Walking to Tusculum: the trail from Frascati

You can drive to Tusculum, but the finest way in is on foot: you pass the villas of the popes and a chestnut wood, and you arrive on the road that led to a Roman city. The historic route starts in Frascati and crosses the provincial road that links Monte Porzio Catone to Tusculum.

The historic trail of Tuscolo Antica

The trail starts in Piazza Marconi in Frascati, in front of Villa Aldobrandini, and climbs via Catone to the provincial road. It then passes close to Villa Falconieri, now home to the Accademia Vivarium Novum, and continues through the chestnut wood to the Camaldoli monastery, that is the Tusculan Hermitage. From there you reach the archaeological area.

How long, how hard

The sources do not quite agree. Italy’s national tourism site calls it “an easy walk” and gives neither time nor distance. A guide to walks around Rome rates it moderate, about three hours, and points out that it is not a waymarked route. A longer loop, from Frascati to Tusculum and Monte Salomone, is listed on Komoot at about 14.8 kilometres with 530 metres of climbing.

So set off with time to spare, check a map and do not count on signs along the way.

What you see

• The villas. Villa Aldobrandini, Villa Lancellotti, Villa Falconieri and, in the distance, Villa Mondragone: you see their gardens from outside. For how the villas work, there is the guide to the Tusculan villas.
• The woods. In autumn chestnuts and mushrooms, which the guide asks you not to pick.
• The hermitage gate. It cannot be visited, but it is on the way.
• The archaeological area. The theatre, the forum, the Road of Tombs with the Roman paving of the ancient road, the acropolis.
• The cross. You can climb to the cross at the top of the hill, which has a wide view, and there is a picnic area nearby.

Before you set off

• Walking shoes.
• Water, especially in summer.
• Check the park’s opening times and access on the official website: the sources we consulted do not give them.
• From Rome, according to the guide, Frascati is about half an hour away; the way to Monte Porzio is on the page on how to get here.

In short

• Start: Piazza Marconi, Frascati.
• Stages: via Catone, Villa Falconieri, chestnut wood, Camaldoli, archaeological area, cross.
• Time and difficulty: about three hours, easy or moderate depending on the source; not waymarked.
• Bring: walking shoes and water.
• Park opening times: on the official website.