Marino is the Castelli Romani town most famous for a single annual event: the Sagra dell'Uva (the Grape Harvest Festival, held the first Sunday of October), during which the central town fountain (the Fontana dei Mori, a 17th-century baroque fountain in the main piazza) is converted to flow with white wine rather than water for the duration of the festival, a tradition that has continued with varying regularity since 1925 and that draws approximately 100,000 visitors to this hill town of 40,000 inhabitants on its specific October Sunday. The rest of the year, Marino is a pleasant Castelli Romani hill town 25km southeast of Rome with the specific qualities of this volcanic hill zone: the Frascati-adjacent wine tradition (the Marino DOC white wine, produced from Malvasia di Candia and Trebbiano grapes on the volcanic soil of the Castelli hills), the view over the Lago Albano (the crater lake below Castel Gandolfo), and the Roman tunnels beneath the historic center.
How do you want to see it?
Lazio, ItalyCompare the same experience on GetYourGuide and Viator, save what you like to My Trip, share it, and book when you’re sure. Nearest to this page first.
Marino: What to Know
The Sagra dell'Uva: Logistics and Reality
The Marino Sagra dell'Uva (first Sunday of October, in 2026, October 4) is simultaneously the most photographically compelling Italian wine festival and the most logistically challenging. The fountain wine: the Fontana dei Mori in Piazza Matteotti flows with the new Marino white wine for 3-4 hours on the festival Sunday afternoon. The crowd gathered around the fountain (thousands of people with plastic cups, many in historical costume representing the medieval or Roman past of the Castelli) is dense enough that reaching the fountain requires arriving by 11am and positioning early. The wine is free (poured from the fountain). Additional glasses are sold at the festival stalls for €1-2. The transport: Marino is accessible by regional train from Roma Termini (Marino Laziale station, 30-40 minutes) or by COTRAL bus from Anagnina Metro A terminus (40 minutes). On Sagra Sunday, both train and bus frequency is significantly increased. Expect crowds on all services.
Marino Wine: The Castelli Romani DOC
The Marino DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) white wine is produced from the volcanic soils of the Castelli Romani hills, the same geological origin that produces the Frascati DOC (the most famous Castelli Romani wine) in the adjacent territory. The Marino wine is typically made from Malvasia di Candia, Trebbiano Toscano, and other permitted varieties in a style that is fresh, light, and specifically designed for the Roman table, the wine that accompanies the Castelli Romano lunch of porchetta (the herb-roasted whole pig of Ariccia), the abbacchio (the young Roman lamb), and the simple pasta dishes that define the informal trattoria (informal family-run restaurant) culture of the Castelli. Visit the cantina sociale di Marino (the cooperative winery that produces the festival wine and sells directly at cellar door prices) for the most economical entry to the Marino wine tradition.
Q&A: Marino and Castelli Romani
Can I visit the Castelli Romani as a day trip from Rome?
Yes, the Castelli Romani circuit (Marino, Castel Gandolfo, Frascati, Grottaferrata, Nemi, Ariccia) is one of the classic Rome day trips, accessible by the Frascati regional train line from Roma Termini (Frascati, 30 minutes. Castel Gandolfo, 40 minutes via the Albano line) or by car via Via Appia Nuova. The specific day trip recommendation: the Castelli circuit by car combining Castel Gandolfo (the Papal summer residence with the Lago Albano view), Ariccia (the Bernini-designed piazza and the porchetta capital of Lazio), and Nemi (the town above the Lago di Nemi famous for the Roman Festival of Diana and for the wild strawberries, fragole di Nemi, sold from June through August).
Internal Links
- Frascati and Castelli Romani Wine Circuit
- Italian Wine Festivals: The October Calendar
- Lazio in Autumn: October Beyond Rome
- Porchetta di Ariccia: Castelli Romano Street Food
- Lazio Natural Wine: The Volcanic Terroir
- Castelli Romani Villages: Beyond the Tourist Circuit
- Lazio Food: Rome to the Castelli Hills
