This route starts from a campsite that is well placed for exploring the area, there are cabins available for those that don't like canvas! The coast is just 30 minutes away or you can reach the Colosseum in Rome in a little over 1 hour.
You will pass Bracciano Castle located on the southern shore of Lake Bracciano, this was built in the 15th century and is one of the largest and best-maintained castles in Italy.
Leaving the lake behind and on a tree lined avenue, the route passes fertile fields growing wheat and barley as you drive through the beautiful countryside on generally quiet roads. The landscape changes to more urban as you approach Rome's ring road. The GRA or Grande Raccordo Anulare (Great Ring Junction). The official number among the Italian motorways is A90, but it is widely known by Romans as 'Il Raccordo' - The Junction!
This route only uses 13 kms of The Junction's 68.2 kms and is soon exiting it and travelling to another lake.
Like Lake Bracciano, Lake Albano is a volcanic crater lake and despite it being considerably smaller in size, it is the deepest lake in this region of Lazio with a depth of about 170 m. The route offers great views of the lake as it takes the high road to travel around the lake and on the opposite side, there is another great view where you can have a coffee too.
You are in the Regional Park of the Castelli Romani. In the past the Castelli Romani was a favorite resort for Rome's noble families as well as for Popes. Castelli Romani translates literally as 'Roman Castles', but in fact the name refers to a collection of wine-producing hill-towns. These small towns and villages are scattered over the wooded slopes of the Alban Hills (Colli Albani), a landscape created by long-ago volcanic activity. The circular craters of Lake Nemi and Lake Albano, are testament to the area's geological past, and are among the most attractive natural features of the Lazio region.

On leaving the park, you will get a view of the Lepini mountains 20 kms away and where this route is heading towards. There are olive plantations each side of the road as you get nearer to the mountains. The Lepini mountains are not large by any standard but they do dominate this area. You will have a view of the second highest peak Monte Lupone and then travel through the ancient and tiny streets of Cori, often reffered to as: the jewel of the Lepini mountains.
Guarding the Lepini Mountains and steeped in legend, the town overlooks the Pontine Marshes and the Roman countryside.
The road surface is cobble stones as you rise up the hill, and the scenery is straight out of an old black and white movie. The narrow streets complete with washing hanging out to dry just adds to the atmosphere. At the top of the hill you can leave the route to visit the Temple of Hercules, a well-preserved 1st-century BC Doric temple, unique for its Italic interpretation of Greek style, built on the ancient acropolis, known for its stunning views, inspiring artists during the Grand Tour, and surviving as a testament to Roman engineering after being part of a church and surviving WWII damage, making it a significant historical landmark in the Lazio region. As you head back down the hill, passing under an ancient arch and crossing a small bridge indicates that you have left the village.

The route then runs around the edge of the Lepinis, always on higher ground that offers enormous views across the fertile plain and always twisting and turning. The village of Norma has developed on a south facing escarpment giving it's residents enviable views towards the coast some 25 kms away, the 6 hairpin road leading out of the village is a good place for some photo's. After traversing the hairpins you can turn right to visit the beautiful Garden of Ninfa. The garden was created among the ruins of the medieval town of Ninfa in the Pontine Marshes and has been classified by the New York Times as one of the most beautiful and romantic gardens in the world.

I have suggested a lunch stop in the the village of Bassiano which stands on a hillock, surrounded by green and shady woods. You are in an area with a great food and wine tradition making it a great place for a lunch stop, the famous 'prosciutto di Bassiano', the king of salami in the Lepini Mountains, is produced here, but the village's flagship products are many, including extra virgin olive oil, sausages flavoured with wild fennel seeds, and truffles, used in several traditional recipes, such as to season fettuccine and polenta.
After lunch there is a brief glimpse of the highest of the Lepini peaks, Monte Semprevisa 1539 m, it is brief, don't blink or you'll miss it!

As you approach the end of the route you have an option to visit the Pastena Caves. The Grotta di Pastena is an impressive river cave with huge passages, the caves are a natural wonder not to be missed. The guided tour shows two different parts of the cave: first a waterfilled section of 200 m and then a dry part, which is 900 m long and shows many formations. The price of a ticket in 2026 is €10.00, and the tour lasts about 75 minutes.

Carrying on along delightfully twisty road that sometimes follows the contours of valleys and sometimes taking a more dramatic route around the Auruncis Mountains, you will reach the small costal city of Formia in the heart of the Gulf of Gaeta. The route ends at the campsite of Camping Gianola but there are many other accommodation options available, like the nearby Albergo Little Garden, Hotel.
Enjoy