The Odescalchi Castle of Bracciano is one of the must-see spots if you fancy a day trip not far from Rome. Bracciano is about an hour from the capital and less than an hour from the port of Civitavecchia: perfect if you’re passing through or have a free day to fill.
I went in on a grey, melancholy day, which turned out to be the ideal weather for wandering through its huge, ancient halls. Because inside the castle of Bracciano you follow a route through centuries of history, one that tells the story of two of the most important families in Rome.
But why go in?
First of all because even today the castle keeps its old structure almost intact. And then because it remains one of the most fascinating historic residences in Europe, overlooking Lake Bracciano, in the heart of the Roman Tuscia, wrapped in walls and stern towers.
And there’s more!
Beyond its history, this is one of the most striking places in town: the view over the lake is simply magnificent, and the castle is made even more romantic by the climbing plants that in places wrap it completely.
In short, if you’re planning a trip to one of Italy’s most beautiful lakes, you can’t miss the chance to step inside Bracciano Castle.
Ready to discover more about this lovely castle near Rome?
Let’s go!
A short history of Bracciano Castle
The structure you see today was built by the Orsini family from 1470, when Napoleone Orsini began the works, incorporating the pre-existing Rocca dei Vico, the former lords of the Tuscia. The project was then completed by his son Gentil Virginio Orsini by 1485. The result is a fortress with an impregnable look and a pentagonal plan: standing at its feet you’ll notice the sheer scale of its three rings of walls and five towers, one for each corner of the outer fortification.
But the castle’s history was anything but simple.
Already in 1496 it drew the anger of Pope Alexander VI, at war with the Orsini: a papal army led by the pope’s son, Juan Borgia, laid siege to the fortress. Contrary to what you often read, though, the siege failed: the Orsini held out and, at the battle of Soriano in early 1497, came out on top. Even Cesare Borgia’s later attempt failed to take the castle, which stayed in Orsini hands.
In 1558 the powerful Paolo Giordano I Orsini married Isabella de’ Medici, daughter of Cosimo I, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and received the title of Duke of Bracciano. Some of the finest decorations date from this period: the fifteenth-century frescoes by Antoniazzo Romano with the cycle on the noblewoman’s life and, in the rooms that hosted Pope Sixtus IV, those by the brothers Taddeo and Federico Zuccari.
A little over a century later, the castle changed hands. With the Orsini of Bracciano line extinct, in 1696 the fortress was sold to Prince Livio I Odescalchi, nephew of Pope Innocent XI. It is the Odescalchi who still own it today.
That the castle is now open to the public, though, we mostly owe to the nineteenth-century works that began turning it into a museum. It was then that it started housing important period collections, including a beautiful set of antique arms.
What’s inside Bracciano Castle
I visited the interiors of Bracciano Castle myself and was really struck by them. You cross the various state rooms up to the great hall, passing among frescoes and antique furnishings. The paintings on the walls speak of the people who lived here and the nobles who were guests: every corner has its own little story to tell.
Even today the castle holds an important collection of art objects, begun by Baldassare Odescalchi towards the end of the nineteenth century.
But which are the most important pieces?
Among the most curious are a rare sixteenth-century hourglass and the busts of the twelve Caesars, along with the frescoes and family portraits that decorate the main halls. The most precious decorations, as I mentioned, are signed by Antoniazzo Romano and the Zuccari brothers.
Finally, don’t forget to look up: the wooden ceilings, finely frescoed and largely reworked in the nineteenth century, will leave you speechless.
The bloody legend of Bracciano Castle
Want to hear the legend of Bracciano Castle?
The story goes that Isabella de’ Medici, wife of Paolo Giordano Orsini, often betrayed her husband with young lovers and that, once the affair was over, she got rid of them by dropping them through a trapdoor in the floor. The trapdoors have never been found, so it’s almost certainly just a legend, the kind that makes the castle’s charm even darker.
There is a kernel of truth to it, though. Isabella really did die in tragic circumstances: on 16 July 1576, not here at Bracciano but at the Medici villa of Cerreto Guidi, in Tuscany, during a hunting stay. The official version spoke of a sudden fit, but almost no one believed it: the reconstruction accepted by historians is that she was strangled by her husband, perhaps out of jealousy (the sources point to an affair with Troilo Orsini, Paolo Giordano’s cousin, later murdered in Paris), perhaps on the orders of her brother, Grand Duke Francesco.
Oh, and they say Isabella’s ghost still drifts through the castle’s rooms!
Famous weddings at Bracciano Castle today
Bracciano Castle, besides being open for visits, also hosts society events, banquets and above all weddings.
Among the most famous are that of Eros Ramazzotti and Michelle Hunziker in 1998 and, in November 2006, that of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, who apparently even tried to buy the whole castle. Long before them, in 1979, director Martin Scorsese and Isabella Rossellini were married here too.
Where it is and how to get there
The castle is in Bracciano, about 40 km north-west of Rome, on the shores of Lake Bracciano (the ancient Lago Sabatino).
- By train: regional trains to Viterbo leave from Roma Ostiense or Roma San Pietro and stop at Bracciano; the trip takes just over an hour, and the station is a short uphill walk from the old town and the castle.
- By car: from Rome it’s about an hour along the Via Braccianese (SS493) or the A12 motorway.
If you don’t have a car and want to combine it with the lake and the nearby villages (Anguillara and Trevignano), the easiest option is a tour or day trip from Rome, which includes transport and saves you juggling train times.
Practical information
The full ticket costs €10; the reduced adult ticket is €9, and the one for children aged 6 to 12 is €8. Every Sunday and on public holidays the Odescalchi Foundation offers a free optional guided route, very handy for finding your way around the rooms.
The opening hours (checked for 2026) are: Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 18:00 (last entry at 17:00), and Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 10:00 to 19:00 (last entry at 18:00). The castle is open every day except 25 December, but hours can change on days with private events: it’s always worth checking the official website before you set off.
If you enjoyed Bracciano Castle and love day trips out of Rome, in the same corner of the Tuscia you’ll find two more gems nearby: the Park of the Monsters at Bomarzo and the Farnese Palace in Caprarola. And if you prefer archaeology, there’s always Ostia Antica and Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli.
So, when will you go and discover the castle and its ghost?
