Civita di Bagnoregio

Trip to Civita di Bagnoregio, a unique place in Italy, where an old ancient town, currently populated by only 4-8 people, is built over the top of a flattened hill and is connected to the outside world by just a pedestrian bridge. Civita di Bagnoregio is called also "the dying town" because of the tremendous erosion problems due to the very peculiar volcanic origin of the place.

(Click on a picture to see an enlarged version)

Civita di Bagnoregio, Italy Civita di Bagnoregio, Italy

View onto Civita di Bagnoregio from the outskirts of modern Bagnoregio. The town was built on the top of a flat hill, a block of ancient volcanic stone laying over soft clay (for this reason there are tremendous erosion problems and the town is called "the dying town").

 

 

Civita di Bagnoregio, Italy

The town is surrounded by deep valleys on all the sides and is connected to the outside world by just a small bridge for pedestrians only. Because of the erosion and the logistic problems, only less than 10 people live permanently in Civita di Bagnoregio.

 

Civita di Bagnoregio, Italy
The main door accessing Civita di Bagnoregio.

 

Civita di Bagnoregio, homes made by volcanic stones Civita di Bagnoregio, homes made by volcanic stones
Civita di Bagnoregio, homes made by volcanic stones Civita di Bagnoregio, homes made by volcanic stones
Civita di Bagnoregio, homes made by volcanic stones Civita di Bagnoregio, homes made by volcanic stones

Views between the homes of Civita di Bagnoregio. They are built using tufa and other basaltic rocks, very common in the area, and making the same geological basement on which the town lays above. These rocks come from huge volcanic activity happened between 100000 and one million years ago.

 

San Donato church in central Civita di Bagnoregio, Italy
The San Donato church, in Civita di Bagnoregio's main square.

 

Clay formations in central Italy Clay formations in central Italy
Views on the landscape all around and on the clay formations, affected by heavy erosion.

 

The dying town of Civita di Bagnoregio, Italy The dying town of Civita di Bagnoregio, Italy
Other views on the unique town of Civita di Bagnoregio.

 

HOW TO GET TO CIVITA DI BAGNOREGIO

Surprising, at today (May 2008), there are no organized tours or transportation to this beautiful place, but only public buses taking about one hour and 15 minutes from the nerest cities of Orvieto and Viterbo, respectively 20 and 35 kilometers away. The only way to get here is thence to travel by train to Orvieto or Viterbo and then get a COTRAL bus to reach the modern Bagnoregio. From modern Bagnoregio there is a minibus service to Civita di Bagnoregio or you can walk all the way by yourself (is about 2.5 kilometers from COTRAL bus stop to the first viewpoint, and is a quite pleasant walk). For the full hinking tour of Civita di Bagnoregio, plus the walk from COTRAL bus stop, plan about 4 hours of time roundtrip. For information about how to get to Orvieto, one of the gateway city to Civita di Bagnoregio, please consult our Orvieto travel page.

 

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