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Sometimes it is the locals who are less aware of beauties present in the surrounding areas, one engages in long searches and as many kilometers even for a single day of fun or relaxation, but there are really many trips out of town in Rome, without falling into banality. Read on to find out suggestive places, some of which are very little known, to carve out a moment for yourself, a stone’s throw from the capital.
The gorge of Ponte Lupo
Looking for trips near Rome? Just 20 km from the GRA, you have a natural panorama that has nothing to envy outside the capital. The gorge appears d’emblé, behind a curve, and presents itself in all its splendor: 50 m of waterfall that makes you dizzy just to see it, all corolled by huge boulders that seem to frame it. Try squinting and let yourself be lulled by the vigorous roar. For lovers of biodiversity, fish, amphibians, water snakes and birds of prey peep out in the area. Tip: for those wishing to explore this fascinating and little-known portion of wild nature, it is good to know in advance because the excursions must be authorized.
Mole of the ditch of S Antonino
The scenery does not change much, nature and waterfalls are always the masters and you are about 15 km from the GRA. Reach the Mole of the S.Antonino ditch, like many other water places, requires knowledge of the place or a lot of patience: often you have to overcome muddy passages if not immersed in water, with all the necessary trekking equipment. From here, you can also quickly reach the famous sport fishing lake of Castelnuovo di Porto. Among the most suggestive waterfalls, there is the central one of the Moletta di Mezzo. A place for a trip out of town to enjoy the water at a low altitude.
Etruscan galleries of Formello
For those who want to change their perspective, there are Etruscan galleries of Formello. If you are tired of keeping your nose up, about 10 km from the GRA, tens of kilometers of tunnels dating back millennia await you. The main gallery is named after Ponte Sodo, that is the tunnel dug in ancient times by the Etruscans to convey the water during the floods, so as not to cause ascents on the Veio. If you have in mind of reach the galleries, it is good to do it during the summer season, when the water is low enough. The visit inside the galleries is recommended with an expert guide and with the right equipment complete with torches and helmet. If you want to plan a day outdoors easier and more accessible, read on!
The falls of hell
A name, a program. Always within the Veio Park (where the Etruscan tunnels and the Mole del Fosso di S. Antonino also peek out) these waterfalls are located a few hundred meters from the Sorbo meadows – as the crow flies -. The waterfall crushes a gorge where a small tributary of the Cremera river flows. The more water there is, the more difficult the place is to reach. To act as a sentinel, the roar that accompanies the visitor in a more or less constant way during the trek, always present but not easily decipherable the direction from which it comes. It has been renamed Hell for its steepness and for the fact that it does not forgive those who get too close, cause the slope and slipperiness characteristic of the terrain.
Saturnia thermal baths
If you are tired from going up and down, there is a place that is right for you: the thermal baths of Saturnia. A corner of paradise at your fingertips, without an entrance ticket, which gives you a 100% spa treatment natural, without time constraints. Enjoy the well-being given by sulphurous waters or reach the nearby thermal baths.
Cascate del Mulino
The spas are refreshed by a thermal spring that flows at a fixed temperature of 37.5 ° C. Of course, they won’t be hosting just you! Given the high appreciation and resonance they have obtained over time, despite the fact that they can count on a generous surface area, to enjoy the maximum benefit it is advisable to do not reach them on holidays or at peak times, unless you want to take advantage of the moment to enjoy a good chat too!
Ostia Antica: sea, adrenaline and culture within everyone’s reach
For a trip out of town to the sea, you can reach it from the GRA Host, the Roman seaside residential part or the ancient part with the excavations. Ostia offers a relaxing atmosphere, the many and excellent ones restaurants on the waterfront they are an excuse to treat yourself to a simple afternoon kissed by the sun or rent a pedal boat to stretch your legs. A place open to any activity, from lovers of the sea to those who love sports; the Wilde Park of Ostia Antica, with its dense network of pines, it offers horseback excursions or obstacle courses for the most tenacious, satisfying even the most cultured, thanks to its historical-archaeological heritage that is hidden among the excavations and between the vegetation of the Park.
The Solforata di Pomezia and the vermilion lake
Who would have thought that at such a short distance from Rome, in such a residential place, they are hiding lakes of red and white colors? A hike in an unshaded area without much ventilation awaits you, but it’s worth it. We find ourselves as in a mini canyonas you continue to walk between the walls of the gorge, the water suddenly turns cognac. Going up, you have a view from above that is really not bad. If you reach the Sulfur in spring, the color of the broom on the rocky background creates a contrast worthy of being immortalized. The red lake no longer has the charm of a few years ago, but don’t worry, you can feast your eyes on the small vermilion lake. Not bad even for a trekking with four-legged friends, to experience a panorama that is undoubtedly different from the usual ones and to be intrigued by local natural phenomena.
The Fosso del Peccato
Self Calcata represents one of the most popular and well-known natural destinations around Rome, the same cannot be said of Treja Park, for the locals better known as Fosso del Peccato: undoubtedly loved, but not as popular. The gorge has an access that is not easy to identify. At 25 km as the crow flies from the GRA, the Treja tributary will guide you along paths that are not well traveled, in search of wild nature, where the echo of the waterfall can easily lead the hiker on the wrong path.
Inside the Ditch of Sin opens up a fantasy scenario, one cave made from volcanic boulders that bursts overwhelmingly among the vegetation. Continue the walk on the shore along the right or left side, and let yourself be lulled by the surreal panorama until the waterfall appears in front of you. A place of undisputed charm. The ideal season to visit? Between April and May, possibly with moderate water flow.
The Salone Quarries
You would have never thought that on the freeway Rome-L’Aquila hides a lake surrounded by high rocky walls used in ancient times by the Romans to transport material destined for construction? They are called the Salone Quarries, here the ancestors of the Roman capital stocked up on material and then transported it through the Aniene and along the Tiber. Medieval towers that are reflected in the water, climbing plants that cover the ruins, all suspended in time and even more fascinating when illuminated by the sun’s rays that filter through the vegetation.
The Covered Bridge
Certainly there is a subjective scale of appreciation, but almost everyone will agree to grant this place, if not the first place, undoubtedly a pole position among the excursions outside Rome. The trip can start from the town of Ceri, after a few hundred meters you reach the lower part of a gorge, until you see a gigantic cavity next to a lower one. Excavations have created a tunnel system altered by erosion over the millennia. A place even more acclaimed by those who love climbing or is not afraid to walk on paths where water flows. Less experienced hikers will be able to enjoy the view of the underground network that seems to renew itself at every step, perhaps with the help of torches.
Martignano lake
Give yourself one day outdoors, especially if there are several people, it means having more leisure opportunities at hand. Lake Martignano lends itself quite well to the versatility of a family or a group of friends. It is pleasantly can be visited by bike, on horseback, or simply taking a walk on the shore. Located near the Bracciano Lake, its coasts greet the municipalities of Rome, Anguillara, Sabazia and Campagnano di Roma.
The lake was born 130,000 years ago, on the ashes of the Sabatino volcano. Probably before its forms were much more generous, but today it is always able to attract lovers of the lake, and not only: the lake has been used as a backdrop to give life to various films, including The adventures of Pinocchio. The environment, relaxing and comfortable, also counts on a shuttle service that facilitates its discovery. For those who are more dynamic and are not satisfied with refreshing themselves at the restaurant bar with lake view but he wants to get some exercise, canoes and pedal boats are available. Undoubtedly a place among the least demanding among the day trips outside Rome, but versatile. Still want to trips out of town near Rome?
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