Celleno Vecchia: The Quiet Alternative to Civita di Bagnoregio

The other dying borgo, without the tourists

Everyone knows Civita di Bagnoregio, the "dying city" made famous by its pedestrian bridge and the crowds of visitors. Very few know that just twenty kilometres away lies a borgo with a similar history but an opposite fate: Celleno vecchia — abandoned, silent, almost entirely without tourism. It is the flip side of Civita, its forgotten double.

Celleno vecchia rises on a tufa spur in the valley of the Tiber, in the Viterbo hills. Like Civita, its fate was sealed by erosion: the tufa crumbles, foundations give way, houses collapse. But while Civita has become a media phenomenon, Celleno has remained in the shadows, visited only by those who know to look for it.

The story of an abandonment

The borgo has Etruscan origins, but its current appearance dates to the Middle Ages. For centuries it was a small agricultural centre dominated by the Castello Orsini, whose square tower still rises above the ruins today. The church of San Carlo, the tufa houses pressed against one another, the steep staircases: everything speaks of a community that lived in symbiosis with the rock.

Problems began in the 19th century, when a series of earthquakes and landslides compromised the borgo's stability. An earthquake on 8 June 1931, centred right at Celleno, further worsened the settlement's hydrogeological instability. In 1934 it was decided to relocate the population to a new centre, built on more stable ground about two kilometres away, a move completed in 1951. Since then the old borgo has remained abandoned, traversed only by time and vegetation.

What to see today

Celleno vecchia is freely accessible, without a ticket or compulsory guide. This is part of its charm: you enter the borgo as you would enter a dream, with no filter between you and the place. The route is brief but intense.

Points of interest

- Castello Orsini: the most imposing structure in the borgo, with the tower dominating the valley. Partially restored, it occasionally hosts exhibitions and cultural events

- Church of San Carlo: the façade is still standing, the interior empty but retaining traces of the original floor

- The garden of monsters: a small space featuring modern sculptures carved from tufa, a homage to the more celebrated Parco dei Mostri of Bomarzo

- The abandoned houses: along the alleyways, empty interiors open to view, with flaking walls that reveal layers of coloured plasterwork

- The panorama: from the borgo's natural terrace you enjoy a wide view over the Tiber valley and the Viterbo hills

The comparison with Civita di Bagnoregio

Visiting Celleno after Civita is a revealing experience. Civita has an entrance fee, souvenir shops, queues at the bridge, restaurants and a constant flow of visitors. Celleno has none of that: no ticket office, no café, no crowds. Only stone, silence and the sound of your own footsteps. It is undertourism in its purest form.

For those seeking the authenticity of abandoned Italy, Celleno offers a more genuine and moving experience. It is not "better" than Civita — it is different: it is the borgo that is truly dying, without cameras to document the agony.

How to get there and practical information

Celleno lies along the road connecting Viterbo to Orvieto, roughly 20 km from the provincial capital. The old borgo is reachable by car: park in the new centre and walk on for a few hundred metres.

Tips for your visit

- Wear sturdy shoes: the ground is uneven and the tufa steps can be slippery

- Do not venture inside unstable buildings: observe from the outside only

- Bring water and a snack: there are no refreshment points in the borgo

- Allow around 45 minutes to an hour for the visit

In the surrounding area

Celleno's location makes it easy to build a rich itinerary. Just a few kilometres away lie Bagnoregio and the celebrated Civita, the Parco dei Mostri of Bomarzo, lake Bolsena with its gentle shores, and Orvieto with its spectacular cathedral. For lunch, Viterbo hill trattorias serve acquacotta, pasta with wild boar sauce and hard-wheat bread baked in wood-fired ovens.

When to visit

Celleno can be visited year-round, but the ideal months are March, April, May, October and November. Spring tinges the ruins green; autumn wraps them in golden light. Summer can be very hot and the borgo offers no shade. Winter is evocative but short days limit visiting time.