Central Italy Road Trip Itinerary

After picking up your campervan, get off the beaten path by driving east into the enigmatic region of Abruzzo. Dramatic mountains, vast valleys, and atmospheric abandoned hilltop hamlets await, forming what locals call “Italy’s last wilderness.”

Surely such a region deserves special attention on your Central Italy road trip! Stay at Sulmona, a little town in the Morrone massif, famous for its sugared almonds, and a perfect base for exploring the area. 

Steeped in myth, Abruzzo is believed to a land of ancient magic. Head to Scanno to see women in traditional costumes make lace by hand, and a lake that local legend claims was formed in a battle between a white witch and a sorcerer.

Or there’s Cocullo, with its bizarre snake festival. Spend a day or so hiking through the alpine meadows of the Majella National Park. Or maybe amp up the adrenaline with some moonlight whitewater rafting on the River Aventino.

From Abruzzo, head west on your Central Italy road trip to the more well-known Orvieto. Surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, Orvieto is easy to fall in love with.

Winding streets, pretty piazzas, and a glittering cathedral, it perches high above the plain, captivating and compelling. And, with its illusion of rising mysteriously out of the volcanic rock from which it was built, it’s also wonderfully creepy.

Visit the cathedral first. Then further back in time with a trip to the Museo Claudio Faina e Civico with its ancient Etruscan artefacts. Escape the Mediterranean sun with an exploration of subterranean Orvieto. 440 caves sit below the city’s streets, once used for everything from WWII bomb shelters to wine cellars.

And when you’re done with sightseeing, relax with a glass of Orvieto Classico, a wine famous since Roman times. Luca Signorelli, who painted the frescoes of the cathedral, was paid in Orvieto’s wine — maybe you’ll be inspired to paint a masterpiece after a few glasses too. 

Where do Romans go on holiday? There’s no punchline, sorry. The answer is actually your third Central Italy road trip itinerary destination, Lake Bracciano.

The second largest of Lazio’s volcanic lakes sits just under an hour north of Rome, a natural paradise perfect for luring city dwellers to the countryside. Sitting in an enormous volcanic crater, this isn’t a lake for adrenaline junkies — power boats are banned, for one thing. This is a lake for some serious kicking back and relaxing. 

Enjoy a peaceful canoe in the lake’s clear waters or take a lesson in sailing. For swimming and picnicking, head to Lungolago Argenti. And it’s not just the lake that’s charming. The town of Bracciano is just gorgeous.

Pay a visit to its impressive castle, Orsini Odescalchi, where Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes got married. Even if you couldn’t care less about celebrity gossip, this place still makes an impression.

Finales don’t come more fabulous than Rome. In history, art, architecture, food, and atmosphere, Rome goes above and beyond.

Iconic ancient ruins whose names — the Colosseum or Pantheon — are familiar to all of us occupy a city brimming with world-famous art by the likes of Michelangelo and Caravaggio. Each corner you turn reveals new wonders. To say it’s a cultural cornucopia would be an understatement.

Begin with a heady hit of religious magnificence at St Paul’s Basilica or the Sistine Chapel. Then explore some museums, perhaps changing it up with some contemporary art at the MAXXI exhibition space. Stroll streets thronging with vespas.

Perhaps enjoy a picnic in Villa Borghese. Then, when evening comes, wander bohemian Trastevere before enjoying an aperitivo in a streetside trattoria. Food is just as exceptional as you’d expect for Italy’s capital so be sure to try specialities like cacio e pepe, or artichokes cooked alla Romana.