The best walks and hikes around Bagnoregio

Castello Baglioni, built in the 13th century, is not located in a raised position and its mass emerges only for its grandeur. The village was originally inhabited by the families of the castle garrison and remained for a long time of limited size and enclosed within the fortification: still in the 19th century, according to cadastral records, it consisted of no more than thirty houses. To learn more 👇🏻 retedimorestorichelazio.it/dimora/vt/graffignano/castello-baglioni/ https://share.google/YpRf6kRfscjZSd4Ud

Borgo Fantasma The abandoned old town center gives the village a mysterious and ghostly quality, which is why the municipality named it Borgo Fantasma ('ghost village'). In recent years, Celleno has sought to highlight and revitalize the village's assets, following the example of the tourist attraction Cività di Bagnoregio. The village is somewhat reminiscent of Cività di Bagnoregio, and there's a bridge leading to it. However, there are no buses with Chinese or Japanese tourists, and there's no entrance fee. Here, you'll find only the peace and quiet of a distant past. In recent years, Celleno has organized numerous activities to attract tourists: there are festivals with street performers and open-air cinemas in the summer, and during the Christmas season, the village presents a live nativity scene. Couples also find their way to Borgo Fantasma to get married.

Past the old monastery, you arrive at the old hamlet. This elevated village had been depopulated since the 19th century and has become a veritable ruin due to erosion and earthquakes. It was completely abandoned in 1951. The Orsini Castle at the entrance to Celleno Antico is the most beautiful building in the hamlet. It boasts a large watchtower and is surrounded by a deep moat. It was recently restored and inhabited by the artist Enrico Castellani. This internationally renowned artist (he also studied in Brussels) died on December 1, 2017. In the old market square, you'll see a beautiful rectangular bell tower, three-tiered and made of tuff. Only the walls of the old church of San Carlo (17th century), to the left of the castle, remain. Near the market square is the church of San Donato, dating from the year 1000, in Romanesque style, with a beautiful basalt portal. IMG_1306

Celleno is a village located along the road from Bagnoregio to Viterbo. It seems unremarkable, and at first glance, not even very pretty. However, if you take the exit to the "centro storico," you'll drive through what is now the long, sprawling village and arrive at a panoramic viewpoint. There, you'll have a beautiful view of the San Rocco Monastery and Monte Cimino. Before the old bridge, there's a charming square with a bar and a restaurant. On the right side of the road are beautiful colorful houses. Until a few years ago, the old houses in the centro storico were completely dilapidated and overgrown with plants. In recent years, this village has been revitalized, and you can follow a walking route. Several houses have been restored and represent various crafts.

Arriving at the start of the bridge leading to Civita di Bagnoregio on a day of unstable weather, what struck me, beyond the magnificence of this village perched atop a limestone cliff, almost like an island on the mainland, was the ever-changing colors as the light changed. A light that changed with the sky, driven by the slow and incessant flow of clouds. A silent dance ensued between the shadows and hues of the tuff, the village, and the ravines, an ephemeral and unique spectacle, unlike anything I'd ever seen elsewhere.

Piazza Sant'Agostino opens in the heart of Bagnoregio, in front of the Church of the Santissima Annunziata, whose medieval origins reflect centuries of religious and civic life in the village. At the center of the space, the bronze monument to Saint Bonaventure marks the profound bond between this place and one of its most illustrious sons. Born here in 1218, Bonaventure entered the Franciscan Order at a very young age, becoming one of the closest interpreters and custodians of the thought of Saint Francis of Assisi. As Minister General of the Order, he consolidated the rule and spread its spiritual legacy throughout Europe. The statue portrays him as a guide and teacher, surrounded by scenes that recall his dialogue between faith, study, and Franciscan life.

A great view on the way to the village is guaranteed!

Very beautiful and worth seeing.