The Secret Garden visit at Castello Odescalchi

Why it is on the list

The Orsini began the castle in 1470; the Odescalchi bought it in 1696 and still own it, and it is their private house, open to visitors.¹ Antoniazzo Romano painted the parade of Gentil Virginio Orsini in the Sala delle Armi, and after 1560, when Bracciano became a duchy, the Zuccari brothers decorated the main rooms.¹ The private visit takes the ordinary route of more than 20 rooms and adds two places the public does not see: the nuptial apartment of Paolo Giordano Orsini and Isabella de' Medici, whose frescoes tell their story, and the Secret Garden, a hanging garden over the lake laid out by Giacomo del Duca in the second half of the 16th century.²³⁴⁵¹

It is the wrong choice for a day spent outdoors; for that, take the Giardino di Ninfa. Anyone who only wants to see the castle needs no booking: the ordinary route is open every day but 25 December, with free guided tours at set times on Sundays and holidays.⁶⁷

How to get it

Write to the museum office at museo@odescalchi.it or call +39 06 99804348 or +39 06 99802379, and ask for the private visit of the castle, the Medici Orsini apartment and the Secret Garden.⁶² Only private guided visits have to be booked.⁷ The visit lasts about an hour and a half and can be given in English, French, Spanish or German.² The apartment visit can be booked on any day of the week, Monday included, when there is room.³ Opening hours change on days of private events, so fix the date and time in writing.⁶ The ordinary entry is EUR 10.⁶

Bracciano is about 30 kilometres from Rome.¹ By car, leave the ring road at exit 5, Cassia Veientana, then follow Cesano, Osteria Nuova and the SP Braccianese for 16 kilometres; from Fiumicino it is about 45 kilometres.⁸ The FM3 line from Roma Ostiense reaches Bracciano in about 60 minutes, roughly every 30 minutes on weekdays and hourly on holidays.⁸

Discretion

The castle's own staff lead the private visit, and the apartment and the garden are normally closed to visitors.²³ Visitors enter at Via Giulio Volpi 12; coaches set down on Via dei Pasqualetti, about 500 metres away on foot.⁶⁸ The castle is also hired for weddings and gala dinners, and hours change on those days.⁷⁶