The Dying City and the Sacred Wood

Civita di Bagnoregio, founded over 2,500 years ago by the Etruscans, is affectionately referred to as the dying city; teetering precariously above the Valle dei Calanchi, the city's foundations are slowly yielding to erosion. This inevitable descent imparts a poignant grandeur to Civita, leaving a lasting impression on all who wander through. A short, slender footbridge connects Civita to the nearby town and serves as your gateway to a medieval world seemingly suspended in time. Stroll through the village's cobblestone lanes, where every twist and turn reveals weathered structures and centuries-old stories. Pass beneath the 12th-century Romanesque arch and admire the stately Renaissance palace, of which only the facade, with its ornate wooden door, remains. Be sure not to overlook the central piazza, which hosts exhilarating donkey races twice a year and transforms at dusk into a communal hub for the village's dozen residents and more than twenty cats. Beyond the dying city, your adventure leads you to the enigmatic wonders of the Sacro Bosco, known as the Park of the Monsters, in the quaint town of Bomarzo which is a theatre of the surreal. Within this park, you will find cascading fountains and panoramic terraces - yet it's the park's uncanny stone inhabitants that captivate the senses: grotesque creatures and mythical figures carved from peperino stone, seeming almost animate amidst the green. As you meander, every discovery - a dragon here, an enigmatic deity there - challenges reality and stirs your imagination. Embark on this expedition through the timeless realm of Civita di Bagnoregio, feeling the weight of history underfoot, and then let your wonder unfurl among the mythical sentinels of Monster's Park. Embrace this chance to explore these two Italian jewels, each one a testament to the enduring and the extraordinary.