🏞️ Marturanum and Vico: Where Nature and Ancient Civilizations Meet

Among Etruscan necropolises, wild ravines, and timeless volcanic forests

Tuscia is a land where untamed nature coexists with the enduring presence of ancient civilizations. Two of the most extraordinary places that embody this dual soul are the Marturanum Regional Park and the Lake Vico Nature Reserve—each telling a different, but equally fascinating story.

🏛️ Marturanum Regional Natural Park – Necropolises and Eternal Ravines

Located near Barbarano Romano, Marturanum Park is a sacred green sanctuary carved into volcanic rock, famous for its rock-cut Etruscan necropolises and wild, rugged landscape. It’s a place where history rises straight from the earth, raw and alive.

🌿 Recommended trails

1. San Giuliano Necropolis Trail

📏 5.3 km – ⏱ 1h40 – 🥾 MediumThe ideal route for those seeking the perfect blend of archaeology and nature. Monumental tombs, moss-covered trails, and sacred silence.

2. Valloni Trail – Blera to Barbarano Romano

📏 ~8 km – ⏱ 2h30 – 🥾 EE (Expert Hikers)A spectacular route among tuff gorges up to 80 meters high, waterfalls, fords, rock-hewn mills, and hidden Etruscan tombs lost in the foliage. A total sensory experience.

3. Jurassic Ravines of Marturanum

📏 13 km – ⏱ 6–7 h – 🥾 Hiking (E) – ∆ 250 mA complete and deep geological trek, through some of the oldest natural formations in the region. A raw and powerful landscape.

🧭 CAI Trails in the Park

Trail	From → To	Duration	Difficulty
CAI 103	Barbarano Romano → Civitella Cesi	2h	EE
CAI 103	Barbarano Romano → Cura di Vetralla	3h	EE
CAI 105	Barbarano Romano → Vejano	2h30	EE
CAI 138a	Sarignano → Second Mola (Biedano)	30 min	EE
CAI 138b	Civitella Cesi gate → Via Clodia	1h20	E
CAI 138c	Poggio delle Quercete → Second Mola	50 min	E
CAI 138d	Val di Propizio → Tirintera Fountain	50 min	E

📍 Note: The park includes multiple access points to the San Giuliano necropolis, each offering different areas and atmospheres:

• Entrance A: Chiusa – Cima

• Entrance B: San Simone and San Giuliano

• Entrance C: Caiolo

🌋 Lake Vico Nature Reserve – Tuscia’s Volcanic Heart

A lake once sacred to the Romans, a silent crater, and a beech forest that whispers time.Lake Vico is one of the best-preserved volcanic lakes in Italy, nestled among the Cimini Mountains and surrounded by one of the oldest beech forests in Europe. Today, it is a protected reserve rich in biodiversity, serenity, and ancestral charm.

🌳 Suggested trail

Monte Venere Ring Trail

📏 ~5.5 km – ⏱ 2h30 / 4h – ∆ 260 / 300 m – 🥾 Hiking (E)

A shady loop trail, ideal even in summer. The hike starts at Canale (with parking, water fountain, and picnic area) and follows CAI trails 128b (uphill) and 128a (downhill).

🎯 Highlights:

• The mysterious Devil’s Well (an ancient eruptive mouth)

• Wild boar trapping enclosures

• Towering centuries-old beech trees

• Via Francigena Cimina trail markers

🌍 Why Visit These Parks?

✅ They offer a perfect balance of wild landscapes and ancient memory✅ You can build custom itineraries, from 1 hour to full-day treks✅ In these places, nature is not a backdrop—it’s the protagonist✅ Every root holds memory, and every stone tells a story