Rome Wine Tours: Frascati & the Castelli Romani Day Trip
Wine tours from Rome: Frascati and the Castelli Romani, 30 minutes from the city, tufa cellars, Cannellino, fraschette and porchetta di Ariccia, and how to book.
The short version: the best wine tour from Rome is only half an hour away, in the Castelli Romani, the volcanic Alban Hills where Romans have made wine for 2,000 years. The star is Frascati, a fresh white, plus sweet Cannellino. Go by train from Termini or with a driver, taste in cellars carved into the tufa rock, and stay for lunch in a fraschetta, a rustic tavern serving porchetta from nearby Ariccia with wine by the carafe. Here is how to plan it.
At a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Where | Castelli Romani: Frascati, Marino, Grottaferrata, Ariccia, Castel Gandolfo |
| From Rome | About 30 minutes by train from Termini, or 45 minutes by car |
| Wines | Frascati Superiore DOCG (white), Cannellino di Frascati (sweet), local reds |
| Food | Porchetta di Ariccia, fraschette taverns, Nemi strawberries |
| Format | Half-day private tastings, winery and lunch tours, e-bike tours |
Frascati and the Castelli Romani
The Castelli Romani are a ring of hill towns around two crater lakes, Albano and Nemi, where popes and Roman nobles built summer villas. Frascati is the best-known wine: a crisp white from Malvasia and Trebbiano grown on volcanic soils, with sweet Cannellino from late-harvested grapes. Many estates still age their wine in cellars dug into the soft tufa rock in ancient times.
Fraschette and porchetta
The local way to eat is the fraschetta, a simple tavern with long tables where you order wine by the carafe and plates of salumi, cheese and porchetta di Ariccia, herb-roasted pork from the next town. It is the perfect end to a tasting. For a full plan, see our Rome and Castelli Romani food and wine itinerary; back in the city, try a Trastevere or Testaccio food tour and learn the four Roman pastas.
Our pick: the Frascati Wine Road from Rome: Tasting and Lunch takes the train from Roma Termini to Frascati for a family winery visit, a tasting of three wines and lunch in town.
Compare all the regions: the best wine tours in Italy.
Frequently asked questions
Can you do a wine tour from Rome?
Yes. The Castelli Romani wine towns, including Frascati, are about 30 minutes from Rome by train or car.
What wine is Frascati?
A dry white wine from the Alban Hills south of Rome, made mainly from Malvasia and Trebbiano; Cannellino di Frascati is the sweet version.
What is a fraschetta?
A rustic tavern in the Castelli Romani serving local wine by the carafe with porchetta, salumi and cheese.
Book a wine tour from Rome
Compare Rome wine tastings and tours, or see Rome food tours.
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