Bracciano is the perfect medieval village to visit if you want to go on a day trip from Rome and experience a little bit of the Italian countryside. Located less than an hour away from Rome, Bracciano is a popular destination for locals during summer. Walking through the village is like stepping back in time to the Medieval Era. Visiting the mighty Orsini-Odescalchi Castle overlooking the lake is one of the main things to do in Bracciano. Once you finish getting lost in the maze of narrow streets you can descend to the lake and enjoy some beach time in the sun.
How to Get to Bracciano from Rome
Getting to Bracciano from Rome couldn’t be easier. There are two trains an hour leaving Roma Tiburtina towards Viterbo, which stop in Bracciano. The easiest way to catch the train, if you don’t want to go all the way to the Tiburtina train station, which is a bit out of the way, is to take the metro Linea A to Valle Aurelia, and change there for the regional train station.
It takes around 50 minutes from Valle Aurelia to Bracciano. A one-way ticket costs 2.60 euros and can be bought from the machines at the train station. They are very easy to use and have an English version. Make sure you validate the ticket at one of the green/yellow machines on the platform before you get on the train.
You can also drive to Bracciano, but from what I saw, finding a parking place in town would be difficult. I only noticed a tiny car park by chance, just outside the train station.
The Best Things to Do in Bracciano:
Visit the Orsini-Odescalchi Castle
The 15th century Orsini-Odescalchi Castle dominates the skyline of the old medieval town of Bracciano. It is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Italy and is a prime example of Renaissance architecture. It was built both as a defence fortress as well as a papal residence.
The Orsini-Odescalchi castle belongs to the Orsini’s, one of the most powerful families in Rome at that time. Members of the Orisni and Borgia papal families found refuge behind the impenetrable walls of the castle.
At the beginning of the 17th century, the glory days of the Orisni family had declined, and the castle was sold to the Odescalchi family, to whom it still belongs.
The interior of the castle is well preserved, with frescos, Renaissance paintings and original furnishing from the 15th and the 16th centuries. The castle also has its own weapon collection which includes original pieces ranging from the 14th to the 17th century, considered to be one of the most prestigious in Italy. There are 20 rooms open to the public.
As the castle is the main attraction in town, visiting it is a must thing to do in Bracciano. The entrance ticket costs 10 euros and usually includes a guided tour, in English. However, at the time of publishing this article, the tours are suspended due to the pandemic. You can check the castle’s website by clicking here, for the latest up to date information.
If you are wealthy, you can even marry in the grounds of the castle. The most famous couple who tied the knot here was Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.
Get Lost on the Narrow Streets of the Medieval Village
If you are looking for a charming, medieval, Italian village, you have found it. The narrow streets which are covered with cobblestones, are like a labyrinth leading to pretty piazzas, between crooked houses which are decorated with colourful flowers, have wooden blinds and pretty staircases with steps covered in moss.
The streets are too narrow for cars to drive through, so you will have plenty of opportunities to take gorgeous photos without capturing any signs of modern day life.
My favourite place in Bracciano is Largo della Cattedrale, which looks like something out of a fairy tale. If you climb the steps of the Chiesa Parocchiale di Santo Stefano, you will have a gorgeous view of the square, overlooked on one side by the mighty castle. From the other side, just over the terracotta rooftops, stone chimneys and flimsy tv antennas, you can almost spot the lake.
Pop into Chiesa di Santa Maria Novella
On my way back to the train station I noticed that the door to the Santa Maria Novella church was open, so I stepped inside to check it out. The outside of the church doesn’t stand out so you can miss it if you’re not paying attention as it’s kind of sandwiched between two other buildings. The interior though is very pretty, with a large fresco and beautiful statues of angels behind the altar.
Get Artichokes from the Local Market
I visited Bracciano on a Friday and I happened to stumble across the local market. A few stands with local producers were selling their fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as cheese and honey. As it was the artichoke season, the market was full of giant heads of this delicious vegetable. I couldn’t resist buying one and bringing it back with me to the UK.
Find the Panoramic Point
For a beautiful, panoramic view of Lake Bracciano, walk towards Via della Sentinella until you reach a footpath. Don’t take the road going down the hill, but continue straight on until you see the pedestrian-only street that goes up into the medieval town. On the opposite side there is a grassy area with a few steps. That is the panoramic point from where you can see the lake on one side and the medieval town on the other.
Have Lunch with a View Over the Castle
Make sure you plan your lunch between 1pm-2pm. Most of the good restaurants in Bracciano will close at around 3pm, and you won’t have many decent choices left after this time. I had lunch at Trattoria del Castello, a wonderful restaurant with a terrace overlooking the castle. As it was winter, the terrace was heated, and covered to protect it from the elements.
The restaurant had a great menu which combined classic Roman dishes with the local ingredients from and around the lake.
I ordered the tonnarelli alla Gricia with crispy pieces of guanciale and artichokes petals, accompanied by a glass of house red wine, which was a Lazio local. The food was delicious and the service very attentive, even though I was travelling and dining on my own!
Check Out Bracciano Lake
As Bracciano is sat upon a cliff, you will have to make your way down to the lake. There are two options: by foot or minibus. I can’t tell you much about the minibus as I only spotted it going down the road as I was walking back up. There are several bus stations along the lake, and I did notice one in front of the train station, but I couldn’t find any information about a schedule of a particular route online.
If you decide to walk, as I did, be aware that the path is very steep. It might not seem so when you go downhill, but it’s a proper struggle to climb back up. There is also an option to follow the road, which is a lesser steep, but longer route.
Bracciano is a volcanic lake and a very popular summer destination for nearby locals.
Beaches Near the Lake
Bracciano has a public beach with black, volcanic sand, dotted with fish restaurants and beach clubs from where you can rent sunbeds, umbrellas, and paddle boats.
The beach from Lungolago Argenti is quite narrow but very clean, and kept in a really nice condition. Most of it is taken over by beach clubs, but there are plenty of spaces where you can sunbathe on your own towel.
Swim in the Lake
Bracciano has one of the cleanest waters in Italy because it is Rome’s main source of drinking water. Motorboats are banned from the lake, which means there are no powerboats, jet skis, or banana rides on Lake Bracciano. The only motorboat allowed on the lake is a small ferry. This means that Bracciano Lake is a very safe body of water to swim in when it comes to cleanliness.
My first ever visit to Bracciano was for a nice beach day trip from Rome. I spent the entire day on the beach, sunbathing and swimming in the crystal-clear water of the lake.
Rent a Rowing Boat
If you fancy exploring more of the lake, consider renting a rowing boat or a kayak. A good place to rent pedalo boats and kayaks is Stabilimento Balneare Sud America at 15 euros/hour. They also have sunbeds and umbrellas, which you can hire for 5 euros a day.
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Bracciano Lake seems to be very pretty. I was not aware of a place called Bracciano but it’s nice to come across a new place via your blog. I enjoyed the idea of having lunch over the castle. Also, the huge cathedral looks great.
Wow! I did not realize there is so much to see and do in Bracciano. Happy to know that it’s easy and accessible from Rome. Would love to explore the narrow streets. It looks like scenes from the movies.
Looks like we missed a real nice day trip when we were in Rome couple of years back. I love every bit of Bracciano that I witnessed here. Visiting the castle, roaming around the medieval narrow streets, beaches, lake and hiring a motor boat seems such great things to. do. A perfect destination to head to for me which we missed last time.