October’s long lunch in the Castelli Romani
A soft autumn afternoon beyond Rome: wine, a long lunch and the hills glowing in the October light.
A day without a timetable.
Follow the spirit of the old Ottobrata tradition into the Castelli Romani for a long lunch, local wine and the warm light of October. Take the train out of Rome, find a table in the sun and let the afternoon unfold from there.
Autumn beyond the city.
The Castelli Romani offer an easy escape from Rome, with wooded hills, vineyard country and small towns spread across the Alban Hills. The journey out is part of the pleasure, taking you from the city into a landscape that feels made for lingering over lunch.
The spirit of the Ottobrata.
Ottobrata was a Roman autumn tradition celebrating the grape harvest, when friends and families would escape into the countryside for food, wine and a day outdoors. Its spirit remains in those warm October afternoons when the city gives way to the hills and lunch becomes the main event.
Frascati tastes better at the source.
Settle into a fraschetta, where local white wine arrives in carafes and lunch is made for sharing. Think porchetta, cheeses, vegetables and generous plates passed around the table. The pleasure lies in the simplicity, the company and the glass that somehow always needs refilling.
