In this post, I reveal the best things to do in Anguillara Sabazia, one of my favorite places. I lived in this town on the southern shore of Lake Bracciano for 5 years.
You already know that I consider a visit to the stunning lake north of Rome a must for anyone visiting the Eternal City. Since you can easily reach Anguillara by train, you have no excuses.
The most enjoyable thing to do here is to take a dip in the crystal-clear lake waters, but there are many other activities as well.
You can discover the historic center and its landmarks, stroll along the promenade, and taste the local dishes.
I’m going to tell you about all of this, as well as suggest an itinerary that only a local can provide, and give you very useful tips for getting to Anguillara. I’ll conclude with a few notes on the town’s history and legends.
What to do in Anguillara Sabazia
The first thing I recommend you do in Anguillara Sabazia is to visit the historic center, which features lovely views on the Bracciano Lake and buildings from the Medieval and Renaissance periods.
There are two main entrances to the oldtown, one through the ancient gate “Porta Maggiore” (or “Porta Castello”) and the other from the Piazza del Lavatoio, near the pier.
1. Enter the oldtown
TIP:
I recommend entering through "Porta Castello," the ancient entrance to the town, not only because it is more scenic, but also because it saves you 50 steps uphill.
This entrance to the town was part of the defensive walls erected by the Anguillara family. The gate witnessed several renovations over the centuries, as have the walls. The entrance you see today dates back to the 16th century and features a clock.
2. See the Baronial Palace
The palace dates back to the first decades of the 16th century, a time when the Orsinis settled as lords of the town. The top floor houses three frescoed rooms:
- the Loggia was the resting room of Count Gentil Virginio Orsini.
- In the ” Hall of the Puttos”, the frescoes depict cherubs playing with bears, Orsini’s heraldic animal.
- In the “Hall of the Caryatids ” there are frescoes with a marine theme. Count Orsini in fact headed the papal fleet. The frescoes depict aerial views of the cities from which the fleet departed: Venice, Naples, and Castellammare di Stabia.
Today, the baronial palace also houses the offices of the municipality and the mayor, who often has coffee at the café next to the palace. To enter, climb the narrow flight of stairs that opens in the middle of the building’s facade.
3. See the Fountain of the Earth
Opposite the Baronial Palace, the Fountain of the Earth sits on the edge of a terrace overlooking the lake. This is one of the town’s landmarks, framed by a pleasant panorama of blue water and stone house rooftops.
Locals call it the “Fountain of Eels,” because i displays two eels in the same fashion of the Anguillara Family’s coat of arms.
The last version of the fountain dates back to the 19th century and is by Ignazio Jacometti.
4. Relax at the Watchtower Gardens
After photographing the fountain, resist the temptation to immediately descend the stairs leading to the lake and head a “little higher.”
Just beside the Baronial Palace, there are steps leading to the ” Watchtower Gardens” or Giardini del Torrione.
These are two large terraces on the top of the ancient defensive walls, with trees and benches from which to admire the view of the lake.
The medieval watchtower now hosts rehearsal meetings of the village band.
5. See The Collegiata Church
In the last 5 years, I have never found this church open, which is why I say “see” instead of “visit”: there’s a good chance you’ll find it closed, but it’s still worth coming here. From here, you will indeed enjoy a unique and relaxing view of the lake.
After exploring the gardens, retrace your steps to the street where the palace and fountain are located. This is Via Umberto I, the widest street in the historic center (but still narrow!).
This slightly uphill street will take you to the highest point of the old town, where the Church Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta is located.
The church already existed in the 15th century but was abandoned because the rock on which it stands threatened to give way.
It was completely rebuilt in the 18th century. The white facade clashes somewhat with the other colors of the historic center, which, instea, speak of the Middle Ages.
6. Piazza Magnante
After enjoying the view, continue along Via Roma until you reach the quiet Piazza Magnante. In this piazza, an archaeological discovery happened in 2006 during road resurfacing works.
There are about 30 large silos buried underground and dating back to the Medieval and Renaissance eras.
The silos had been used both to store foodstuffs such as grain and then also as small dumps. On the shards, archaeologists found the coats of arms of the noble families who ruled over Anguillara Sabazia.
This quaint town north of Rome never fail to surprise me.
7. Via delle Rupi St.
By now, you will have already realized that the historic center of Anguillara Sabazia is a treasure trove of heartwarming views over the gorgeous Lake Bracciano. It’s no wonder that it is one of my favorite places in the world.
Proceed on Via delle Rupi to go and discover a hidden nook that only locals like me know about! Via delle Rupi is a dead-end alley that runs along the eastern part of the promontory on which the town sits.
Take this small scenic walk overlooking the most authentic part of the beach. You will see lots of vegetation and the colorful little boats of the fishermen in the shallows.
Continue on Via del Pratuccio until you see the mural ” The Beauty Looking at the Lake,” painted on the wall of a house. The artist is Luis Gomez, a famous street artist in Rome.
8. Stroll around Piazza del Molo
This is the liveliest part of Anguillara Sabazia. Locals meet here from all over the town for a coffee or an aperitif in the cafes that overlook the piazza and then set off for a walk along Anguillara’s lakefront promenade.
9. Discover the lakefront Promenade
The lakefront promenade runs to the right and left of Piazza del Molo. With your back to the café Bar il Gabbiano, proceed to the right to discover the most romantic, most intimate part of the promenade.
Here you will find charming little houses, close to the lake, decorated with plants and flowers. You will also find a picturesque rock arch proceeding to the small amphitheater at the end of the promenade.
Proceeding on the opposite side, however, walk along the more mundane part of the promenade. This is where you will find restaurants and in summer many kiosks to sit and cool off in the evening enjoying the long sunsets.
This part of the promenade skirts a good part of Anguillara’s beach. The promenade is about 600 meters long and ends at the Chalet del Lago bistro.
Halfway along the promenade, you will find the café Il Principe and the pretty little Church of Madonna delle Grazie.
The church dates back to at least 1500. Apparently, in this church, in 1796, occurred the miracle of “Mary’s eyes”-the eyes of the Virgin Mary in a painting came alive. The painting has disappeared.
On this part of the promenade, the local market takes place every Monday morning.
10. Enjoy the beach
Anguillara Sabazia’s Beach is about 1.5 km long. You can stop for a swim anywhere except near the Piazza del Molo, where there are colonies of protected wildlife.
Beach clubs renting out beds and umbrellas include Scorpion Beach and Sabbienere, and the more off-the-beaten-track Tiripitì Beach at the end of the beach. At the Sporting Club Sabazia, you will find equipment for water sports such as paddle boarding and kayaking.
Although the beach is of fairly large grains of sand, to get into the water in most cases you will find pebbles. Therefore it is best to bring water shoes with you.
Lake Bracciano is home to many species of waterbirds, including swans, geese, and ducks. The swans will certainly pay you a visit. Remember to avoid feeding them, as human food such as bread crumbs may harm them.
If you want to send them away clap your hands firmly and the swans will move away. I recommend swimming very close to the shore because the lake can hide dangers such as whirlpools.
11. Visit the Church of San Francesco
The church is located just outside the old town. This church dates back to the 15th century and hosts what was once a monastery of Franciscan Monks.
It needed several renovations in time but still features the original structure and materials. There are remarkable frescoes, especially in the apsis. To reach the church, you need to walk uphill from the beach for about 1 km.
12. Hike from Anguillara Sabazia to Lake Martignano
This is an easy 2-hour hike in the countryside from the town of Anguillara Sabazia to the pretty Lake Martignano.
The lake stands hidden from sight among the green valleys of a nature reserve. You need to bring a bit of food and water with you since the area is completely isolated, but you can find plenty of shade under the many trees along the beach.
This is a fine place to relax and contemplate nature. To reach the lake, start walking at the intersection of the Via Anguillarese and the Via Della Mola Vecchia (you can get here with a bus ride from the lake or from the train station), then follow the instructions on your Google Maps until you get to the lake.
When you get to the highest point of the hike, just before you will need to start hiking down to reach the lake, you’ll be able to get a panoramic view of both lakes.
This is one of the easiest hikes near Rome and you will enjoy it even if you have kids with you, but remember to wear hiking shoes, and avoid going in case of bad weather.
Best time to visit
Anguillara Sabazia’s climate is very similar to that of Rome, only wetter on some days.
The best time to visit this town is between May and October. During these months, the woods in the nature reserve surrounding the lake are lush.
The warm weather invites swimming in the very clean lake.
In summer, the sun sets around 9 pm and Anguillara Sabazia enjoys the longest sunsets on the entire lake.
So choose your favorite spot on the lakefront to watch the sunset.
There are very small, simple wooden kiosks on Anguillara beach where you can have a drink, such as Bar The Scorpion and Bar Paradiso.
There is the more elegant Chalet del Lago, where you can also have a more articulate aperitif or dinner.
Finally, the most popular is Friggitoria Toto, where you can have an aperitif of lake or sea fish with drinks for €12.
What to eat
If you love good food, you will find plenty to eat in this town.
Local products include lake fish: grilled whitefish, fried lattarini, and tagliolini with a ragout made from lake fish and cherry tomatoes.
Vegetables include the tasty broccolini, to be eaten stewed in a pan as a side dish.
On Via Romana, opposite the Carrefour supermarket, the pastry shop Pasticceria Pomiciò is famous for its almond paste tarts.
You can find gelato in several cafes, but I recommend the one at Café il Principe next to the Church of Madonna delle Grazie on the promenade – here you’ll also find excellent croissants and cappuccino for your Italian breakfast.
If you have a car, you might want to drive a few miles to check out the sheep cheese from the Gennargentu farm and the honey-based chocolate from “Il Casale di Spanora.” Both are located along the country road Via Casale di Spanora (you need a car to get there). These are some of the hidden gems of the Roman countryside.
The best restaurants in Anguillara Sabazia are La Nepitella and Zaira. They are both located along the lakefront promenade.
How to get from Rome to Anguillara Sabazia
Getting from Rome to Anguillara Sabazia by public transport is quite easy.
Take a Trenitalia train heading to Bracciano or Viterbo from either of the stations:
- Roma Valle Aurelia (subway line A)
- Roma Trastevere (tram 8)
- Roma Ostiense(subway line B)
- Roma Termini (subway lines A and B)
- Roma Tiburtina (subway line B)
and get off at Anguillara Sabazia (make sure the train stops at Anguillara Sabazia before boarding, because some trains might go to Viterbo or Bracciano directly). There are about two rides per hour on weekdays and one ride per hour on weekends and festivities.
The ticket costs around €2.60.
The Anguillara train station is 4km away from Anguillara Sabazia beach and the old town.
From the train station get on the public bus “Schiaffini” and get off at the historic center. Tell the driver you want to go to the “Lungolago” (boardwalk), “lago” (lake), or “centro storico” and he will help you.
Reaching the historic center is quite easy. This makes Anguillara one of the best locations to stay outside of Rome.
History of Anguillara Sabazia
The town has a very ancient history, as the name “Anguillara Sabazia” suggests.
“Lacus sabatinus” was the ancient name for Lake Bracciano. There are also the Sabatini Mountains near the lake. The lake was first formed about 300,000 years ago by the filling of ancient magmatic chambers, what was left of the “sabatine volcanic system.”
Most ancient times and legends
In ancient times, the god “Sabazio”, a Thracian deity assimilated to Dionysus, linked to mystery cults for the regeneration of nature and agriculture, was worshipped in these areas.
In the tribes of Thrace, this god played a key role, similar to Zeus or the Sun god. The cult was supposedly brought to the Lake Bracciano region by the Etruscans, who reached Italy from the east and had much in common with the Thracians, who instead lived in the territory of present-day Bulgaria.
From the god Sabazio the legendary city of “Sabate” is named.
The German historian and geographer Cluverius, who lived between the 16th and 17th centuries, reports a text according to which when the waters of the lake were calm the remains of buildings and statues belonging to an ancient city, which was submerged during a cataclysm, were visible at the bottom.
Roman historical sources testify to the existence of a city conquered and assimilated by Rome in the 4th century BC, during the war against the great Etruscan city of Veio.
Locals, on the other hand, hand down the legend of the city of the destruction of Sabate that is linked to the founding of the Church of Santa Maria del Riposo in Bracciano.
According to this tale, a deity in anger with the inhabitants of the city decided to submerge it in the same waters of the lake (hence the origin of the lake). Only a maiden, of pure soul, was spared.
The god warned her of the impending destruction and urged her to flee as far as she could without looking back. In the place where the maiden stopped to catch her breath a church arose.
Roman times
In Roman times lived in Anguillara Sabazia the Roman matron Rutilia Polla. She had a villa built on the spot where the coast drew a corner, a villa which she named precisely “Angularia” in 60 AD. The Roman noblewoman also bought two piers for fishermen and fishing rights on the lake.
There are remains of several Roman villas in the Lake Bracciano area. The best preserved are those of the Villa Delle Mura di Santo Stefano, just outside the town.
At that time, Rome already captured water from the Sabatino lake system (4 lakes interconnected by underground rivers) to supply the naumachiae.
Today, water from Lake Bracciano feeds the taps of families living in the northern suburbs of Rome.
Middle Ages
In medieval times the village of Anguillara, perched on a hill formed by layers of tufa rock, was inaccessible. A wall system protected the settlement from enemy incursions.
The village was accessed from what is now called “Porta Maggiore” or “Porta di Castello,” from which you can take a walk through the historic center.
From the 11th to the 15th century it was the feud of the powerful House of Anguillara. The earliest historical record is the mention of their purchase of the right to fish in Lacus Sabatinus in 1020.
There is a legend from medieval times that explains the origin of the power of this family. The ancestors of the Anguillara are said to have killed a dragon that lived in a cave called “Malagrotta.”
In compensation, they obtained land that they could walk across in a day. They reached Anguillara and founded their castle there.
From the 16th century, the power over Anguillara went to the Orsini family, and in the 17th century to the Mandragone family.
In 1872 the town took its present name “Anguillara Sabazia.”
