Frascati, in the Castelli Romani: historic villas and DOC wine

The many grand residences across this area have earned Frascati the nickname “city of villas“, evoking its aristocratic past: Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini, nephew of Pope Clement VII, commissioned the construction of his impressive estate; Prince Wilhelm II of Germany stayed at Villa Falconieri with his wife; the Borghese, Ludovisi, Colonna, Conti, and Cesarini Sforza families resided successively in Villa Torlonia until 1841, when it was sold to the Torlonia family; Paolina Bonaparte lived for many years in Villa Parisi, still owned by her namesakes; King Charles Emmanuel IV of Savoy sojourned at Villa Lancellotti—then owned by Pietro Piccolomini—until 1866, when it was purchased by Prince Filippo Massimo Lancellotti; Queen Maria Christina of Savoy spent long periods at Villa Tuscolana; Villa Sora—originally belonging to the Dukes of Sora—hosted Pope Gregory XIII and Cardinal Carlo Borromeo in 1582.
The lush gardens surrounding the villas and the embrace of Monte Tuscolo create a green haven for Frascati. Next to piazza Roma, you’ll find the park of Villa Torlonia, open to the public since 1954, where remarkable sights like the Upper Fountain and Carlo Maderno’s Teatro delle Acque remain. Maderno, a Ticino-born architect, designed the façade of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
But Frascati’s artistic and architectural heritage extends beyond these famous estates. In the town center, the magnificent baroque façade of the Cathedral of St. Peter—designed in the 1700s by Gerolamo Fontana—stands out, along with a beautiful fountain that enlivens the square, a vibrant hub of local life.
Just outside the center, at the crossroads of Via Tuscolana and Via Gregoriana, stands the Sanctuary of Maria Santissima del Capocroce. Consecrated in 1612 in thanksgiving for escaping the 1527 invasion of the Landsknechts, who changed course at this very intersection due to a shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary, spared Frascati from attack.
The Belvedere, an open terrace overlooking Rome’s stunning skyline, perfectly wraps up a visit. Just behind, lines of “fraschette”—traditional rustic eateries—invite visitors to sample local flavors: classic Roman pasta dishes, cured meats, cheeses, and Frascati DOC wine, a product that even Marco Porzio Cato the Censor—descended from Tuscolano winegrowers—was among the first to praise.
Among sweet specialties, the pupazza frascatana stands out: a large biscuit shaped like a buxom woman with three breasts, commemorating the wet nurses employed by local families. They were rumored to use a fake breast filled with wine to soothe children while their mothers worked the fields.