Hello friends. Today I'll share with you about a very interesting place I recently discovered. This place is incredible and unforgettable: Civita di Bagnoregio. Before heading to Latium my friends and I were researching interesting pictures and places. When we came across photos of Civita di Bagnoregio I expressed my desire to see it. Some time passed and I almost forgot about this wish. During our vacation in Montefiascone we remembered this place and planned a trip to Civita di Bagnoregio.
As we approached and encountered this extraordinary view the excitement within me was indescribable. Civita di Bagnoregio is located in the province of Viterbo, between the regions of Lazio and Umbria. It has been included in Italy's most beautiful "borgos" which are the most beautiful villages in Italy. Today this extraordinary, beautiful and surprising place is on the verge of extinction. Not exactly on the verge, perhaps it can stand for a few more centuries. This place is called a dying town. Due to deforestation, earthquakes, landslides and other disasters, the valley where Civita di Bagnoregio sits is rapidly sinking. As a result of this erosion the island settlement loses about 7 cm of land annually. It used to be larger, but over time, soil losses from the edges of the island have reduced its size. According to experts estimates, in 800 years neither its peak nor the village on it will remain. Unfortunately they will disappear forever.
The remnants of medieval houses, streets made of dark volcanic tuff stone, small squares filled with arched passageways and breathtaking views of the valley filled with tourists dazzle in this ancient island city. We started our tour from the belvedere point which offers a view of Civita di Bagnoregio. From here the valley's collapse can be clearly seen. The park here consists of erosion remnants. In some areas of this valley, neither trees nor shrubs grow, creating a kind of surreal, dark and inhospitable landscape. Witnessing this ancient island of life surviving amidst such a backdrop leaves a powerful impression on the mind. It's very memorable, making you want to be here and explore.
Among these red volcanic rock cliffs, entrances to ancient burial chambers hidden by moss and ferns can be found. You can reach the old town from the belvedere by a 15 minute walk. Passing by car or motorcycle is prohibited. Only local residents, municipal services and supply services can pass by car and only during limited time periods. Tourists need to buy a ticket to cross the bridge, which can be purchased at the ticket office at the bridge entrance or online. I recommend arriving early to avoid long queues. We arrived around 10 in the morning and crossed comfortably without a queue, but there was a huge queue when we returned.
If you have also stayed overnight in Civita di Bagnoregio and plan to stay here at night, you don't need to buy a ticket to cross the bridge. Walking across the bridge offers exciting views. As I walked across the bridge, I couldn't take my eyes off the view of this ancient village island for a moment. As you walk along the bridge this island unfolds from different angles and the panoramic view constantly changes. It was very fascinating to explore this scenery. However if you are traveling with children, it can be quite tiring for them.
Earthquakes and landslides continuously narrow the area of Civita di Bagnoregio. Some palaces, houses, churches and even parts of the city walls in the valley have collapsed. At the top of the city there used to be five gates in ancient times, but today only the Porta Santa Maria gate remains standing, now the only entrance point to the city. You can reach this gate from the bridge, which is also the symbol of Civita di Bagnoregio.
It's written online that there are only 11 local residents, which is due to the constant erosion of the hill and nearby valleys. This process is ongoing and the village is at risk of disappearing. After passing through the Porta Santa Maria gate we walked for a while. The atmosphere was very beautiful. Along our way we encountered some wonderful souvenirs.
Then we entered San Donato Church, located in San Donato Square. The main sacred relic of the church is a wooden cross. According to legend, in 1499 a plague epidemic engulfed the Bagnoregio region and a devout woman prayed by this cross every day. One day she heard that her prayers had been heard and that the epidemic would end soon. Indeed within a few days the epidemic ended. The woman passed away, but the plague came to an end.
We were struck by how the church roof was constructed. It was a flat roof, with beams and support structures, followed by a wooden grille with bricks laid on it. I had seen a similar roof type in Naples and the ancient papal castle in Montefiascone.
Civita di Bagnoregio is a wonderful village. Despite its small population it's very popular with tourists and visitors. It offers fantastic views from above.
We entered a cave house. It reminded me of the caves we visited in Matera. Various ancient plates, jars, urns and similar items were displayed here. There were also press machines for obtaining olive oil and underground tanks used for storage. By the way entry to such a museum was 1 euro.
Hydrangeas grow everywhere. They are really beautiful and I love how they look combined with the stone walls.
We went into Panificio. Delicious paninis are made here. Each one was around 5-6 euros. We got ourselves some paninis. Apparently we weren't the only ones wanting to eat paninis.
We set out to enjoy the magnificent view of Civita di Bagnoregio. Civita di Bagnoregio is such an incredible and surreal place that filmmakers love it and shoot different films here. As seen it's an amazing place, somewhat mystical, surreal and mysterious, perfect for interesting films.
We spent half a day here, as it's really a small area. And if you come here for a few hours, you can easily see everything, visit the museum, enter the church, have a snack.
Prices here may be slightly higher compared to other neighboring towns because almost nothing is produced here. They have to bring everything over the small bridge. Entrance tickets to Civita are 5 euros for adults and there's a booth just before the bridge where you can buy them online or here. Personally the walk through Civita di Bagnoregio left an unforgettable impression on me. Meditating and spending time in such an unusual environment, wandering, having dinner here really pleased me.
