Civita Di Bagnoregio, Italy
The bridge up to Civita.
We spent two nights in this magical village on the top of a cliff — which is just enough to relax and slow down. It is gorgeous and isolated. There isn’t much to do, but the peace, quiet and views are amazing. To get there you must park your car at the bottom and walk on an elevated half-mile long bridge to the top. Popular with day-trippers, but by 5pm it will feel like you have this entire village to yourself.
Our choice for lodging was the very special Corte Della Maesta. It’s a historic former rectory, which was converted into a luxurious, hidden-away lodging over many years by a husband and wife who were based in Rome. The owner, Cristiana, now spends most of her time in Civita. We won’t often visit a place as removed and magical as Civita, and, specifically, as Corte Della Maesta — the breakfast spread alone is worth the visit (see my full detailed review below)!
GT Tip: Arrange for your hotel to transport your luggage up the bridge. Corte Della Maesta made arrangements for a golf cart to transport our two weeks worth of luggage to the top. It was a life-saver!
*This was part of a 15-night trip to Italy. To see our complete Italy trip itinerary click here.
The Gimlet Traveler Rundown:
All ratings are based on our experience and are on a 5-star rating system (see Site Info for more details). For mapped locations and links to the places listed here (and more) visit Google Map at bottom of page.
Gimlets: *
There are no gimlets in Bagnoregio. You can get an aperol spritz or a vodka-tonic, but wine is more widely available here in this tiny, isolated village. We didn’t mind.Restaurants: ***
There are about four restaurants in all of Civita, and we ate in two of them (plus the bar/pizza joint in the town’s central square). All have nice food and charming ambiance, but they are open on different and alternating nights, so have your hotel/B&B book for you.Sights: *****
The whole thing is an amazing, unique and historic sight. Be sure to check out Giardino del Poeta at the end of town. It’s a eccentric garden chock-full of wacky plantings. There’s a minimal admission fee, but the views are outstanding.Shopping: *
Nope.
Review of Corte della Maesta Rating: *****
Located in the small, sleepy village of Civita Di Bagnoregio (which is perched atop a cliff and requires a bit of a walk across a long uphill bridge to access), Corte Della Maesta is a magical hidden gem in the middle of town that makes it worth staying the night there. An old seminary I believe, it has been transformed into a special b&b hidden away behind a large wooden door with no sign and surrounded by pretty gardens. The main room is the dining room (a grand room with high ceilings and chandeliers that opens onto the front and back gardens) which also serves as reception. There are other public areas like the basement but we spent most time (when not wandering the village or having dinner in one of the few restaurants) in our room or in the dining room. Our room was large, decorated with lovely antiques, had a freestanding clawfoot bathtub in the room and a shower in the bathroom, plus a small balcony with table and chairs overlooking the owners back garden. Rooms have good wifi, a mini-bar fridge and safe, but no a/c (we did not need it in late September and the ceiling fan and dyson floor fan kept us quite cool). Breakfast is lavish with fresh-baked pastries and bread, eggs on request, fresh fruit, meats and cheese and a beautifully set table. Cristiana takes good care of her guests and all the small details. A unique and special place.
Date of stay: October 2019
Room tip: Badessa Suite has a fourposter bed, a clawfoot tub in the room, + a small balcony with table and chairs overlooking the garden.
