Frascati

In 1943, Frascati, the seat of the German Field Marshal Kesselring, was heavily bombed by American aircraft targeting the German Mediterranean headquarters. Around half of its buildings were destroyed. Many people died in that air strike and in a second air strike on January 22, 1944, the day of the battle of Anzio . The city was liberated from German occupation on June 4, 1944. Although you probably won't notice it from a casual visit, Frascati is an important scientific center. It hosts Italy's National Institute for Nuclear Physics, the European Space Agency's Centre for Earth Observation, and the Spaceguard Foundation, which aims to protect the world from collision with objects in space.

Frascati is known for its Renaissance and Baroque villas built by noble Roman families as summer residences; the town is also home to the Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati of Italy's National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) and the European Space Agency's ESRIN Earth-observation center, though these are working research facilities rather than visitor attractions.

The town's many cantine (wine cellars) serve Frascati wine, a local specialty.

Frascati is known for the white wine of the same name, produced in the surrounding Castelli Romani hills.

Rome is a short distance away, as are the other Castelli Romani towns.