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Hidden Treasure of the Month!
January, 2005 - Civita di Bagnoregio
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Click images to see them full-size
Just over an hour north of Rome (or just fifteen minutes south of Orvieto, in the direction of Lake Bolsena) you can find one of the most evocative man-made sights in all of Italy... and yet very few people, even in Italy, are aware of its existence.
Civita di Bagnoregio, which bills itself today as "the dying city," is a small medieval town with a stable year-round population of 25 souls, but which explodes to more than 300 during the summer months!
 Mariella at the pedestrian bridge leading to Civita Bagnoregio
But it is neither its size nor its age which makes it so special... it is its actual physical location, perched on the pinnacle of a narrow, pointed plateau (1,440 ft. above sea level), which has been steadily eroding away over the centuries, and every time another piece of the ancient plateau plummets into the surrounding valley, another bit of this evocative city risks to disappear with it!
The site of an Etruscan settlement already almost 3,000 years ago, in a unique location easily defended from marauding armies, Civita suffered greatly from a seemingly endless series of earthquakes starting in the late 17 th century (more than ten of them over a sixty year period). During this period, many of its citizens moved across the valley to the "mainland," creating the more modern town of Bagnoregio... but a hardy few have always refused to leave, even still today!
 Building facade with nothing but blue sky beyond!
To enter the city gate today, you must go by foot across a modern, 900 ft. steel and cement bridge suspended over the valley floor (the original stone bridgeway was destroyed during World War II, and its rebuilt stone replacement then collapsed in a 1964 earthquake)... a breathtaking stroll back into another epoch. The walk is certainly worth your while (just don't look down on the way!), because the city is perfectly preserved in time. No traffic, just small stone paths that cut through the medieval stone neighborhoods... and you can even look through windows with no buildings behind them, since they have already been eroded into the valley! A truly unique experience.
One of our favorite places to stay nearby is located in the countryside, mid-way between Orvieto and Civita, and is called the Locanda Rosati.
 View of Locanda Rosati from back garden
As Nicole Franchini has described in the Karen Brown guide, "Giampiero and his sister, Alba, with their respective spouses, Luisa and Paolo, sold their cheese production business in Lucca and returned to Orvieto to transform the family farmhouse into a bed & breakfast. The results are splendid and guests, taking priority over the agricultural activity in this instance, are treated with extra-special care. The downstairs common areas include two cozy living rooms with fireplace and a large stone-walled dining room divided by a brick archway leading down to the "tufo" stone cellar. Seven bedrooms upstairs (one with access and bathroom for the handicapped) have been decorated with an animal theme evident in the carvings on the bedboards and lamps. Three more bedrooms were added for guests on the top floor with mansard ceilings, leaving the entire home to the bed and breakfast business. Although the house is right on the road, most rooms face the countryside in the back where a large open lawn space leads to the inviting swimming pool. Paolo produces appetizing pastas, soups, and other specialties - all served family-style - and are written up in a recipe book for guests."
 Mariella with Giampiero
To learn more about what this varied region has to offer - including our favorite local restaurants and other charming accommodations options - just call or e-mail Mariella.
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