A Day in a Dying City

Who hasn’t fantasized about the medieval life, wandering through stone villages, simple living, rustic and wholesome food. Ideally, we remain immune to ailments like consumption and plague. Outside Rome, beyond the Elysian fields, and through the La Valle dei Calanchi, Civita di Bagnoregio withstands the pressings of time atop a crumbling rock.

Accessible only by pedestrian bridge, the village stands alone atop steep ravines that dip into weaving canyons below. The city’s prolonged but imminent erosion gives it a rather dramatic image. Stacked atop steep cliffsides on all angles, Civita dramatically stands up against the expansive valleys beckoning below.

Formed 2,500 years ago by the Etruscans, ancient inhabitants who give Tuscia its name, Civita is known today as “The Dying City.”

What To See

A main point of reference in Civita is the Church of San Donato. The small Romanesque chapel invites quiet awe as light filters through delicate glass windows, illuminating religious relics and fresco remains.

While on the religious walk, follow the main road out of the square to venture beneath the cliff faces. Here you’ll find La Cappella della Madonna del Carcere. Hidden within what was originally an Etruscan-dug tomb, the underground worship site offers a look both at the village’s religious history and how drastically its buildings have integrated into the very cliffsides.

Whilst strolling through the streets, you’ll likely find your way to the Antico Frantoio, a 16th-century olive oil mill-turned restaurant that sells the agricola’s own olive oil and wine.

I imagine that centuries of candlelit dinners have been spent within the enchanting grotto. Even if you don’t stay for a drink, the owner, whose family has owned the mill for generations, is happy to offer a peek inside.

Where To Eat

As the warm smell of burning firewood drifts through alleyways, a meal made over open flame feels mood-appropriate. La Cantina di Ariana delivers with fire-grilled meats and vegetables in a rustic restaurant that matches the cozy, medieval atmosphere. Along with char-grilled meats, they cook up delicious regional dishes that change by the month to match seasonal availability. Local favorites include pappardelle al ragù bianco, cicorie fritte, and handmade ravioli.

During warmer months, they offer patio seating where you can watch the stray cats wander about, exchanging pets for food.

Should you be craving a simple and affordable place to post up, La Bottega del Nonno Leone makes fresh panini with locally supplied meat. They have a full drink selection from soda to craft beer and local wine.

Venture an hour outside the eternal city, and you’ll find one waiting to end. Until Civita officially returns to ruins, it remains as a relic of people from millennias past. From the innovative Etruscans, who dug the drainage systems to keep the city standing, to modern Italian construction and preservation initiatives that keep the city alive today. As long as it remains, Civita exists as a symbol of wonder, a revisitation to the idea that fantastical places still exist in this world.

Visitor Information

Open Daily 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Entrance Fee: €5

People still live here. Please respect that many of the beautiful places you’ll encounter and photograph are family homes passed down through generations. Treat them kindly.

All photographs by Alyssa Richter. Used with permission.