Bracciano and countryside

For our second port day in Civitavecchia, we decided to forego Rome and enjoy a relaxing day in the countryside. We chose the DCL excursion Bracciano and Wine Tasting even though we aren't wine drinkers because it would allow us to see a bit of the area and also sample local foods.

The tour began with an hour's drive from the port to the town on Bracciano. We stopped along the way for a picture of the castle from afar to get a feel for its majesty and vastness because once we were in town, we could see some of the castle area but did not have time to explore it. Half of the castle is a museum. We did, however, have time to walk around the town and take some pictures. I loved the one doorway framed with vines and flowers. We have seen a lot of that during our time in both France and Italy.

After we left Bracciano, we went to a winery, Casale Cento Corvi, where a wine tasting had been prepared for our group by the local owners. They had a variety of first course foods which I am sorry to say I forgot to take a picture of, but included fresh baked bread slightly toasted with olive oil, a cheese made locally at the winery, that really thin sliced salty meat they like to serve, and a cup with what appeared to be lentils with a small shrimp on top... All were very delicious. I skipped the wine, but my fellow excursionists declared it to be a good sampling. They also sell jams and preserves that they make, so I picked some up to being home.

The flowers in the bottom right are from the winery. This is such a beautiful time of year, and the weather was a bit cooler than it has been, so that made for a pleasant outing. I enjoyed getting to know more of our cruise mates during our hour visit at the winery.