The Roman countryside is one of the most diverse places in Italy, dotted with remarkable historic towns and villages, castles by the lake, and ancient archaeological sites that predate the Roman Empire.  On this this tour you get to sample the best of the Roman countryside and step into the Italy’s most significant historical eras: Etruscan, Medieval and Renaissance.

Your tour will being with a scenic journey into the countryside to the pristine volcanic Bracciano lake and enjoy visiting the magnificent Bracciano Castle – one of Italy’s best preserved Renaissance castles that also served as an imposing military fortress from the medieval times for a wondrous journey through Italy’s most opulent eras: the Renaissance.  Also known as the Castello Odescalchi Castle named for the Odescalchi family that acquired it from the Orsini family in the Renaissance times,  the castle is still a private property of the Odescalchi family even today.

You will stroll through numerous staterooms where Kings, Queens, Popes, Lordes and Ladies once occupied, richly decorated with their original Renaissance furnishings, frescoes, paintings, and armament.

From Bracciano you will journey through the rustic countryside to the medieval hilltop hamlet of Ceri to enjoy the atmosphere of this ancient Medieval fortifies borgo and a traditional Italian lunch at one of the local family owned restaurant that has made Ceri a favorite destination for Italian foodies.

After lunch, you will visit the Etruscan Banditaccia necropolis in the town of Cerveteri – the town itself was an ancient Etruscan establishment originally named “Caere Vetus”.  The Banditaccia Necropolis spans across several centuries from circa 900 BC to 300 BC, and boasts more than 1,000 tombs excavated and open to visitors.  You have the once in a lifetime opportunity to explore an ancient necropolis and enter tombs carved out of the living tuffa rock more than 2,000 years ago.

After spending an exciting day exploring the countryside wonders, you will enjoy a relaxing drive back to your Rome hotel or your cruise ship at the port of Civitavecchia.