If you are looking for the most exciting things to do in Mazzano Romano, Italy, you must like to travel off the beaten path.
This small town is about 30 miles north of Rome’s historic center.
I am very familiar with this hamlet in the Tuscia Viterbese region because I live right nearby and often go there to eat out.
The hamlet has a newer part that develops along the provincial road connecting Mazzano to Calcata Vecchia, the famous artists’ village.
The older part, with medieval architecture, is a maze of narrow streets and terraces overlooking the lush Treja Valley.
In this guide, I reveal all the activities Mazzano Romano offers and valuable tips for visiting it.
Best things to do in Mazzano Romano, Italy
1. Have Breakfast at Café Novella
First, I’ll suggest how best to start your day exploring the Roman countryside.
For an authentic local breakfast experience, head to the town’s most famous café.
Café Novella is located in the newest part of Mazzano Romano, just a few steps from the post office.
Here, early in the morning, from 6 a.m., coffee, cappuccino, hot croissants, and sandwiches await you. All products are very fresh.
In the warmer months, you can also find homemade gelato here.
There is an indoor and an outdoor room.
If you like to have a break sipping a glass of wine or a beer, there is ample choice.
It is a busy café, but you will not struggle to find a table.
2. Visit the MAVNA Museum
To learn about the history of Mazzano Romano, a visit to the village museum is a must.
The village is a part of the Tuscia region known as Agro Falisco, or “countryside of the Faliscan people.”
The anthropization of this region dates back to very ancient times. In fact, in the Treja Valley, which surrounds Mazzano Romano, archaeologists have found artifacts dating back to the 12th century BC.
Archaeological excavations from the end of the 19th Century brought to light the rich grave goods of the nobility of the Faliscans.
The Faliscans ruled the region between the 8th and 4th centuries B.C. They lived on the rocky heights emerging from the valley. The most active town in the area was Narce, which today appears as a cone-shaped hill covered with dense vegetation.
The Faliscans allied with the Etruscan people to counter the Roman advance but eventually had to cede control of the region.
The rich artifacts include many gold objects, masks of gods, and parts of temples, which are featured in some of the most important museums in the world.
By visiting the museum, you can trace the geological and archaeological history of the region.
The most interesting exhibits you can view are the women’s masks found at the remains of sanctuaries along the Treja River at the foot of the village.
There were about 300 masks unhearted in 2014. Along with the masks, dozens of votive offerings have emerged. Priests used the ceramic objects for propitiatory or healing rituals and broke them after the ceremony.
You can visit the museum on your own; admission is free. I highly recommend paying €2 to take a guided tour, which can explain in detail the artifacts’ function and the excavation’s history.
The museum is small but full of meaning and value.
For more info on the MAVNA Museum in Mazzano Romano, call +39328 367 4328 or email info@mavna.it.
3. Explore Mazzano Romano’s historic center
And here we come to my favorite activity to do in Mazzano Romano. The most fascinating part of the town is its historic center, which has a medieval layout and architecture.
This town looked like a walled castle in the Middle Ages with several defensive towers.
Now all the buildings are houses. The old town appears as a maze of apartments tight to each other, which the inhabitants have renovated and merged. I have seen the interiors of several houses, each one unique.
Enter the old town through the ancient village gate along Via Roma. Through a small stone tunnel, you come to a natural balcony overlooking the lush valley. This view alone is worth the trip to Mazzano Romano.
Continue along Via Roma, and you reach Piazza Antisà, where you find what remains of the ancient Church of San Nicola, which dates back to at least the 13th century AD.
The view here is striking: only part of the church’s back wall and small parts of the side walls remain.
From the two windows next to the apse, there is an overhanging view of the valley. The river below flows noisily. This is definitely the most beautiful place in the historic center.
Lightning struck the church tower in the late 1930s, damaging its structure. The civil engineer decided to demolish the church in 1940.
Two alleys start from Antisà Square and lead you to discover the old town and its houses with thick stone walls decorated with flowers and plants, where cats chase each other and stretch in the sun.
Explore every corner of this medieval Italian hamlet and enjoy the restful views of the forests surrounding Mazzano Romano.
4. Dinner at Caffé del Falco Bar Trattoria
If a walk through the old part of Mazzano Romano is a must, so is stopping at the Caffè del Falco Trattoria.
This restaurant is a true institution for the village.
The soul of the place is Carla, a gracious lady who brings together the manners of a woman of culture and the straightforwardness of the countryside.
Even the inhabitants of the nearby village of Calcata Vecchia (which certainly has no shortage of restaurants) come here for lunch or dinner.
Caffè del Falco is located at Piazza Umberto 1, near the entrance gate to the historic center.
If you dine here, start with the appetizers. Vegetarian or not, they include the irresistible flavors of cheeses, bruschetta, cured meats, and vegetables in oil.
Once your appetite has been whetted in you, continue with pasta and ravioli, which are excellent. Among the main courses, meatballs with tomato sauce and orange pork are famous.
To finish, try the Tiramisu. It is phenomenal.
5. See the Old Washhouse
To get your digestion off to a good start after a hearty meal at the Caffé del Falco restaurant, what could be better than a walk to the Old Washhouse?
To reach it, from Piazza Umberto 1, walk downhill Via della Fontana St., and after 200 meters, you will have arrived.
It is here that until about the 1950s, the women of the village met to get water and wash their clothes. It was a struggle to return to the houses with buckets full of water. And how deep the sense of community must have been back then!
From the terraces of the old town, the washhouse appears as a small building of pale stone, a point in the heart of the lush ravine.
The washhouse consists of three spouts with carved masks from which water comes out and a large basin.
6. Hike in the Treja Valley
Now, let’s discover why this village near Rome is a favorite destination for day trips.
The route from Mazzano Romano to Calcata Vecchia through the Treja Valley is one of the most popular hikes near Rome.
This hike is easy and suitable even for beginners. But you’ll need hiking shoes because you’ll be walking in dense woods with descents and ascents.
Start right at the ancient washhouse. Keep going downhill; you will reach the river in a few minutes.
You will be on trail 002 of the Treja Valley Regional Park.
Following the course of the river through dense forest, you will come to a small suspension bridge: cross it and reach the other side.
Continue along the river, and you will encounter the remains of the Faliscabn Sanctuary of Le Rote. Continue until you reach the provincial road. Cross it (being careful) and take trail 14, which will lead you to the village of Calcata Vecchia.
As you walk through the forest, you will encounter the detour to reach the top of Narce Hill, where the remains of the ancient Faliscan town are.
You will also find the remains of the ancient walls defending the city, made of tufa bricks.
From this hill’s top is a breathtaking 360-degree view of the Valley.
The walk from Mazzano Romano to Calcata Vecchia will take about 4 hours.
7. Visit the Monte Gelato Waterfalls
I propose one of the most popular day trips from Rome with family in spring and autumn.
It is also suitable for adults who want to surround themselves with nature but lack time to hike.
You can reach the place by car. After parking, you are left with a short walk to the falls.
Perhaps it is best to describe them as “little waterfalls.” At this point, the Treja River makes small jumps and creates a pool. The environment is lovely, but beware, you cannot swim.
Except the water is freezing cold (even in summer), that is what the name means. Also, the water could be cleaner.
Another attraction of this place is the water mill from the 19th century, which worked until the 1960s.
A Roman villa’s remains date back to the 1st century BC.
If you are traveling with children, consider visiting the farmhouse within walking distance of the falls, “Agriturismo Il Casale on the Treja River.”
For a cost, you can visit the farm and the various animals, including friendly and sociable donkeys.
The entrance fee is €10 for adults, while children pay half. From 0 to 3 years old, the entrance is free.
Included in the cost is the rental of the barbecue stations with tables. You can eat the restaurant’s dishes if you have not considered bringing food.
TIP: On weekends, holidays, and pre-holidays, these areas are bustling. However, towards the end of this post, I will tell you about Opera Bosco – Museum of Art in Nature, which is nearby and much more exciting than the waterfalls.
8. Have pizza at Osteria Falisca
Speaking of traveling with kids. I bet yours love to eat pizza and fries.
The best pizza is from Pizzeria Osteria Falisca, located in the modern part of Mazzano Romano.
Make a reservation if you want to dine there on weekends.
9.Take part in the Giostra delle Contrade Festival
An extraordinary moment for the people of Mazzano Romano happens every year around the middle of September.
On a weekend that is to be determined, the people of Mazzano proudly participate in the Giostra delle Contrade.
This is a 3-day festival that features games, tournaments, and medieval revival parades. The most enthusiastic are, of course, the children and young people of the town.
The historic center is colored with the colors and symbols of the banners of the 4 contrade. Games happen in the public parking lot at the gates of the historic center.
On the other hand, outdoor dinners offering typical dishes at very cheap prices happen at the Antisà Square.
For info on dates, check out the festival page. You cannot say you have experienced life in a small town near Rome without attending the town festival.
10. Visit Calcata Vecchia
Since you have come this far, the most beautiful village in the region is also worth visiting if you still need to do so.
Calcata Vecchia is also known as the village of artists.
This is because, since the late 1960s, artists from all over the world have taken refuge in this rural place to get away from industrialization.
The environmentalist theme, as well as freethinking, is the philosophical common denominator of Calcata.
You will also find these themes at the Museum Opera Bosco, where artists have been making works with natural forest elements for nearly 30 years.
This open-air museum is the pride of Calcata. It is located about 1.4 km from the historic center.
To visit it, you must make reservations by notifying the numbers on their page of your arrival.
Calcata’s historic center stands on a scenic flat spur of tufa overlooking the surrounding forests.
Remember your camera both to capture its natural landscapes and the quaint narrow streets, where artists’ workshops await.
TIP: If you are passing through on the weekend, try the cookies baked in the wood-fired oven by the talented Sardinian cook Carmen. You can find her at the “Dolci per i Dolci” shop in Piazza Umberto I.
READ ALSO: A Local's Guide to Visiting Calcata Vecchia
11.Visit Civita Castellana
If the thousand-year history of Agro Falisco has impressed you, then delve into it with a little trip.
At the town of Civita Castellana, which stands halfway between Rome and Viterbo, there is the National Archaeological Museum of the Agro Falisco.
The museum is developed inside the Renaissance Sangallo Fort, which is in itself a historical landmark worth a visit.
How to get from Rome to Mazzano Romano
To go from Rome to Mazzano Romano by public transportation, take a Cotral Bus from Saxa Rubra station. The journey takes about 40 minutes.
Where to stay in Mazzano Romano
The best place to stay in Mazzano Romano is an Airbnb in the historic center.
The best time to visit Mazzano Romano
The best times to visit this region of the Italian countryside are spring and autumn. In particular, you should pass through here in May, June, September, and October.
