The Bridge and the Village
2 hAll ages
Walk across the 1965 bridge to Civita, the Etruscan village on an eroding outcrop; €5 entry and about two hours for the visit.
From €5
Book
AccessOn foot only, over a bridge
Entry€5
Minimum time2–3 hours
Overall difficultyMedium: the bridge slope
There is an entry fee. €5 per person, online or at the ticket offices before the bridge. Free for children under 6 and residents.
What to do
What to do in Civita di Bagnoregio
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
Geological and Landslide Museum
45 minFamilies
Small interactive museum in Civita's Palazzo Alemanni explaining erosion, the calanchi and landslides; about €3, on top of the entry ticket.
From €3
How to do it
Bagnoregio Viewpoint and Its Old Town
30 minWith a pushchair
Free view of Civita and its bridge over the calanchi from the Belvedere park in Bagnoregio, a 15-minute walk from the car park.
Plan the trip
Civita di Bagnoregio, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Civita di Bagnoregio
Spring and autumn. With mist in the valley, first thing in the morning, the village seems to float. In summer and on Sundays there are queues at the bridge by mid-morning.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Who you're with
Civita di Bagnoregio for whoever you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
A Bridge over the Void
Crossing the footbridge to a village that is falling down is an adventure for any child. The final climb is tiring, but short.
- What works bestThe bridge and the village…
- Where to sleepSimple rooms inside the village
- Where to eatHouse chicken and pasta in…
- Keep in mindUnder-6s free
What works best
- The bridge and the village streets
- The landslide museum, which explains it
- The Bagnoregio viewpoint, with no hills
- An afternoon swim in Lake Bolsena in summer
Where to sleep
- Simple rooms inside the village
Where to eat
- House chicken and pasta in the trattorias on the square
Keep in mind
- Under-6s free
- Pushchairs are difficult on the ramp: a baby carrier is better
- In the midday sun the bridge has no shade
What to do as a family
Where to stay
Where to stay in Civita di Bagnoregio
Corte della Maestà
Why we like it: For sleeping inside the village when everyone else leaves. A few carefully kept rooms in a historic house.
Country house
Antico Forno Rooms
Why we like it: Simple rooms above the trattoria, on the square. The budget way of staying on the outcrop.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Civita di Bagnoregio
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
Since 1968
Simple
Trattoria Antico Forno
What to order: homemade pasta and local dishes.
Alma Civita
What to order: Lazio cooking in a room dug into the tuff.
April to October, lunch every day except Tuesday and dinner at weekends; November to March, lunch Friday to Sunday and dinner on Saturday. Few seats: book
Map
Everything on the map
Turn on the layers you want and tap a point to see its details.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Nearby
Near Civita di Bagnoregio
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
42.72° N · 12.11° E
Orvieto
Car-freeBy carBy plane
42.56° N · 11.93° E
Lake Bolsena and Tuscania
By planeBy car
42.42° N · 12.11° E
Viterbo and Villa Lante
By carBy plane
42.41° N · 12.24° E
Caprarola and Bomarzo
By planeBy car
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Arrive before ten
Groups from Rome arrive mid-morning and queue at the bridge.
- 2Take your photo from the Bagnoregio viewpoint
The classic view, with the bridge and the village above the void, is from the Bagnoregio side.
- 3Stay the night
In the evening, when the day trippers leave, Civita goes back to being a village with about ten residents.
- 4Wear comfortable shoes
The last stretch of the bridge is a very steep ramp.
Local tip
Look at the valley in the mist. In autumn and spring, first thing in the morning, the calanchi disappear and only the crag emerges.
We'd skip it
A Sunday in May at midday. A queue at the ticket office, a queue on the bridge and the village's four streets full of people.
Why is it falling apart?
The village is built on volcanic rock, tuff, which rests on soft clays. Rain and streams carry away the clay at the base, the tuff loses its support and breaks off in pieces. Over the centuries the crag has thus become isolated and narrow, and the path that joined it to Bagnoregio collapsed. Today you reach it only by a pedestrian footbridge that crosses the void.
Around it lies the Valle dei Calanchi, a valley of grey, bare clay gullies. The writer Bonaventura Tecchi called it "the dying city". Only a few people live in the village, although by day it is full of life.
How much time do I need?
Two or three hours for the climb, the village and the landslide museum. Half a day with lunch. It combines well with Orvieto on the same day.
How do I get there?
By car, park in Bagnoregio and walk a quarter of an hour through the town to the viewpoint where the bridge begins; a shuttle sometimes runs. Without a car, take the train to Orvieto or Viterbo and a bus to Bagnoregio; check the connections, which are few on public holidays.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can you go with a pushchair?
With effort. The bridge is very steep at the end and inside there are cobbled streets. A baby carrier is better.
How much does it cost to get in?
€5 per person. Children under 6 and people with a 100% disability, with one companion, don't pay. The geological museum charges separately.
Can you drive in?
No. The bridge is pedestrian: the car stays in Bagnoregio.
Can you do it from Rome in a day?
Yes, it's about two hours each way by car. Better to combine it with Orvieto and sleep in the area.