‘authentic’ slice of life in a not particularly touristic Italian town. Make a point to stop by the center piazza, Piazza San Pietro, and step inside the Basilica Cattedrale di San Pietro Apostolo, or Duomo di Frascati (the main cathedral in Frascati). The façade is impressive, finished in the year 1700, though construction on the structure began in 1598.
The Campanile Di San Rocco from 1305
This last time I visited, I noticed the charming Campanile Di San Rocco, near Cantina Simonetti. It is dated to 1305, and stands alone amidst modern buildings, but I just loved it. Arguably the most striking attraction in Frascati is the Villa Aldobrandini. You will notice its commanding presence upon exiting the train station and ascending the stairs towards the town. The villa rests on a hill above. You can visit the exquisite gardens created in the early Italian Baroque style. According to the Michelin website, the impressive villa was “Built by Cardinal Aldobrandini for his uncle, Pope Clement VIII, Villa Aldobrandini is still occupied by the family.” Unfortunately, the villa is closed on Sundays, so my advice to visit on Sunday is null and void if you would like to go inside this villa. Here is more information. If you would like a convenient reason not to visit, however, and admiring from afar while keeping the focus of your day trip on good food and wine is your prerogative, pretend I didn’t tell you it is closed on Sundays :)