Parco Regionale dei Castelli Romani — Grottaferrata Trails
The Parco Regionale dei Castelli Romani wraps around Grottaferrata in a crescent of ancient volcanic forest, and the trail network that starts from the abbey's back walls gives you access to centuries-old chestnut groves, crater lakes and ridge paths with views that stretch to the Tyrrhenian Sea on the clearest days.
The chestnut forest loop
The most accessible trail from town is the Sentiero dei Castagni — the Chestnut Path — a 6 km circular route that climbs gently through woodland managed by the monks for centuries. In October the forest floor is carpeted in fallen chestnuts and the light through the canopy turns amber and gold; in spring the same path is lined with wild cyclamens and orchids.
The trail is well-waymarked with red-and-white CAI blazes and gains only about 180 metres of elevation, making it suitable for families with older children. Allow 2.5 to 3 hours at a relaxed pace, including stops at the two stone picnic areas maintained by the park authority.
Wildlife and volcanic geology
The park is home to roe deer, porcupines, hoopoes and — if you are very quiet at dusk — the occasional crested porcupine foraging along the path edges. The volcanic soil underfoot is a deep reddish-black and the trail occasionally crosses old lava flows from the Alban Hills supervolcano, now dormant for around 36,000 years but still geologically fascinating.
At the highest point of the loop, a natural clearing gives a direct line of sight to Monte Cavo — the highest peak in the Castelli Romani at 949 m — topped by the ruins of a Roman temple to Jupiter. The sight of ancient ruins crowning a forested volcanic peak, with Rome visible in the distance, is one of those views that makes Lazio feel genuinely extraordinary.
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