English
Tourists who go often to Rome know what they´re doing. Rome is a great cultural, artistic and leisure centre at the disposal of all those who want to have fun in their free time. We all know its Roman remains, the Vatican and its villas with gardens. Today, we´re going to escape from all Roman cliches and go a few miles outside the city to arrive to these two lesser-known gems of the Lazio region. The lakes of Bracciano, Martignano, Albano and Di Nemi are just a few of the places favoured by Romans to spend a day of fun, whether it´s with their family or their partner.
Let´s begin with the biggest of them all, Bracciano. It´s located in the northeast, some 20 miles from Rome. Anyone can get there by road in barely 20 minutes. It´s a lake of volcanic origin and, as it usually happens in these cases, the perimeter is circular. There are routes for volcanology lovers which go around different craters and prints of the evident volcanic activity that took place here thousands of years ago. Lake Bracciano has over 18 miles of coast and three cities grew around its waters, Bracciano, Anguillara Sabazia and Trevignano Romano. Tourism linked to water sports is a rich source of income for the inhabitants of this area. You can enjoy its beaches and canoe rides on its crystalline waters. Bracciano is the water feeder of rRome, that´s why contamination control is very strict and motorized boats are not allowed. One of the main incentives are its restaurants. In them, you can enjoy fresh dish recently fished out of the lake and various types of seafood, an excellent choice for those who want to escape the omnipresent pizza.
Lake Martignano is Bracciano´s little brother. All in all, both constitute the Parco Regionale del complesso lacuale di Bracciano Martignano, which is a natural park that has special protection.
Now we´re off further south to visit Lake Albano. Its oval shape tells us of its volcanic origin and its maximum depth is around 557ft and its perimeter is around 6 miles long. It´s located in the region of Castel Gandolfo and among the many historical buildings that we can find on its shores, the one that stands out the most is the summer home of the Pope. The lake was used by old Roman emperors to carry out the popular naumachias, in which they simulated naval battles. That´s why they´ve been able to extract many different artifacts from the bottom of the lake. Although tourist activity here is not big, it is an ideal place for all hiking lovers. Throughout the route, you´ll find Roman villa ruins and fantastic panoramic views of the area.
Lago di Nemi is Albano´s neighbout. This small lake became popular when, during an exploration of its depths, they found various vessels that belonged to Caligula himself. The forest that surrounds it was devoted to the Roman goddess Diana. Today, the beauty of the landscape is still a reason why many locals and tourists visit the place.
Renting apartments in Rome will mean you´ll be only a few minutes away by car from all the lakes in the area. Also, you can use the money that you´ll be saving by enjoying a nice meal in a restaurant around the lakes.
