12:30 PM
For lunch, enjoy regional dishes at either Ristorante da Peppe or Ristorante da Romano in Guadagnolo.
Spend the day visiting top destinations
in the Monti Prenestini Region.
Make your way
After arriving in Monti Prenestini, stop in Capranica Prenestina for a coffee at Bar il Glicine, then tour the dome of Bramante at the Church of Santa Maria Maddalena and the Church of Madonna delle Grazie (delle Fratte).
Next, visit the monastery of Santuario Madonna della Mentorella, originally established by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century, and one of Pope John Paul II’s favorite places to visit.
For lunch, enjoy regional dishes at either Ristorante da Peppe or Ristorante da Romano in Guadagnolo.
In the afternoon, walk through the newly established Castagneto Prenestino Natural Monument where local producers are revitalizing traditional methods to make mosciarella, or smoked chestnuts. After the chestnuts are harvested in November, they are spread to dry in traditional smoking sheds called cassette, where they spend the next forty days curing. Historically, this crop ensured families had enough food for the winter, but recently mosciarella has experienced renewed attention because of its designation as a Slow Food and the ecological importance of mature chestnut trees.
Continue learning about the bounty of the Italian countryside in Monti Prenestini with a stop at either the Fontana a Valle or Colle Roscio agriturismos, where meals are made using products from the farm according to season; specialties include local produce, cheese, and foraged mushrooms.
Head to Castel San Pietro Romano for a panoramic wine tasting or after dinner drinks at Il Primo Passo, the wine bar housed inside the same Alimentari storefront featured in Pane, Amore e Fantasia.
Hot tip: In need of something sweet to celebrate the weekend? On summer evenings starting at 9:30, the forno sells cornetti, pastries with several flavors of cream filling.
