Trevignano Romano by the TravelingGirlzz - A mother/daughter guide.

Written by: Elise & Kari, August 2022 Trevignano Romano is a small town located on the northern coast of Lake Bracciano, just outside of Rome. It is situated on the edge of the Sabatini mountains (low mountains of volcanic origin) and forms the top of a triangle of towns on the lake (Bracciano and Anguillara being the other towns). Trevignano has a somewhat different feel to it than Anguillara because of the extensive promenade along the lakeside in Trevignano. Like Anguillara, it also has a quaint old town but the old town of Trevignano is situated closer to the edge of the lake and not sitting high on the hill as it is in Anguillara or Bracciano. For people with mobility issues that want to be very close to the lake, Trevignano would be a better choice because it has a residential area very close to the beach and much flatter. That being said, we think we stayed on one of the steepest streets in Trevignano but it had a great view!

There are many restaurants in Trevignano that are directly on the path around the lake. It is a good habit to call ahead and make a reservation especially if you are having dinner later (like after 8 p.m.). Because this isn't a big tourist destination for non-Italians, there are not that many people who speak English giving visitors a good opportunity to practice Italian. The menus are mostly in Italian but with the help of Google translate, you can figure out most of it. There are a lot of different pasta and seafood dishes on the menus. There are also some good pizzerias on the lake as well. We like Le Ballon, directly on the lake for its delicious pizza and beautiful view.

Not speaking Italian should not deter you from visiting this town, however. The people are warm and friendly and are happy to share their beautiful village with visitors. They are curious when someone from the United States is there. Of all the places in Italy, why visit here when there is Lake Como, Venice, Florence, Rome, etc. Read a little more and we will share some of the magic of this town.

We would say that this beautiful lake and the ancient Etruscan spirit is a great reason to visit this town. The Etruscans pre-dated Romans by many centuries and contributed much to the culture of ancient Rome. In this area, you can find historical sites that date back to the 7th century BC! Trevignano is not too far from Sutri where you can see an amphitheater that could seat up to 7000 people!

Although the town is small there are still things to do! Have coffee or dinner by the lake, swim or take a boat ride...etc. If you have children, definitely go to Water World. There are a few beach clubs in Trevignano where you can rent umbrellas, chairs, paddle boards, and peddle boats with small slides attached to them. You don't have to specifically go to Water World to go to the lake, but we recommend it to parents who want to relax on a beach chair while their children get a lot of exercise. They have great life-guards who help things from getting too wild. There are a few really big inflatables to play on such as the moonwalk, orbit, and the anchor. Parents might also enjoy the ferry ride that takes you to the other two towns on Lake Bracciano. We found many ideas on this awesome website about Lake Bracciano written by our new friend, Fiona. We met Fiona for coffee and then again for an apertivo so that she could introduce us to other English-speaking people living in Trevignano.

As for the lake, it is beautiful. It is clear, deep, warm, and blue. On a very sunny day, the water looks turquoise. The water is calm in the morning but in the afternoon the wind picks up. The windsurfers are out and about. No matter what time of the day, the water is a great place to be given how hot it is in the summer here!

Another thing to do is walk up the hill to the castle ruins. We did this in the middle of the day, which isn't the best idea considering the intense sun but in the evening, you would have a beautiful view of the sunset and the lake. It is a long and winding path to the top which involves many steps and a lot of exercise. Bring water because there are no fountains along the path.

If you're visiting Rome, you can hop in a car and you'll be there in roughly an hour. There is no train station to Trevignano, so if you don't have a rental car or want to pay 100 Euro for the cab ride then we recommend you can take a train to Anguilara or Bracciano and take the ferry to Trevignano. Just be mindful of the ferry schedule so you don't stuck in Trevignano with no transportation or place to stay! Definitely check out Fiona's website for more transportation details.

For great coffee, gelato, or frozen yogurt, go to Bar "Il Gabbiano". It is located directly on the lake and has beautiful views and a great breeze most of the day! It is open from early in the morning to late in the evening. Try their delicious frozen yogurt. It's our favorite :)

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