What do you do with one day in Civita di Bagnoregio? Visit Civita di Bagnoregio. Efforts to save this tiny hilltop town in northern Lazio have been underway for centuries, and they have intensified markedly in recent years.
A Lazio Town That Refuses to Die
The spectacular medieval hilltop town of Civita di Bagnoregio, nicknamed “the castle in the sky,” sits in the province of Viterbo, about 110 km north of Rome.
Perched on exceptionally unstable foundations, the hamlet has gradually shrunk over the centuries as earthquakes and landslides chip away at its soft volcanic base. Its original town centre, however, remains intact, rising out of the desolate Calanchi valley, whose chasms and chalky cliffs resemble a miniature Grand Canyon.
Christened La città che muore (“the dying town”) by Civita-born writer Bonaventura Tecchi, the hamlet has long been flagged by authorities over fears that its eventual collapse into the valley is not just possible but, in the long run, inevitable. Today its resident community numbers only around a dozen permanent inhabitants, depending on the source and the season — a figure that swells to roughly 100 during the summer months, when day-trippers and second-home owners return.
A World Heritage Candidate
In 2015, then Lazio regional governor Nicola Zingaretti launched an appeal calling on UNESCO to recognise Civita as a World Heritage Site, stating that the town was “now in extreme and urgent need of maintenance unless we wish to deprive ourselves forever of a sentinel of our cultural history, a piece of our heritage.” Around the same time, the Lazio Region invested roughly €1.2 million to shore up the town’s shaky foundations against the erosion that “threatens its very survival.”
In September 2019, the region’s campaign led to Civita becoming an official candidate on Italy’s UNESCO tentative list, and in January 2021 the mayor of Bagnoregio formally relaunched the bid for inscription. As of the most recent available information, Civita remains a candidate rather than a confirmed World Heritage Site — full UNESCO classification, if and when it comes, would unlock a steady flow of conservation funding that the town badly needs.
The History of Civita
The town itself is roughly 1,200 years old, but its origins trace back to the sixth century BC and the Etruscans, whose rock-cut tombs and caves can still be visited today, including the chamber tomb known as the Grotta di San Bonaventura. Stone Age artefacts have also been found in the surrounding area, though curiously no human traces survive from the subsequent Bronze Age.
Between the fifth and eighth centuries, Civita was repeatedly besieged and changed hands several times: first occupied by the Goths, then the Byzantines, and later the Lombards, before becoming part of the Papal States in 774. A persistent local legend holds that the Lombard king Desiderius once treated his wounds at the town’s hot springs, giving Civita its earlier name, Balneum Regis (“the king’s bath”). Saint Bonaventure, the influential Franciscan theologian, was born here in 1221 and died in 1274; the town’s slow decline began in the sixteenth century and accelerated after a severe earthquake in the late seventeenth century prompted the bishop and local government to relocate to neighbouring Bagnoregio.
Getting There
Modern-day Civita is not easy to reach, particularly by public transport, but like all good things, it’s well worth the effort. Visitors access the town via a narrow, steep pedestrian footbridge roughly 300 metres long, suspended high above the valley floor.
As of the most recently confirmed pricing, there is a €5 entrance fee payable on the Bagnoregio side (children under 6, accredited journalists, and overnight guests of hotels or B&Bs inside Civita are typically exempt) — it is not uncommon to see less courageous visitors being led across with their eyes closed. The current reinforced-concrete bridge was built in 1965, replacing a temporary wooden structure that itself replaced the original masonry bridge, which retreating German troops blew up in 1944; an even earlier bridge dated to 1923, after a 1695 earthquake severed the land connection to Bagnoregio entirely.
The easiest way to reach Bagnoregio from Rome is by car, a journey of roughly 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes via the Orvieto exit off the A1 motorway; visitors must park outside the historic centre and walk the final stretch into town. By public transport, trains run from Roma Termini to Orvieto, whose station connects to Bagnoregio by Cotral regional bus; it’s also possible to reach Bagnoregio by Cotral bus from Viterbo Porta Fiorentina (reachable by train from Roma Ostiense), though the Orvieto route is generally simpler. Coaches are not especially frequent, so check timetables before travelling. Orvieto is about 20 km from Bagnoregio and Viterbo about 30 km, with both bus journeys taking roughly an hour.
Civita is Cinema
Civita’s beauty has long captured the imagination of artists and filmmakers, most notably Japan’s Hayao Miyazaki, who drew inspiration from the town for his 1986 animated film Laputa: Castle in the Sky, and Italy’s Alberto Sironi, who chose the hilltop setting for his 2009 adaptation of Pinocchio, starring Bob Hoskins.
Official tourism copy tends to describe Civita in effusive terms — “surrounded in a fog of unreality,” as if “an island in our memory or a figment of our imagination.” Yet despite being marketed as the “hidden pearl in the heart of Lazio,” the reality is that any sense of secrecy has long since faded; visiting the town a couple of decades ago was likely a rather different, quieter adventure.
Civita has branded itself successfully, leaning heavily on locally produced food and wine and even its own craft beer label. A sign on the door of Trattoria Antica Forno reads, “The Rick Steves readers are welcome!”, while the makers of the Acqua di Civita perfume and soap line have reported international sales and enquiries about launching the products in London and Tehran.
Civita is also not unique among northern Lazio’s so-called “ghost towns” flagged for safety concerns — Celleno and Calcata are the most obvious comparisons. Like Calcata, Civita has no cars, post office, supermarket, or pharmacy. Unlike the relatively down-at-heel Calcata, however, Civita feels distinctly twee and manicured, offering picture-postcard material at every turn, with the polished stamp of tourism marketing throughout.
The piazza is also home to the Church of San Donato, founded in the eighth century on the site of a pre-existing Roman temple. Its walls are dotted with shrines and reliquaries, including a gold-and-silver reliquary arm said to contain the bones of San Bonaventura.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to visit Civita di Bagnoregio?
There is a bridge entrance fee of around €5 per person, payable on the Bagnoregio side or in advance online; children under 6, journalists, and overnight guests are usually exempt.
Is Civita di Bagnoregio a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Not yet. As of the latest available information, Civita remains an official candidate on Italy’s UNESCO tentative list rather than a confirmed inscribed site.
How many people actually live in Civita di Bagnoregio?
Estimates vary by source, generally between roughly 11 and 16 permanent residents, rising to around 100 during the summer season.
What is the best way to get to Civita di Bagnoregio from Rome?
By car via the A1 motorway’s Orvieto exit (about 1.5-1.75 hours), or by train from Roma Termini to Orvieto followed by a Cotral bus connection.
Is one day enough to see Civita di Bagnoregio?
Yes — the historic centre is small enough to explore thoroughly in a few hours, making it an easy day trip from Rome, Orvieto, or Viterbo.
Article updated October 2026 with the most recently verifiable figures on population, UNESCO status, and bridge pricing; some figures vary by source and should be reconfirmed with official channels before travel.