On arrival in Ariccia from your Rome hotel by private vehicle, enjoy absolutely spectacular views down towards the Tyrrhenian Sea and higher up towards the summit of mystical Monte Cavo. The green mountain hides several ancient Roman and pagan temples on it's wooded slopes. Your first stop on a historical viaduct has origins dating back to the 2nd. century BC and survived Allied bombings in Spring 1944. A short walk away brings you to Piazza di Corte andSanta Maria Assunta in Cielo by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Ariccia boasts a rich and fascinating history, made famous in literature by Sir James George Frazer's magnus opus "The Golden Bough" and in Romantic period paintings. Renowned landscape artist Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corotpainted Ariccia as did many of his contemporaries. Goethe, too, passed through in 1787 en route to Naples and wrote about Ariccia with great zeal.

Here, in such beautiful surroundings, you will sit down and eat what makes Ariccia so popular with the locals and all Romans - porchetta d'Ariccia served with savoury cheese, casareccio bread, and a healthy dose of wine from vineyards located just a few metres away in Val d'Ariccia. It's a paradise of food! Walking back to Bernini's quaint piazza, your driver will carry you higher up to the mystical town and magical Lake of Nemi (Lago di Nemi).

In Nemi you will have ample time to wander through the village and take in spectacular views of the crater lake before a stop for coffee and sweets. In season (May - June), the little strawberries from the valley for which Nemi has become famous will be available everywhere! Strawberry pizza? Strawberry risotto? Strawberry liquer? Yes sure! Did thetears of Venus transform the blood of Adonis into beautiful strawberries? Who knows, but Nemi has been painted and written about in literature for centuries past.

Very soon after leaving the village your driver will stop by the ancient Temple of Diana Nemorensis. A somewhat obscure location but well worth seeing - there are statues dedicated to Diana the Huntress in many cities of the world and this is where it all began!

Your return ride to Rome through the Castelli Romani will be scenic, enjoy yet more great views!