In northern Lazio there are many medieval abandoned villages 'swept away' by historical events or natural calamities. Often the nature has pitched into these places, transforming and wrapping them in a atmosphere rich of absolute charm and mystery.

The tourist eager of adventure and attracted by the idea of visiting completely abandoned villages hidden in the vegetation will find in this territory some of the best ‘ghost cities' of Italy. Amongst these is certainly worth mentioning the characteristic Monterano, a village abandoned in the XVIII century that has provided the location for famous movies such as ‘Ben Hur', ‘Brancaleone alle Crociate' and ‘Il Marchese del Grillo'. Placed in a precious natural context, Monterano displays two splendid monuments ideated by Bernini, namely the Church of San Bonaventura and the Fountain of the Lion.

Extremely characteristic is also the ancient Galeria, also abandoned in the XVIII century supposedly due to a malaria epidemic. Since then onwards the nature has invaded the buildings of the village whose marbles were pillaged already in the XIV century for the construction of the Duomo of Orvieto. An atmosphere of peace and silence reign in this place plunged in a thick and beautiful wood.

Few ruins are left of Cencelle, situated in the countryside between Civitavecchia and Allumiere, and Orcia, close to the necropolis of Norchia, where the medieval church of San Pietro can be admired.

Other places that definitely deserve a visit are the ruins of San Giuliano near the Etruscan necropolis of Barbarano Romano and the ruins of Castro, a village developed by Antonio da Sangallo the Young and destroyed by the armies of Pope Innocenzo X in the mid of the sixteenth century. Characteristic is also Celleno Vecchio, situated on the top of a hill and destroyed by an earthquake that has miraculously spared the stately Orsini castle.

Very charming are also two villages of medieval origin that are still inhabited, namely Bassano in Teverina, from can be admired the beautiful valley of the river Tevere and the Appennini mountains, and Ceri, a charming tourist attraction fortified magnificently on the top of a cliff.

There are also a number of beautiful and charming old villages that have recently been rediscovered and populated by artists and lovers of peace and nature. Exemplars are the wonderful Civita di Bagnoregio that raises solitary in between white badlands of clay, and the well-known Calcata, the place of numerous artistic workshops and site of several cultural initiatives of great interest.