While my roommate was quarantining with Covid, I had a desperate urge to get out of Rome and soak up the beautiful sunny weather. So I, with a group of like-minded individuals, set off for Bracciano and the huge lake we saw from the Castello Orsini-Odescalchi. Our journey began at the Roma San Pietro train station where we caught the commuter train out of the city at 10:30. Only 40 minutes and 3 euros the train is an extremely convenient way to travel to the city.
From the train station, with a quick detour to the grocery store for provisions, we walked down the winding roads and staircases of Bracciano until we reached the lakefront. Along the beach was a wide range of restaurants, bars, and umbrellas for sale. Being college students, we settled for just sitting right on the piping hot sand. In the sand around us Italian beach-goers set up their own camps with blankets and bags of food. A flock of large swans were also gathered along the shore line. We carefully avoided these angry and somewhat aggressive birds while other beach-goers tempted them with bread for Instagrammable photos.
I had learned my lesson from the beach at Le Dispoli and slathered up in sunscreen as soon as I arrived. It was a gorgeous day and the sun beating down on us was promising to leave a mark. The water was cool and welcoming where the sun and sand promised to scorch our skin. The water was clear and fresh with a soft sandy bottom that extended out far from the shore. Out on the water were fleets of sailboats and stand-up paddle boats floating majestically below the castle. For the next few hours, we swam and splashed in the crisp water making the most of the gorgeous day. Renting a stand-up paddle board we glided along the surface, heading out to the deeper parts of the lake while continuing to sun ourselves. On shore, some read, some napped, while others swam. As the day progressed, we turned to the snacks we had purchased at the grocery store, only to find that their time on the beach had warmed everything. Carrots were described as baked, drinks reached tea temperatures, and bread went stale within a half hour. Still we persisted with our picnic, finding a bar nearby which gave me a free cup of ice to chill my drink with.
The first crew headed back to Rome around 4 pm, ready to dry off and get some work done. A second group, hoping to delay our return to Rome and to reality, remained at the beach for dinner. Despite the numerous options, finding a restaurant open before 7:30 was a challenge. We were the first customers of the day at an Italian seafood restaurant which gave us the energy we sorely needed to get back up the hill to the train station. Unfortunately, upon purchasing our tickets and looking for our platform we slowly came to understand that the trains were not running and instead a bus, leaving from some mysterious point of town would be our ticket back to Rome. After wandering the central piazzas looking for any information about the bus stop, we ran into a group of American students who had just happened to be coming from the stop we were searching for. With their directions we found the stop, only for the next two buses to not be headed towards Rome. As the time passed we were beginning to give up hope, unable to find any information, in person or online about the bus schedule. Then, from the darkness our hero emerged a bus directly to Rome stopping at each of the train stations along the way. Our trials and tribulations were not over yet, the curving, jerking, jolting, progress of the bus towards our destination threw Aidan’s stomach into a whirl and the next hour and a half was spent emptying a bag of chips in case of emergency and distracting him as best as possible.
We did finally make it to the A line, and then two stops to home where showers and bed were met with much joy. The day at the beach was fulfilling and rewarding in the best way but we were happy to be dry and safe in bed at the end. Even if my bed was the living room couch!