Located less than 2 hours away from Rome, Civita di Bagnoregio is the picture perfect village. Perched upon a hill of tuff in the Tiber River valley in northern Lazio, it seems to exist in another realm, out of time and place of today’s modern era. A visit to Civita di Bagnoregio will show you once again how culture and history persists in every corner of Italy.
Originally founded by the Etruscans 2,500 years ago and then largely abandoned in the 16th century due to corrosion, Civita di Bagnoregio has been nicknamed “La città che muore” (in Italian), or “The Dying Town” in English. That’s because its plateau of friable volcanic tuff where it’s built, it is constantly being eroded by two small torrents, the rain and the wind. Just a few residents live here year-round, but Civita di Bagnoregio is becoming a very popular attraction in the recent years. The increase in tourism is helping to bring the town back to life and authorities are now trying to save the town from its sad destiny.
How to get there?
Perfect location for a day trip from Rome. Civita di Bagnoregio is only 125 km away from Italy’s capital city. The best way to get there is by car, as it takes less than 2 hours and there are cheap parking all around the town. From the car parking (which costs 2€ per hour) there is a 10 minutes’ walk to reach the entrance of Civita di Bagnoregio.
Alternatively, if you don’t have a car, you can take the train from Rome to Orvieto, and then a Cotral bus from Orvieto to Civita. Make sure to check the timetable of the bus as it is not frequent and may not run on Sundays.
Entrance fee to visit Civita di Bagnoregio
ou can see a small kiosk on the left hand side, right before the beginning of the pedestrian bridge. That’s the ticket booth. A ticket costs 5 € and you can purchase it there, or reserve it online here.
Now cross the long pedestrian bridge and spend some wonderful hours in this picturesque small town.
What to do in Civita di Bagnoregio?
Stroll around the Old Town
Tiny and very beautiful, it doesn’t take long to walk around Civita di Bagnoregio. Get lost in the narrow streets and admire the old buildings and the architecture.
Take great pictures
As I mentioned before, Civita di Bagnoregio is a truly perfect spot if you like to take photos. Don’t miss the one from the pedestrian bridge and from the view point on the other side of the valley.
Plus when walking around Civita, you will find some great spots to enjoy the surrounding landscape.
Taste the “Ricotta as an Ice-Cream”
Very interesting meal that I only found during my visit to Civita di Bagnoregio, is the “Ricotta as an Ice-Cream”.
It is a soft local sheep’s milk cheese (ricotta), served as an ice-cream, with several ingredients to add on top: honey and cinnamon, hazelnut, coffee, chocolate, etc… – Super tasty!
I really enjoyed my visit to Civita di Bagnoregio, and I’m sure you’ll do the same. Italy is a wonderful country and has so many small villages full of culture and history to be discovered.
If you haven’t visited Rome yet, make sure to read my 22 Unmissable things to do in Rome!
After Civita di Bagnoregio I continued my road trip to reach San Marino, another picturesque place built on top of a hill. Check out my trip to San Marino to discover its interesting history. Recognized as the world’s Oldest Republic, it is the 5th smallest country in the world, entirely surrounded by Italy. Check out the article!
If you enjoyed the article share it with your friends.
0 Comments
Trackbacks/Pingbacks