Trevignano sits on the banks of Lago di Bracciano and has the perfect altitude in comparison to the lake. The waters lap the edge of the town and makes it the perfect place to enjoy a meal or an aperitivo quite literally at the water’s edge. I had been to Trevignano a number of times before, but only ever to go to the cinema, or have dinner at La Locanda (my favourite restaurant, but closed at the start of the week). This time, I went in the middle of the day and was able to enjoy a stroll around the old town and take a post-lunch hike up to the top of the now redundant and rambling castle. What a view!
To be honest, what had hampered me from heading to Trevignano on my own before was that, unlike Bracciano, there is no train link there. You can, however, take a Cotral bus there or drive. This medieval town is just a 30 minute drive from Rome and is the ideal place to head to on a hot, sunny day. Trevignano not only has a great promenade but also has beaches to be able to enjoy the crystal clear waters. Lago di Bracciano is a back-up reservoir for Rome’s drinking water so there are strictly no engines allowed on the lake. Swimmers, windsurfers and an electric boat, which connects Anguillara Sabazia, Trevignano and Bracciano (in the summer months) are the only things that can be found in the lake, aside from the odd swan, some ducks and fish!
Arriving at lunchtime, we decided to head to a restaurant on the main square. La Cantinella was the perfect spot for lunch. It looked out onto the square and the hosts were so kind and welcoming. Having some lovely house wine, we ordered Cacio e Pepe with lime, an unlikely but truly delicious twist. The main course was another tasty dish- cod in a tomato and olive sauce, served with vegetables. Wow. It was just divine. Coming from Cornwall a beautiful peninsula in the UK, known for its fishing, I was over the moon to have some lovely white fish. Dessert was chocolate cantucci biscuits. I will definitely be back here again very soon!
Having consumed way too much and feeling slightly tipsy from the vino, I realised that I needed to get some air and go for a wander. I felt slightly ignorant that I had been here a number of times before but had never made it to the historic centre. Today though was a gorgeous spring day with bright blue skies. It was just perfect.
As we meandered through the narrow streets, I wondered how many of these houses are actually occupied year-round. I know that lots of Romans head here in the summer months to enjoy the lake and that many of them have second homes here… As it turns out, many expats have decided to make Trevignano their home and have actually created a community there.
High on the hill above the town is the Rocca di Trevignano, where the ruins of the castle are situated. The walk to the top is fairly comfortable and I would say achievable for most. It is definitely worth heading up there for the amazing views that are on offer. There is, of course, a 360 degree panorama. The castle was built in the 1200s under the instruction of Pope Innocent III and was then further reinforced by the Orsini family. The castle met its demise in 1497 when the Borgia soldiers attacked. Over the years, it decayed further due to small earthquakes and bad weather.
As we made our way back down the hill, we stopped off for a photo opportunity at the church, which was sadly closed when we were there. I will definitely try to visit it again in the future though. Built in the 1500s on the site of an existing building, the church of the Assunta contains some interesting artworks, including one by a pupil of Raphael.
I wondered about the origins of Trevignano Romano and so decided to do a little research… Northern Lazio has a wealth of Etruscan remains, many are well-preserved in museums in the region, the most notable being in Cerveteri and Tarquinia. However, Trevignano was also an Etruscan site. In fact there are a number of necroplises approximately 3km behind the existing town. Going back even further in time, Trevignano started out in the paleolithic age. It turns out that people have been enjoying Trevignano for some time!
If you’re looking for a day trip outside of Rome, with an opportunity to cool off in a lovely refreshing lake, I can highly recommend Trevignano. I’m very lucky that it is so close to home for me and look forward to spending more summer days there in the future. As always, I have left some helpful links in the buttons below.
