Albano - a day trip with all things Roman

The "cisterone," in use today to water gardens and lawns

The town of Albano, nestled in the Colli Albani - Alban Hills, is a great day trip outside Rome.  Unlike the more famous towns surrounding Rome -  Frascati, Castel Gandolfo and Tivoli -  Albano attracts few tourists. Touring Albano is a bit DIY, but worth it.

The town's origins date back to several millennia B.C., and it has ruins from Roman days, including an impressing town gate, an amphitheater, and an enormous cistern.  Partly because of its treasure trove of Roman artifacts, it also boasts a very good archaeological museum.  And, for us, it's a great starting point for a lovely walk around the volcanic lip of Lago Albano.

a black and white photo that more clearly shows
 this early Roman waterwork

We first took Albano seriously when we went on a guided tour with a favorite Italian tour guide to look at the cistern.  Always interested in the water works of the Romans, we couldn't resist Laura's tour.  The cistern, also known as the "cisterone" - i.e., really big cistern (as Julius Caesar in Italian is known as Cesarone), is amazing in its vastness.  We're not sure how much you can see on your own.  But it's always worth a try.  And the last time we were there, there was at least an explanatory panel in Italian and English.  The cisterone is between via Aurelio Saffi and via San Francesco D'Assisi.

Baths for the soldiers, in Albano

Roman ruins still in use

The porta and other remains of Septimius Severus's huge encampment of Roman soldiers - his legions - are right out in the open.  He built some of the largest baths in the Roman empire - to keep those legions happy. Just walking around town, you can see the ruins everywhere, including as parts of today's buildings. Follow via A. Saffi up the hill and it curves into via Anfiteatro Romano.  The amphitheater is locked up too, unless you are there for a concert.  But you can look in.

The Roman amphitheater in Albano

Before you go up the hill to the cisterone and amphitheater, if you're interested in the museum, head there first.  Museo Archeologico di Villa Ferrajoli, is on the main drag, viale Risorgimento, 3, and the price is right.  We just can't recall if the descriptions also are in English.  For days and hours, scroll down to the bottom of this site:  http://www.museumgrandtour.org/it/i-musei/museo/museo-archeologico-di-villa-ferrajoli-albano-lazia/.

The view across Lake Albano

To get to the start of the lake walking tour, continue on via Anfiteatro Romano up to where the road joins the larger road (Highway SP71b and 72b) that cruises along the volcanic ridge.  The walking trail takes off just to the right of the restaurant at the top of the hill.  You can walk along the ridge for a mile or more.  This will give you the best views of this volcanic lake - you can see the Pope's residence and observatory at Castel Gandolfo across the lake. If you keep your eye out, you will see some caves and aqueduct remains along the way.

Trains run hourly from Rome's Termini Station to Albano, and back.  The trip takes under an hour and costs about 2 Euros each way.

Dianne



Caves along the trail

Castel Gandolfo - Picturesque retreat for Pope Benedict XVI

Now former Pope Benedict XVI is ensconced in the Papal Summer home at Castel Gandolfo, a small hill town we visited last year - just to check it out - not knowing it would host a living, former Pope. We have a fondness for the Castelli Romani, also known as the Alban Hills (Colli Albani), the cluster of volcanic hill towns about 15 miles (of heavy traffic) from Rome.  We've been in Castel Gandolfo several times, but mostly to take hikes or scooter through.  We never went close to the Papal grounds until last year.

Picturesque Castel Gandolfo is; lively, well, no.  We stopped at a tourist kiosk, unusually (for Rome and environs) open, and the trying-to-be helpful woman inside told us that, frankly, there was not much to see in Castel Gandolfo, except the tiny main drag and the Pope, when he was in town (Castel Gandolfo has historically been the Pope's summer retreat, especially vital in the days before air conditioning). 

A public park outside the Papal walls could use some
attention

Ad and funeral notice

We wandered around a bit, and confirmed her take on the town. We saw - about one block off the Papal walls - a public park with unused (at 11 in the morning) playground equipment and knee-high grass.  We also discovered some ads of which no Pope would have approved.  We were taking the photo of a personal  funeral notice (common in Italian towns) because it featured Padre Pio, the controversial saint, and then realized the Padre was plastered on the same wall as a picture of a scantily clothed woman.

Swiss Guards in front of the entrance to the Papal palace
in Castel Gandolfo

The main drag, about 2 or 3 regular blocks long, ends at the Papal walls and features great side views of Lake Albano, the lake on whose volcanic rim the town sits.  Several restaurants have terraces opening to views of the lake.  There's also a train stop down the hill a ways.  We have often spotted nuns waiting there for the next train to Rome.  Although the lake is accessible from the town via paths and roads, the trek up is not the easiest--about 300 vertical feet.

Castel Gandolfo claims to have the first
mailbox in the world (1820) - this is it

The town can be sleepy when the Pope is not in residence.
This shop sign reads "Returning soon; we are at the bar."

Castel Gandolfo has its share of public
drinking spaces

The Barberini were here - note the bee symbol.  There were several Barberini Popes.

Looking out of the Papal walls towards the
plains; tourist kiosk at bottom of road

One of the restaurants with a terrazzo