Regional Feature- Calcata

View of Calcata from Calcata Nuova (the new part of town)

  A few years ago, I was watching a trailer for the film All the Money in the World while at home in Houston, Texas. A shot of a medieval hilltop borgo (village) flashed across the screen. I spontaneously whispered, “Calcata!” in the dark theatre. The shot is quick (between the 7-8 second mark, right at the beginning), and although, in the plot, this is meant to represent a Calabrian town, I knew it was Calcata, a hidden gem in the Lazio region. The town is similar in aesthetic to Civita di Bagnoregio, which I also feature as a regional spot, but Calcata is still slightly more obscure. The closest train station that you can reach from Rome is Rignano Flaminio, and it is not that close, but you can take a bus from this station. There are also COTRAL busses from the Saxa Rubra station, in the periphery of Rome. The easiest way to reach this spot is to drive, which takes about 55 minutes. Here is more specific instructions on how to arrive by car, bus and train.

This place is magical and worth the effort no matter which method you use, however.

Views from Calcata

Take pictures all around. If you reach this dreamlike borgo by car, you will need to park closer to the Calcata Nuova, that is, the ‘new’ or modern part of the town. Interestingly, starting in the 1930s, the historic center of Calcata was deemed unsafe because of the volcanic cliffs that the town is perched upon. The government feared that the town would collapse, so they forced residents to move to Calcata Nuova, on stable ground. When you approach the old town from Calcata Nuova (nothing special), you will get the sense that this ancient village is suspended, in a precarious position, but mystical at the same time. This is the drone shot used in the opening of All the Money in the World, so recreate it in stills of your own (I believe flying personal drones is illegal, so don’t do that) before entering inside the town. You will approach the opening in “fortified stone gates of the 13th century Palazzo Baronale” which is, in fact, the only entrance and exit to the town only open to pedestrians. I encourage you to walk the full perimeter of the village, as there are surprising look out points at every turn with sweeping views of the Valley of Treja. Then, I encourage you to turn outward and take pictures of the natural beauty, fully green and lush when I visited on a beautiful fall day.

Surprises to step into around every corner in Calcata

Explore the interior of the town next. Calcata is now notorious for its unconventional inhabitants, so observe life in this contemporary artists’ colony. As the story goes, when residents were encouraged to move out of the old town, many houses were left abandoned. Although the transition into Calcata Nuova started in the 1930s, it took time for all residents to move out, and in the 1960s, artists, hippies, and bohemians decided to take the risk and move into abandoned places; to be more specific the ‘move’ started with squatting, but as time went on, they bought and restored homes that original residents were happy to sell, and thus, an eccentric community was built. Hidden down a cobblestoned alleyway is Dutch puppet maker, Marijcke van der Maden’s workshop. I don’t want to tell you exactly where it is (I don’t know if I could) but it would spoil the surprise of stumbling upon it. A large part of the small population of Calcata is comprised of foreigners, which means that the customs and accepted practices in the town are also unique. For example, David Farley who lived in Calcata for a year and has written about it extensively, quotes one of the residents, Pancho Garrison, a Texan, as saying, “ “You could walk around here in your pajamas holding a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, and no one is going to judge you because you’re not tied to the proper Italian way of doing things.” Read more about specific residents and their oddities in Farley’s article for the New York Times, albeit published over 10 years ago. I must say, I did not find much changed when I recently visited, however.

Although the 20th century history takes uniquely takes precedence in this town (you know the history in which the hippies save the day!) there is an equally bizarre Calcata tale that starts in the 16th century.  Rome was famously sacked by the armies of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in 1527; shortly after this, a German solider was imprisoned in Calcata, but he was carrying a strange stolen relic, the Santissimo Prepuzio (the most holy foreskin). As Farley explains: “The relic remained in Calcata for centuries. It brought a smattering a pilgrims to the village, even after it was officially banned by Pope Leo XIII in 1900. (Fearing it would inspire “an irreverent curiosity,” the decree declared that anyone who speaks of or writes about the Holy Foreskin will face excommunication.)  Read more here. This unexpected relic lived in Calcata until 1983 when it mysteriously disappeared. Many locals believe it was in fact ‘stolen’ back by the Vatican. You should pay homage to the 14th century Church of Santissimo Nome di Gesù, as this is where the Holy Prepuce resided before its disappearance.

Eat at La Latteria del Gatto Nero. This restaurant was recommended by many, and the quirky décor as well as food quality lived up to expectations. The name of the restaurant translates to ‘the Dairy of the Black Cat’. Indeed, the décor is feline-themed, and the owners have a black cat, hence the name. The cuisine could be described as predominantly Italian, with particularly fresh, local and season ingredients.  Cozy and small, you should make reservations especially on the weekend.

Phone Number: +39 0761 588015