a day out

Civita di Bagnoregio: Lazio town that refuses to die

Each summer Italian and international animators, cartoonists, illustrators and street artists descend on the spectacular mediaeval hilltop town of Civita di Bagnoregio in the province of Viterbo, 110km north of Rome. Entitled La Città Incantata (The Enchanted City), the annual event is designed to “save” Civita from its impending demise.

Perched on exceptionally unsound foundations, the hamlet has gradually been reduced due to centuries of earthquakes and landslides which have chipped away at its soft volcanic base. The original town centre remains intact, however, surging out of the desolate Calanchi valley whose chasms and chalky cliffs resemble a mini-Grand Canyon.

Dying town

Christened La città che muore by the Civita-born writer Bonaventura Tecchi, this “dying town” has long been condemned by authorities over fears that its collapse into the valley is not only probable but inevitable. Today the town’s community has dwindled to just ten permanent residents, although that number increases to around 100 during the summer months.

UNESCO appeal

In 2015 the Lazio region’s governor Zingaretti launched an online appeal, calling on UNESCO to recognise Civita as a World Heritage Site. Zingaretti stated that Civita is “now in extreme and urgent need of main-

tenance unless we wish to deprive ourselves forever of a sentinel of our cultural history, a piece of our heritage.” The campaign, which if successful would ensure a steady flow of conservation funding, has since registered more than 35,000 signatures, including those of former Italian president Giorgio Napolitano, film directors Bernardo Bertolucci and Giuseppe Tornatore, writer Andrea Camilleri, playwright Dario Fo, and composer Ennio Morricone. Zingaretti also saw that Lazio injected €1.2 million in shoring up the town’s shaky foundations to protect it from the erosion that “threatens its very survival.”

The concept of saving Civita, however, predates Zingaretti’s appeal by several centuries. Records show that the townspeople were taking precautions as far back as 1373 when the digging of caves was banned, along with grazing beneath the town’s cliffs, whose bedrock comprises a 60-m thick layer of tufa over an unstable base of clay and sand. Local church authorities saw the writing on the wall by 1699, transferring their diocesan base to Bagnoregio, followed by a mass evacuation of residents in 1819. More recently, the town in 1988 saw the birth of the Associazione Progetto Civita, an association of public and private institutions that has grown into a major cultural force, organising exhibitions in Italy as well as helping to promote the conservation of Civita itself. Over the last decade, geologists have drilled horizontal steel rods or “anchors” deep into the valley floor, which in turn are attached to plates on the cliff face, as well as filling cracks and emptying recesses of water.

Etruscan heritage

The town is about 1,200 years old but its origins date back to the sixth century BC and the Etruscans, whose caves can still be visited. Although Stone Age artefacts have been discovered in the area, there are no human traces from the subsequent Bronze Age. Experts believe this is due to the frequent volcanic activity in the surrounding region around Monti Volsini – a minor mountain range in north Lazio – which led to the formation of the crater we know today as Lake Bolsena.

Between the fifth and eighth centuries, Civita was almost continually subjected to siege, changing hands numerous times. It was first occupied by the Goths, then the Byzantines, followed by the Lombards, before becoming part of the Papal States in 774. It is also the home of the Franciscan saint Bonaventure, considered one of the greatest philosophers of the Middle Ages, whose birthplace and monastery seem to have disappeared into thin air.

Civita today

Modern-day Civita is not easy to reach, particularly by public transport, but like all good things it is well worth the effort. To access the town visitors must cross a steep, 275m-long footbridge from neighbouring Bagnoregio, located 1km to the east. There is a €5 charge to cross the valley, payable on the Bagnoregio side, and it is not uncommon to see less courageous people being led across with their eyes closed. Built in 1965, the concrete structure replaced a temporary wooden version constructed after German troops blew up the existing masonry bridge in 1944.

Those in the tourism business wax lyrical about Civita, and it is easy to see why. It is beyond idyllic. The first glimpse of the town from the viewing point across the valley is jaw-dropping. Hydrangeas and geraniums

tumble over its meticulously-kept stone footpaths; the lunchtime hum of conversation and clinking cutlery is offset by the cicada buzz rising from the valley below. Its beauty has caught the imagination of artists and filmmakers, notably Japan’s Hayao Miyazaki, who drew inspiration from Civita for his 1986 animated movie Laputa: Castle in the Sky, and Italy’s Alberto Sironi, who chose the hilltop town as the setting for his 2009 film Pinocchio, starring Bob Hoskins.

The official travel guidebook uses effusive terms to describe Civita, “surrounded in a fog of unreality” as if “an island in our memory or a figment of our imagination.” However despite Civita being promoted as the “hidden pearl in the heart of Lazio”, the reality is that the town’s supposedly secret status is long gone. One senses that visiting the place a couple of decades ago may have been more of an adventure.

Civita has successfully branded itself, making much of its locally produced food and wine, and even has its own craft beer label. A sign on the door of Trattoria Antica Forno states: “The Rick Steves readers are welcome!” while the people behind the Acqua di Civita range of perfumes and soap boast of international sales and requests to launch their products in London and Tehran.

Neither is Civita unique among northern Lazio “ghost towns” condemned for safety reasons – Calcata being the most obvious comparison. Like Calcata, Civita has no cars, post office, supermarket or pharmacy. However, unlike Calcata, which is relatively down-at-heel, Civita is twee and manicured, offering picture-postcard material at every turn. It also has the slick stamp of marketing all over it.

The town’s unpaved main square, Piazza S. Donato, until the 1960s catered for a large circular olive oil press, operated by donkeys. These days the animals still make an appearance in the piazza for the traditional donkey race, known as the tonna, a popular spectacle held in June and September each year. The piazza is also home to the S. Donato church, founded in the eighth century on a pre-existing Roman temple. Its walls are dotted with shrines and reliquaries, including a gold and silver arm containing bones of S. Bonaventura.

GETTING THERE

The best way to reach Bagnoregio from Rome is to make the roughly 1.5-hour journey by car, taking the Orvieto exit off the A1 motorway. Trains depart from Roma Termini to Orvieto whose station is connected to Bagnoregio by Cotral bus. It is also possible to reach Bagnoregio by Cotral bus from Viterbo Porta Fiorentina (train from Roma Ostiense) but the Orvieto option is less complicated. The coaches are not very regular so check times before travelling. Orvieto is 20km away from Bagnoregio, Viterbo 30km, but both bus trips take about an hour.

Beaches near Rome

For all you beach-lovers here is a selection of resorts within easy reach of Rome. Each one, ordered from north to south, offers either stabilimenti (private beaches with entrance fees and changing facilities and refreshments) or spiaggia libera (free beach with the option to rent a lounge chair and/or umbrella), and all have children’s facilities. We have indicated how to get there by public transport, as all these towns suffer from heavy traffic during the summer.

S. MARINELLA

The northern-most beach on our list offers a small strip of white coastline with the choice of setting up camp at either the stabilimenti or spiaggia libera. There are two trains per hour leaving from Termini station for S. Marinella station and the journey takes about one hour. Popular with wind-surfers, particulary in July for the annual surfing festival.

S. SEVERA

Located about 50 km north of Rome and less than 10km south of S. Marinella. Take one of the regular Civitavecchia trains from Rome and the beach is a ten-minute walk from the station. There are numerous stabilimenti, restaurants and spiaggia libera and it is also known for the Italia Surf Expo which takes place every July.

FREGENE

A former chic hotspot of the 1960s and 1970s, Fregene boasts long stretches of sand with both stabilimenti and spiaggia libera. Along the coast there is also a wide selection of family-oriented restaurants and less expensive tavole calde. Rome’s club scene tends to flock to Fregene and nearby Ostia (see below) in the summer months. Although Fregene isn’t the easiest place to reach by public transport, Cotral buses depart from Rome’s Valle Aurelia metro stop (line A) and the journey takes about one hour.

OSTIA/CANCELLI

Ostia and the Cancelli (gates) are along the coast nearest Rome. Ostia is loaded with often pricey and trendy stabilimenti, while the Cancelli offer free beaches equipped with restaurants and bathrooms. Public transport takes less than an hour and you can use the same metro/bus tickets for public transport in Rome. Take the 070 express bus from EUR, or the Roma-Lido train from Porta S. Paolo beside the Piramide metro station (line B). To reach the Cancelli get off at the last stop and take the 07 MARE bus until you reach the gates numbered 1, 2, 3 etc.

ANZIO/NETTUNO

These beaches are only ten minutes apart and are easily reached from Rome. One train per hour leaves from Termini station, stopping first at Anzio and then at Nettuno. The journey takes 60-70 minutes and the beaches are about a 10-minute walk from the respective train stations. Anzio has the Blue flag status given to beaches that meet the international quality standards for cleanliness both on the beach and in the water.

SABAUDIA

Famous for its beauty and spaciousness, this stretch of beach is another Blue Flag area. Although predominantly spiaggia libera, there are a few stabilimenti to choose from. Cotral buses run from Rome’s Laurentina metro stop (line B) to Piazza Oberdan in Sabaudia. From here take the shuttle bus which runs up and down the local coastline. Sabaudia is also known for its Mussolini-era architecture.

S. FELICE CIRCEO

Nearly 100 km south of Rome are the Blue Flag beaches and crystal clear waters of Circeo. Stabilimenti abound but look for the spiaggia libera nearest the port: it definitely merits the mini-trek. Cotral buses leave for Circeo from the Laurentina metro station in Rome. Get off at the last stop and walk for ten minutes until you reach the beach.

TERRACINA

Located just 10 km south of Circeo. From Termini station take the hourly regional train for Naples and get off at Monte S. Biagio. From there, take the bus for about 20 minutes until you reach the beach. Terracina has as many spiagge libere as stabilimenti and both are well-kept and clean, making it a popular destination for families.

SPERLONGA

The stabilimenti dominate this gorgeous getaway with picturesque views and Blue Flag status, leaving only narrow strips for the spiaggia libera. Take the regional train headed to Naples from Termini station and get off at Fondi-Sperlonga. Once there, take the Piazzoli bus for 20 minutes to Sperlonga, alternatively take a private taxi but be warned they are far more expensive than the €1.50 bus ticket.

GAETA

This Blue Flag area has a quaint mediaeval town to explore and clean beaches. From Termini station take one of the frequent trains headed towards Naples, get off at Formia and take the bus for another 25 minutes until you reach Gaeta. For more information about transportation consult the Cotral and Trenitalia websites www. cotralspa.it, www.trenitalia.it.