Panettone, lasagne, pandoro and various toasts did their duty. Now we need to move, but without drama. No crowded gyms or impossible resolutions: all you need are comfortable shoes and a couple of free hours to discover beautiful places just a few kilometers from home.
Manziana Forest
From the main car park there is a wide and comfortable path that crosses the forest in a straight line for 3 kilometres. No strange curves or crossroads to decipher: you go forward and go back, period. The route passes between oaks, turkey oaks and hornbeams. Those who want to walk more can explore the secondary paths that enter the reserve, but to start again after the holidays the main route is perfect. You walk on soft ground, protected by the trees, and the forest air already does half the work.
Trevignano Romano lakefront
You park at the Trevignano cemetery and the walk along the lakeside starts from there. The route runs along the water with a view of Lake Bracciano and the mountains all around. On weekends there are markets where you can stop and look at something or have a coffee. The walk is flat, suitable for everyone, and the lake has a particular light in winter. You can walk as much as you want and turn back when you get tired. The fresh lake air cleans your lungs better than any gym.
Appia Antica Park
We start from Porta San Sebastiano, where there is also the Museum of the Walls with a stretch of walkway on the Aurelian walls. After the door there is the first milestone column of the Appian Way (it is a copy) and a little further on is the Church of Domine Quo Vadis, that of the legend of the meeting between Peter and Jesus. Continue along the private path of the catacombs of San Callisto up to the Basilica of San Sebastiano outside the walls, where there are the last Bernini and the arrow of the saint’s martyrdom. At the third mile, the Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella appears, symbol of the park: you visit the tomb, the Caetani castle and there is also a 3D experience. At 300 meters there is a bar for a break.
Before turning onto Via di Cecilia Metella it is worth walking a bit on the original paving stones of the Via Appia. At the end of the road, after the careful crossroads, take Via dell’Almone which leads to the gate of the Caffarella Valley. There are 190 hectares of state property which leads to Casale della Vaccareccia, an ancient sixteenth-century possession of the Caffarilli family.
The ancient beech forest of Monte Cimino
Monte Cimino is just over a thousand meters high but its beech forest is a UNESCO heritage site. It is a virgin forest that seems frozen in time, with the tallest beech trees in Europe, spectacular tuff boulders and water springs everywhere. The paths are all marked and quite simple to follow. You choose the one you prefer based on how much you want to walk. Beech trees produce beneficial effects on the human body, so it is the perfect place for forest bathing without too many worries, just breathing.
Veio Park
A ring that starts from Isola Farnese with an almost non-existent difference in altitude. You pass through chestnut, oak and holm oak woods with views that open up every now and then. The route passes through Campetti, the Antica Mola waterfall, the Sodo Bridge, the Campana Tomb and Monte Michele. Then you arrive at the Tumulo della Vacchereccia and descend towards the bridge over the Cremera stream. During the walk you come across Etruscan remains, ancient cisterns and traces of life from two thousand years ago. A complete tour in nature with history under your feet.
Bonus: Treja Valley, from Monte Gelato to Calcata
From Monte Gelato we set off towards Calcata passing through Mazzano Romano. The path crosses the forest between springs and streams of water, with a tributary that comes from the Fonte di Virginio. There are various ups and downs, nothing impossible but you need good shoes. After an hour and a half you reach Mazzano Romano, a village that deserves a stop. Continue along via del Lavatoio up to Treja, passing near the remains of the Faliscan temple of Monte Li Santi and the Mola di Magliano ditch. A kilometer further on there is a bridge that takes you under the Calcata cliff.
These walks are not about climbing peaks or breaking records. They are used to leave the house, move your legs, breathe clean air and see that a few kilometers from Rome there are places where traffic is just a memory. You start slowly, you walk without haste, you return home unloaded in the right way.
