Lake Albano, an Unexpected Beach Near Rome

Hot day in Rome? How about a day by the lake? Lake Albano is a lake in the hills about 12 miles from Rome in the area called Castelli Romani. It is about 170 m (560 ft) deep, and about 3.5 km (2.17 miles) long by 2.3 km (1.55 miles) wide. The lake is known for hosting the canoeing and rowing events of the 1960 Summer Olympic Games that were held in Rome. Lake Albano is a volcanic crater lake, and arriving from Rome by car you first get to the rim of what used to be a volcano and then start your descend towards the lake. There are several little towns around the lake area but the closest one, and probably the best known one is Castel Gandolfo, the home to The Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo, the pope’s summer residence and vacation retreat. There is also a train going to Castel Gandolfo with a train going every 60 minutes. The journey from Rome lasts about 40 min. There is plenty of parking around the lake but it usually fills up quickly and you can find yourself driving around the lake trying to find a spot where to leave the car. The parking will cost you 1.20 Eur per hour but if you pay 4.80 Eur you can leave your car parked all day. Along the lake shore there is a series of “stabilimenti" where you can get here everything you need for the day, sun beds, umbrellas and all sorts of drinks and snacks. The sand is black In character with the lake’s volcanic nature but the water is surprisingly clean. There are also grassy areas. To leave the lake area the road takes you to a tunnel drilled through the rim of a former volcano. The final impression is that a Lake Albano is a handsome little place, definitely worth a day trip. If you want to support my channel please subscribe and click on 🔔, 👍 and share.