Less than an hour from Rome in the heart of the Simbruini mountains there is a little-known lake that is simply breathtaking. Christal clear waters reach the lovely Lake San Benedetto from a small yet thunderous waterfall of the Aniene River. The color of the lake change, depending on the season and time of day from azure to emerald and the bright green willows, poplars, the immersion in the sounds of nature, as well as the sunlight filtering through the trees makes it a truly magical spot, an earthly paradise on the border with Ciociaria. A protected area between Rome and Frosinone.
The Aniene River runs from the Benedictine monasteries down to Subiaco. And it is from the Monastery of Santa Scolastica that starts the pleasant walk to reach the lake. After parking in the carpark by the monastery, it is possible to follow the 2-kilometers path that, from the San Michele church, arrives at the lake. It is possible to cover this distance in about forty minutes, but the last stretch is so beautiful that it is worth to walk slowly and breath in all of nature’s magnificence. Here the path descends to the river that is crossed by a wooden bridge from which to admire the water flowing under your feet. After a further 100 meters, there is Lake San Benedetto, in its enchanting and peaceful beauty.
The lake can also be reached from the remains of Nero’s villa, a wonderful testimony to the area’s ancient tourist vocation. In fact, the Roman emperor had a summer residence built here with a park that extended for about 75 hectares.
Ilona Catani Scarlett