Spending a few days exploring Lazio off the beaten path, we decided to visit Antica Monterano ghost town – one of the abandoned places near Rome. It’s just a one-hour drive from the capital of the region, so it might be a good spot for those who don’t want to be the ‘only Rome’ tourists.

Getting to Antica Monterano ghost town from Rome

Lazio is a region of Etruscan tombs, but also of pools of water with sulfur, so the way to Antica Monterano is partly bubbling and a bit stinky.

Situated between the Tolfa and the Sabatini mountains, Antica Monterano ghost town is to the west of Lake Bracciano, next to Canale Monterano, and just about 50 km northwest of Rome by car.

Following the GPS, we got to the forest; the ghost town is located in the forest within the Monterano Nature Reserve—yet there were no signposts or trails to be found. Mauro restarted the GPS, and following it again, we drove for a while and reached a free parking area. The first trail marker stands next to a wooden fence at the end of the parking.

The Walk Up: Sulfur Springs and Hidden Trails

We walked an asphalt road downhill and got to a vast, somewhat grimy-looking area where a brownish stream flowed.

On either side of the beaten path lay small pools of water; bigger and smaller bubbles were rising from the muddy bottom and bursting at the surface. It looked amusing—but it also smelled, because it’s sulfur. Not the best place for people, but a dream spot for annoying flying creatures called insects. There were a ton of them hovering over the water.

When the water level is high, the sulfur settles on the grayish stones, turning them brown. I rolled up the cuffs of my white trousers and noticed that my white trainers were taking on the colour of the stones. Wearing them was not the best idea.

Convinced that the wide path led to the ruins, we strolled along, chatting. Suddenly, amidst the trees covering the slope to the right of the road, I spotted a small wooden arrow marked “Antica Monterano.” Hmm—the path was narrow and didn’t look particularly inviting, but we decided to check it out anyway.

After a dozen or so meters, the trail widened and became more distinct, and there were the steps. The steps were old and neglected—broken in places, with metal rods sticking out here and there—so it was wise to watch where you stepped.

What to See in Antica Monterano Ghost Town (Palazzo Ducale & San Bonaventura)

After 10–15 minutes of climbing, the path took us straight to the remains of an ancient Roman aqueduct.

It looks like a massive gateway, but there is no passage through it into the city. A path wound around the structures, so, with nothing else to do, we followed it. And again, my eagle-like eyes (not really) spotted a narrow path in the tall grass. Somewhat steep at one point, it led us to the stone steps and the entrance to the ghost town.

One of the impressive ruins there is the Ducal Palace (Palazzo Ducale). I can imagine the building was beautiful in the times of the town’s peak.

It was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. I probably should be ashamed of myself because I’d never heard this name, but I wasn’t. I looked up online who he was, and it turned out he was a famous Baroque architect.

Well, good to know, but honestly, I’m not going to pretend I know all the great Italian names—especially since some of them are great only to Italians.

Exploring the area surrounding the palace, I was reading the history of Monterano. Of course, the Etruscans had been there, like everywhere in Lazio.

Long, long after the Etruscans, the beautiful town was visited by the French army and malaria; it is hard to say which was worse. The former destroyed the town, while malaria wiped out the population. Following these lovely visits, the town was finally abandoned around 1799.

A short distance from the palace, the ruins of the Church and Monastery of San Bonaventura are standing in the middle of an open field (it used to be a garden).

This is the work of the same architect whose name I had learned just minutes earlier. The ruins, ‘decorated’ with greenery, are picturesque; it is worth peering through the mesh of the fence to see the interior of the church.

Then we just walked around seeing other remains – they are in much worse condition than the palace and the church, taking pictures and so on, and the same way we got down.

There’s another wide path which looks like it goes down, but I’m not really sure if it does, so I’d suggest sticking to the same path you went up.

Is Antica Monterano Worth Visiting?

Yes, it is. Especially since there are many medieval abandoned towns in Italy, but not so many Baroque ghost towns, and Antica Monterano is one of them. If you are looking for unusual day trips from Rome, it can be a place to go, but if ruins near Rome without crowds don’t sound unusual enough, think about stinky bubbles. They will undoubtedly add a touch of the ‘rarity’—not everyone goes on smelly trips.

For movie buffs—nearly 100 films have been shot here, which is likely why Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes ventured there. I’m not into celebrities/gossip, but perhaps you’d like to sit on the stone one of them might have sat on. I suppose movie stars sit on stones from time to time, though who knows—maybe they always carry their thrones with them.

A short and easy hike to ruins near Rome without crowds, bubbles, a big name, movies and their stars, Lake Bracciano – that’s what makes Antica Monterano interesting.

Practical Tips for Visiting Antica Monterano

• Don’t wear white canvas trainers and long white trousers, as I did, because they won’t be white anymore.
• I did the path in trainers, there were not really very steep parts
• There’s no water, cafes, or toilets
• The entrance is free
• The path up is in the forest, but the sulfur area and the ruins themselves are in the sun, so wear something on your head in the summer
• The whole place can be visited in 1-2 h
• Not the best place for people with mobility problems
• Not the best place to take your mini-baby in a pram
• No bins – so if you want to bring lunch with you, you have to take your garbage back with you
• You can visit the place all year round
• The town is old, so keep your distance from the ruins if you don’t want to have a piece of a building on your head
• There were some youngsters taking selfies on the old aqueduct – it was really stupid, so if something like that happens, don’t walk under the arch below them

If this post made you laugh, annoyed you, or just reminded you of your own trip, tell me in the comments or drop me an email. I actually want to hear about your experiences—the good and the frustrating.

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