Explore Civitella d'Angliano

About 50 miles northwest of Rome, the commune Civitella d'Angliano is nestled 860ft in elevation. There are walking trails all around but simply walking around Civitella will get you winded because of the hilly terrain.  

If you want to escape the tourist haven of Rome, you can hop on a train to Orvieto, Italy. The train ride is about an hour and a half from Rome, and a 35-minute car ride from Orvieto to Civitella d'Algiano. 

You can stay at the La Tana dell'lstrice in the center. I did not stay there myself, but my photography class did stay in one of the apartments in the same center. There you will definitely experience authentic Italian food and wine tasting.

With a population of 1,679 there isn’t a lot that goes on other than the farmers market every Friday with fresh fish, vegetables, cheese, and fruits—or the occasional techno rave in one of the abandoned apartments run by the younger Italian crowd. If you're lucky and it's open you can walk to the top of the Castello e Torre Monaldeschi to view all of Civitella. 

My best advice is to simply walk around — this is when I stumbled upon the most amazing views and the kindest people. It is the perfect spot to spend shooting your camera and sipping a cappuccino.  There are stray cats everywhere (most are very friendly, one is missing an ear), the locals are welcoming, and the architecture is bold with color. Take your time to explore and get inspired by some Italian light — but make sure to catch the purple/red sunrise at least once.

Night photography is a must. Civitella is quiet and eerie at night but the twists and turns offer amazing shots everywhere you look. See how many abandoned apartments/buildings you can find.