A Day Trip from Rome: Nemi

A Magical Town with Fantastic Strawberries

The Castelli Romani area holds many wonders but none more charming than the town of Nemi. Perched on a steep hill overlooking the gorgeous lake of the same name, Nemi is one of the most well-preserved and pristine medieval towns in the province of Rome. It’s exactly what foreigners dream of when they imagine an Italian vacation. It is more than a town; it’s an experience and a fantasy with a history going back as far as the Homeric legends.

The Romans recognized Lago di Nemi as a place of exceptional beauty and magical energy. The largest temple complex of Italy was built here and dedicated to the wild child of the pantheon of gods and goddesses, Diana, goddess of the moon and hunt. Despite being so close to Rome, the area has maintained its wild aura and modern-day pagans still use the temple for full moon rituals. Those more interested in history and archeology would do well to visit the Museo delle Navi di Nemi which holds the artifacts of the temple and the relics from the mysterious Roman ships that were built by the Emperor Caligula. Of course, no trip to Nemi is complete without tasting the incredible strawberry cakes while overlooking the lake. Nemi is famous for its tasty fragoline di bosco (wild strawberries), forest-foraged foods and lovely flowers that are grown in the fertile volcanic soils near the lake. Each year the town hosts a Sagra della Fragola (Strawberry Festival) between May and June.

How to get there
Where to eat

To reach Nemi by bus, go to the Anagnina Metro stop in Rome. From here, take the CoTral bus heading for Genzano. At Genzano, change buses, taking the one marked NEMI. Service is about every 30 minutes during the day.