Waterfalls Near Rome

The most convenient waterfalls near Rome are north of the city, in Veio Park and Tuscia, less than an hour away by road. Many are free and can only be reached on foot. Marmore Falls, in Umbria, has its own ticket and opening hours. This guide brings together 16 places with entry details, access and the cautions given in each listing.

One note up front: water flow changes with rainfall and season. Where a listing mentions it, we say so again here. For more outdoor ideas, see the nature in and around Rome section of the site.

Waterfalls Near Rome to the North: Veio Park and Surroundings

This is the closest area to the capital. Expect tuff gorges, walking trails and almost no services.

Valle del Sorbo – Veio Park

A valley carved into tuff by the Cremera river, in the territory of Formello. It is a little over 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) from central Rome and about 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the Grande Raccordo Anulare ring road. Access is free and open, with no ticket offices or set hours. It is a well-preserved gorge, recognized as a Site of Community Importance. The listing is tagged for trekking and cycling.

Cascata dell’Inferno (Vejo Park)

A waterfall in a tuff gorge in Veio Regional Park, about 15 kilometers (9 miles) as the crow flies from the Grande Raccordo Anulare. It has no facilities and no dedicated parking. When it looks best, it is also hardest to reach. Work out the route before you set out.

Veio Park

A regional park of about 15,000 hectares between Via Cassia and Via Flaminia. For Valle del Sorbo and the Mola waterfall, one signposted entrance is on Via del Sorbo, in Formello. The trails have no ticket. The Portonaccio sanctuary and some painted tombs, however, can only be visited on set days and hours, so check the calendar on the park authority’s website.

Monte Gelato Falls (Mazzano Romano)

These are in the Treja Valley, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of Rome. Entry to the area is free, but parking is paid, and roadside parking is banned on the busiest days. Access is normally from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., with seasonal changes. Swimming in the Treja is prohibited.

Cascate di Diosilla – Monterano (VT)

They are in Monterano Regional Nature Reserve, at Canale Monterano. The walk starts from the Diosilla parking area, about 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) from the town center, where there are tables and benches. Entry is free and no reservation is needed. The three marked trails have no cafés or drinking fountains, so bring water from home.

Waterfalls Near Rome in Tuscia

In the province of Viterbo the falls are farther away but often free to visit. Water flow here depends heavily on rainfall.

Park and Baths of Mola di Oriolo Romano

This is not a spa facility. It is a wooded valley floor about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from Oriolo Romano, where a stream forms a waterfall and widens into a small pond. Next to it are the ruins of a 16th-century mill and two shallow pools fed by a lukewarm sulfur spring. There are no turnstiles and no reception desk.

Acquarossa Waterfalls (VT)

They are in the municipality of Viterbo, in the Pian del Cerro area. Entry is free, with no set hours. There is no kiosk, restroom, drinking fountain or signposted parking: leave the car in the dirt pull-off before the bridge and walk about 50 meters. The path is uneven and muddy after rain, so wear closed shoes with lugged soles.

Cascata del Pellico

A waterfall on Fosso Timone, a little over a kilometer (0.6 miles) as the crow flies from the main square in Canino. Its closeness to town is surprising: you go from houses to bare rock in a few minutes. The stream often runs strong. The listing gives no information on entry or hours, so check before your trip.

Cascata del Picchio (Nepi)

Reached only on foot from Nepi, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of Rome, in the Rio Falisco gorge. There is no ticket office, no gate and no set hours. The walk starts at Piazza della Bottata, where parking is free. A round trip to the waterfall alone takes just under three hours. The loop toward Castel Sant’Elia is about 10.5 kilometers (6.5 miles).

Salabrone Waterfalls (VT)

A drop on the Olpeta river, in the municipality of Farnese, close to the Tuscany border. Access is free: leave the car along the provincial road, then walk down. Flow depends entirely on rainfall, and in late July there is a risk of finding little water.

Small Cascades and Pools Near Cerveteri and Tivoli

Fosso del Norcino Cascades (Cerveteri)

A series of drops and pools on the Turbino river. There is no entrance fee or ticket. Leave the car at the end of Via Fosso del Norcino, number 27, and walk about forty minutes. The spot is about 26 kilometers (16 miles) from the Grande Raccordo Anulare. The water comes from a spring and stays cold.

Villa Gregoriana Park

In Tivoli, at Largo Sant’Angelo 1, 400 meters (a quarter mile) from the train station. It is run by FAI. A full ticket costs €10, with discounts for young people, university students and Tivoli residents. Children up to age 5 enter free. You can also get there by Cotral bus from the Ponte Mammolo terminal.

Waterfalls Farther Away: Ciociaria, Umbria and Abruzzo

These need a full day or close to it. If you would rather have water and services, look at the Outdoor Swimming Pools in Rome and Nearby.

Trevi nel Lazio (FR)

A village at 821 meters (2,693 feet) in the upper Aniene valley. Trevi Falls are about 6.3 kilometers (4 miles) from the center, along provincial road 193, and a few minutes’ walk from the bridge. Caetani Castle is open on weekends; on other days, call +39 0775 527001.

Isola del Liri (FR)

A town in Ciociaria about 110 kilometers (68 miles) from Rome. You can see the two waterfalls for free from the streets and bridges in the center. From the Grande Raccordo Anulare, expect a little over an hour and a half by car. By train the trip takes more than two hours, so the car is more convenient.

Marmore Falls (TR)

At Marmore, a district of Terni, a little over an hour and a half by car from Rome. A full ticket costs €12 and a reduced one €10. Entry is free up to age 4. On winter days when the water is not released, the fare is €6. Hours change with the season; park phone: +39 0744 67561.

Camosciara Nature Reserve (AQ)

It is in Abruzzo, not Lazio, about two and a half hours by car from Rome. It is the historic core of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, in the Alto Sangro area around the Scerto stream. It is a destination for a full day of trekking.

How to Choose Among Waterfalls Near Rome

For a half day, stay north: Valle del Sorbo, Cascata dell’Inferno or Cerveteri. If you prefer to walk little, Acquarossa and Trevi involve short stretches on foot. The places with services and a ticket are Marmore and Villa Gregoriana. The others almost always have no café or restrooms.

• After rain trails are muddy and flow rises; in summer some falls, such as Salabrone, may have little water.
• Closed shoes with lugged soles, and water brought from home.
• Parking: at Monte Gelato it is paid, and roadside parking is banned on the busiest days.
• Hours and fares: where the listing gives none, check the listing or the official website.

Frequently Asked Questions About Waterfalls Near Rome

Which waterfalls near Rome are closest to the city center?

Valle del Sorbo is a little over 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) from the center. Cascata dell’Inferno is about 15 kilometers (9 miles) as the crow flies from the Grande Raccordo Anulare.

Which waterfalls near Rome are free?

Free entry: Valle del Sorbo, Acquarossa, Monte Gelato (with paid parking), Cascata del Picchio, Diosilla, Salabrone and the waterfalls at Isola del Liri.

Can you swim at the waterfalls?

At Monte Gelato, swimming in the Treja is prohibited. For the other places, check the notes in the listing before you go.

How much does Marmore Falls cost?

A full ticket is €12 from age ten up and a reduced ticket is €10. Children up to age 4 enter free. On winter days when the water is not released, the ticket is €6.

Can you reach the waterfalls by public transport?

To Villa Gregoriana, yes: there is a train from Tiburtina and Termini, or a Cotral bus from Ponte Mammolo. There is no useful public transport to Acquarossa. For the other destinations, a car is the better choice.