TORRITA TIBERINA
written by Sergio Caggìa for © Nerone the Insider's Guide to Rome

 

Are you a good walker? Yes? No?, Well the country trip I'm suggesting this month is to TORRITA TIBERINA a good one in both cases. It's a lovely village 45 kilometres from Rome and its showpiece is a wonderful panorama over the Valley of the Tiber. You can get there by taking the train from TIBURTINA STATION (Metro B) in the direction of Orte and getting off at POGGIO MIRTETO SCALO (about 40 minutes). Now the lazy ones can take the coach to TORRITA and all we can say to them is "See you later...". We are going to walk. On leaving the Station, we take the road on the right and walk for about 300 metres untill we'll come to a bridge over the Tiber. At this point notice the moored barges which ply the river less and less these days. About a hundred metres after the bridge a little road on your left will take you to the Tiber Park, a naturale reservation where many birds and small mammals live. Many signs will explain a lot about the animals and the nature around you. You might even find some mushrooms there, but in that case please be careful. Walking along the river you'll find several roads that go up to TORRITA. This village is situated on the top of a rock escarpment. If you feel tired it won't be difficult to get a lift up to Torrita where you'll find your lazy friends. There the whole village is built around the old fortress built in the 7th century, but what you'll see is the result of the works that the Orsini (15th-16th century) and later the Melchiorri did. Soon it will be lunch time and you will easily find a good Trattoria or Pizzeria to enjoy a typical meal! Food and wines will surely slow you down and so just before you make your way back to Rome you could have a look at the St.Tommaso Apostolo Church. In the winter it gets dark early and I'm sure you'll take a nap on the drive back home. It has been an hard day...luckily "NERONE, The Insider's Guide" is just a monthly publication!