Castel di Guido

Completely immersed in nature, the small Roman village is characterised by one of its greatest assets: the agricultural estate, characterised by large farmhouses still inhabited by the residents.
This is in fact the largest public farm in Italy, for which both Roma Capitale and the Lazio Region are responsible.
In addition to the non-intensive breeding of cattle belonging to the Maremma breed and the numerous organic crops of sunflowers and olive trees, the Agricultural Museum has been opened.
The latter houses a collection of tools, objects and images that will take you back to the rural life of the past.
Also worth a visit is the Church of the Holy Spirit, which stands on a Roman mausoleum from the 2nd century with a 16th-century façade. The building was entirely renovated in the 19th century.

What to do
If you visit the village of Castel di Guido you cannot miss the Villa delle Colonnacce, as it is one of the most important and beautiful imperial residences around Rome. At the time it was located at the 12th mile, it was the first post station on the Via Aurelia and was called Lorium. The stately home was decorated with paintings and mosaics and had a large agricultural estate with a wine and oil press.
The availability of water was guaranteed both by a cistern with two naves and by a basin to collect rainwater called impluvium. Finally, in the garden there is a portico supported by twelve columns.
This area overlooks a breathtaking panorama, from which you can take magnificent photographs.
If you want to visit the archaeological area, you have to ask permission from the Roman Archaeological Group, as it is not open to the public.

Another attraction worth discovering is the naturalistic oasis managed by Lipu, which opened in 1999. Here you can choose between the following two nature trails:
- Sentiero delle Rondini (Swallows' Path): this extends for 1.7 km and is particularly suitable if you are a beginner or do not wish to undertake a particularly demanding walk;
- The Allocchi Trail: slightly uphill, 3.2 km long and characterised by cork oaks and Turkey oaks, at the end of which there is a picnic area where you can rest and admire the beauty of the lake.

This route is anything but boring, as it allows you to get to know 527 types of plants.
To return to the starting point, you can take the dirt road to Le Pulcette (the shortest and most comfortable) or, if you want to extend your excursion, continue towards the Buforchetti valley and Via di Maccarese.
If, on the other hand, you dream of immersing yourself in authentic country life, you can book a visit to the Tenuta del Cavaliere.
Since this oasis of human-scale living is crossed by the Aniente, it seems to unwittingly want to curb urban expansion in favour of protecting biodiversity.
It is in turn divided into two separate areas, the Tenuta and the Casale Lucernari di Tor San Giovanni, which is located in the heart of the Marcigliana Park and provides shelter for several horses.
Given the large number of animals, I recommend that you visit the area with caution, not to get too close to the animal pens and to stay within the marked trails.

Typicalities
At Castel di Guido you can buy many local gastronomic specialities, including organic mozzarella, Maremma meat, honey, jams, cereals, flours and many fruit and vegetables free of herbicides and pesticides.

Curiosity
The inhabitants of the village are so attached to agriculture that they have set up a veritable cemetery of disused work equipment. The place is as interesting as it is melancholic, conveying the strong link between man and his work in the fields.

Why visit
Castel di Guido is the ideal destination for a trip out of town, during which you can rediscover the typical landscapes of the Roman countryside dating back to the early twentieth century.
The authenticity of its environment has also favoured the presence of beech martens, hares, foxes, wild boars, badgers and Herman's tortoise.
In addition, unlike in other areas of Italy, the Tree Pipit and the Swallow have reached a fairly high density here.
It can therefore be described as a glimpse of the past in the city's frenetic modernity.