Velletri: Archaeology, Churches and Wine Tradition

Velletri enjoys a scenic location on the southern edge of the Colli Albani. For a trip to Italy, the town combines archaeology, churches, cultural spaces and a distinctive wine and food culture. Its attractions range from museums with family-friendly offerings to historic buildings and regional specialities.

Museums with Different Approaches

The Museo Geopaleontologico di Velletri extends across two levels and five sections covering an area of around 500 square metres. Tactile interpretation is at its heart, enabling blind visitors to explore the origins of the area as well. A walk-through reconstruction of a cave also brings the environment and way of life of people in the Palaeolithic directly into the museum space.

Family-Friendly Culture

Younger visitors will find the Itinerario Bimbi at the Museo Geopaleontologico, an illustrated tour at children's eye level. The content is presented in simple and entertaining language. The Museo Archeologico di Velletri also offers a child-friendly tour with illustrations, games and questions that encourage attention and curiosity. The ground floor and mezzanine of this museum are wheelchair accessible because architectural barriers have been removed. The educational programmes of the Musei Civici di Velletri include guided tours, workshops, excursions and special projects for children, families and pupils of all school levels.

Archaeology and Sacred Art

The Museo Civico Archeologico di Velletri preserves the oldest and most valuable historical and archaeological evidence from this area. Its collection includes the Sarcophagus of the Labours of Hercules, also known as the Velletri Sarcophagus. The current exhibition space of the Museo Diocesano opened in 2000 in the cloister of San Clemente Cathedral. The Museo Diocesano has a collection dedicated to sacred art, featuring paintings, liturgical vestments, goldsmiths' work and religious objects.

Churches, Gates and Historic Spaces

The first construction of San Clemente Cathedral dates back to the 4th century; it was built on the site of an ancient Roman temple dedicated to Mars. Its apse is decorated with recently restored 14th-century frescoes. Porta Napoletana is the only surviving gate in Velletri's historic ring of walls. On Piazza Cairoli, the church of Santa Maria del Trivio is flanked by a 50-metre-high tower in the Lombard Gothic style.

The Casa delle Culture e della Musica is located in the former 17th-century Convento del Carmine and brings its former monastic spaces to life with a wide range of cultural events. The complex includes an auditorium in the former medieval church of Sant’Antonino, dating from the 11th century, as well as a cloister and a refectory with restored frescoes and lunettes. The Orto del Pellegrino adds a small garden and beds of medicinal and aromatic herbs to this cultural space. The Casa Museo Ugo Tognazzi was the Velletri property where the actor lived with his family from the beginning of the 1960s until 1990.

Wine and Regional Cuisine

Velletri is a historic and highly regarded centre of wine production with a very wide variety of grape varieties. The traditional events calendar includes the Festa dell’Uva e del Vino in September. In April, events are held around the Carciofo alla Matticella. This is a Roman-style artichoke cooked over vine branches according to an old technique and seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, garlic and mint. In this way, local cuisine and wine tradition complement the museums and historic buildings with a distinctive culinary focus.

Other Places in the Same Travel Region

Castel San Pietro Romano, Torrita Tiberina, Castel Gandolfo, Villanova, Isola Farnese, Gavignano, Allumiere and Nemi

For the overview of the wider travel region: Rome.