Lazio Culinary Tour: Vineyards to Kitchen Table with Private Cooking Class

Frascati is a small town connected to the principality of Rome, one of several gorgeous historic hill towns that make up the Castelli Romani. The relaxed pace of Frascati contrasts the bustling city life of Rome. In the morning, the aroma of fresh brioche spills out of the local bakery and swirls through the main square. During ancient times, the wealthy built villas around Frascati to escape the summer heat of the city. Your guide meets you at the hotel after breakfast and leads you on a tour through the heart of town.

The medieval buildings around the main square open up to a view of the towns along the nearby hills. The nephew of a pope designed the palace of Villa Aldobrandini in the 16th century. Its gardens are open to visitors eager to bask in the manicured beauty of exotic flowers and towering cypress trees. Portable stands fill Piazza del Mercato. Vendors provide an array of goods, from cured meats to fresh baked bread. Numerous stands even make panini.

After exploring the serene cobbled streets of Frascati, your guide leads you to the ancient site of Tusculum, which Rome overtook in the 6th century BC. The former city stands less than three miles away from Frascati, in view of the looming Villa Aldobrandini. The amphitheater could hold up to 3,000 spectators, offering people the chance to see gladiators brawl. The 2nd century BC stadium measures more than 160 feet by nearly 250 feet. Luxurious villas around the grounds account for the region’s resort reputation for Roman political figures, including the thermal baths on the upper villa.

In the morning, the sunlight washes over Frascati, basking the Piazzale Marconi in a sublime gold. The market stands in the Piazza del Mercato shine with bright hues, from fragrant oranges to zesty lemons. Enjoy some ciambelline frascatane, ring-shaped cookies with a crimson tint from the wine used to add moisture to the dough. After breakfast, your guide escorts you to the town of Ariccia, famous for its baroque architecture. In the 16th-century, Gian Lorenzo Bernini restructured the existing palace, town gates, and main square building an opulent wonderland of contemporary design at the time.

A large viaduct from the 19th century lines the famous Appian Way. The Ducal Palace shines with collected paintings, sculptures, and furnishings from the 17th century, adding layers of opulence to the former noble residence. The village spirals around the church dome and winds down the hillside into the waiting valley. In the afternoon, you venture to the small town of Castel Gandolfo located on the rim of a crater. The waters of Lake Albano shimmer azure with a tranquil current lapping at the slivers of the beach. The pope’s 17th-century summer palace overlooks the water with private gardens filled with an aroma of cypress trees and blossoming hydrangeas.

The woods around the crater give way to an abundance of olive groves and vineyards climbing up the hills. The scent of sweet juice emanates from the newly pressed grapes and grape skins. You venture into an antique restaurant, one of the oldest in town, and sit with a view of the crater lake. The scent of mint overtakes the room before your server places the first glass of wine on the table. The pale hay hue adds to the scent of stone fruits and melon, bringing a refreshing brightness to the fading daylight before your first plate arrives.

The Alban Hills roll around the region of Lazio, forming a gorgeous skyline along the valleys and creating a decadent horizon with views from the hilltops. After breakfast, your guide escorts you to the town of Nemi, which overlooks the lake of the same name. The sapphire water shines against the verdant lakeshore. The town is less than four square miles in area and has held sacred meaning since the Etruscans first settled the area. The lush flora has connected the region to the Goddess of Fertility since ancient times. People from around Lazio would venture to the lake to bathe in the healing property of the waters.

The narrow lanes of town open sporadically to views of the water. Castello Ruspoli was erected in the 10th century and has undergone renovations throughout the millennium since its construction. The imposing structure edifice the skyline above the picturesque town. On a clear day, you can see the Italian coast nearly 18 miles to the west. At the beginning of summer, the hillside glows a bright red from the strawberries blossoming in the vines nurture smaller sized berries that contain a tart sweetness. After wandering around town, you venture to a local vineyard for a tour of the grounds and a special home-cooked lunch paired with the estate’s wine. You could even join in the cooking, sampling a unique local liqueur of Fragolino di Nemi, similar to the more famous Limoncello of Southern Italy, but infused with the brightness of regional strawberries.

In the morning, you leave the quiet streets of Frascati behind for the ancient world embodied in the ruins at the heart of Rome. The herbaceous aroma of the forests fades behind the swelling scent of espresso emanating from the countless cafes in the heart of Rome. The morning market in Campo di Fiori begins to brim with locals and visitors in search of artisan jams and gorgeous produce. Your guide leads you to the Arch of Septimius Severus, at the Roman Forum. The hillside was once the center of the Roman world, where politicians pontificated, markets offered fresh goods, and people from around the Western World paid tribute to the gods. The triumphal arch was erected in the 3rd century AD at a height of 75 feet.

It paid homage to the victories of Parthians. Four marble reliefs represent the episodic wars, with goddesses holding victorious trophies. Spend the day traversing the ancient sites of the city, from the depths of the Colosseum to the catacombs beneath the known labyrinthine streets. In the evening, you make your way to the ancient town of Lanuvio, which predates Rome by three centuries. In the 11th century, Benedictine monks erected a monastery. You meet your private instructor and begin a cooking lesson in the traditional cuisine of Lazio, starting with the basics of producing your own noodles. By the end of the class, you have created a sumptuous traditional regional dish of Cacio e Pepe, a cheese and pepper pasta.

In the morning, the narrow lanes of Frascati fill with the aroma of fresh brioche. The quiet cafes open their doors and set out tables along the main piazza of the city. After breakfast, you travel to Sermoneta, a preserved medieval village located on a hillside more than 840 feet above sea level. Castello Caetani continues to adorn the village and watch over the valley below. The lanes twist and turn into a maze of picturesque cobblestones leading to magnificent monuments. The city was first mentioned by Virgil in his famous epic poem The Aeneid.

In the 16th century, the local magistrate reinforced the city walls to protect the citizens from encroaching Ottomans. Along the streets of Sermoneta, you step back in time; on the pathways in the Gardens of Ninfa, you step into a painting. Ninfa was once a powerful medieval city erected on the shores of a marsh. Today you find an exotic garden of flowing rivers and streams, filled with the blossoming colors of cherry and tulip trees. Ferns and oak trees add a delicate aroma to the 20 acres referred to as the Oasis. A stone bridge crosses over the tranquil pond; the pond reflecting the pink and green flowers in the water’s surface. Rose bushes bloom against the surface of an antique wall. The entire garden resembles a baroque painting depicting the gardens of antiquity. On the distant hills, you can see the town of Sermoneta rising along the ridge.

In the morning, you once again make your way to the hilltop town of Nemi, perched overlooking the glossy lake, which is one of two volcanic lakes in the region. The azure water reflects the surrounding greenery with perfect clarity, which has given the lake the historic name “Mirror of Diana,” in reference to the ancient goddess. The area was once popular with wealthy Romans, including emperor Caligula. The colorful homes of Nemi contrast the lush greenery carpeting the hillside. You meet your cooking instructors in the heart of town before venturing to their kitchen for a private lesson.

The scent of fresh basil and rosemary sweeps through the windows of the small herb garden. Your guides point out the outline of the old Temple of Diana in the distance. Your private chefs grab the fresh herbs from the garden and demonstrate the various flavors of Lazio, teaching you about the depth of history through its ingredients. You begin making the spicy sauce known as Amatriciana, pairing the rustic flavor of tomato and chili flakes with the savory qualities of pork belly.  A generous sprinkling of Pecorini cheese helps marry the tastes together. The combination of spiced sauce, sturdy noodles, hardy meat, and savory cheese makes every bite perfect.

Today, you leave behind the hillside splendor of the Frascati’s serene streets. You return to the bustling boulevards of Rome to find the city as you remembered, exhibiting its antiquity and grand renaissance palaces. The church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva was erected over the ancient temple dedicated to the goddess Minerva. It remains the largest Gothic church in the city and was completed in the mid-15th century. The altar contains a 16th-century statue of Risen Christ crafted by Michelangelo. The original sculpture resembled a pagan god. The nearby gelateria displays an array of gelato, from creamy fig to indulgent espresso, ready to sample at your pleasure. After a brief exploration of Rome, your private transfer escorts you to Fiumicino Airport for your flight home; your journey around Rome may have ended, but you take the flavors of Lazio with you.