Our weekend oasis
Lago di Martignano
Urban dwellers always feel the need to escape the city at weekends, or at least one day a week. Living in central Rome, we have the perfect oasis less than a hour’s drive: lake Martignano. Located next to Lake Bracciano, its bigger and better known neighbour, it is Rome’s breath of oxygen. Both lakes are emergency water reservoirs for the city, and for that reason, all motor boats are forbidden. As a result, they are clean and peaceful. Martignano in particular is very special because it is so hidden, so only the people who carefully look for it will find it. There is no road leading to it, but a dirt track going through fields and woods. It doesn’t even have coordinates on the GPS system. Once arrived, cars have to be parked and visitors need to walk down about a kilometre to reach the lake, which can be a deterrent for some: it is the steep walk back up they usually dread! But even that walk is part of the experience and helps make Martignano what it is. The atmosphere by the lake is so relaxed that it is hard to believe one is so close to a major city; and to add to the picture, the little beach by the lake is always shaded which is a pure joy in high summer. The best moment there is early evening dinner when the temperature gets mild and the local beach bar starts barbecueing arrosticini, the locally well known lamb kebabs. One does not want to go back to the city.
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