Palestrina
A modern town built inside the terraces of an enormous Roman sanctuary, which you only see once somebody points at the streets.
6 days outthe nearest is a 53 min drive from Rome
Praeneste held one of the largest sanctuaries in the Roman world, stacked up the hillside in ramps and terraces. The town that came afterwards used them as foundations, so the shape of the place is the shape of the sanctuary: the curved street is a curved terrace, and the palace at the top sits where the temple was.
That palace is Barberini and holds the Nile mosaic. Two of the old gates still stand, the cathedral is at the bottom of the hill, and the whole thing is close enough to Rome to be a morning rather than a day.
Best fit for this section first, then whatever you can book today. Closest to Rome breaks a tie. Never by who pays us.
On the trailModern Palestrina is built on and around the terraces of ancient Praeneste.
See the day
On the trailA private Barberini residence above the sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia, from the Ninfeo to the Salone di Urbano VIII, opened to the public on one Sunday a month by guided tour.
A sports club — you join them for the day
See the dayBest fit for this section first, then whatever you can book today. Closest to Rome breaks a tie. Never by who pays us.
In the old stonesA Romanesque basilica at Palestrina.
Free — nothing to pay
Just turn up
See the day
In the old stonesA city gate in Palestrina.
Free — nothing to pay
Just turn up — open air, any hour
See the day
In the old stonesA town gate in Palestrina.
Free — nothing to pay
Just turn up — open air, any hour
See the day
In the old stonesAn archaeological site at Palestrina, from the second century BC.
Free — nothing to pay
Just turn up
See the dayGetting there
The day stays yours: you leave when you want, stop where you want, and come back when the light goes.
Affiliate link — you pay their price, never more, and they pay us. You book with Localrent, and anything about that booking goes through them.
See prices on LocalrentNo parking to find, no wrong turns, and you leave when the day is done.
Affiliate link — you pay their price, never more, and they pay us. You book with Welcome Pickups, and anything about that booking goes through them.
See prices on Welcome PickupsLinks marked affiliate pay us a commission — you pay the operator's own price and we never take your money. How we rank