Subiaco
An hour east of Rome the mountains start, and the river that comes out of them is cold enough to make you laugh in July.
47 days out12 placesthe nearest is in Rome itself
The Aniene runs down from the Simbruini mountains, through Subiaco, past Tivoli and into the Tiber in Rome. Follow it upstream and you leave the Roman landscape entirely: limestone walls, beech forest, cold clear water and villages stuck on the sides of things.
Subiaco is the centre of it. Nero built a villa here with three artificial lakes; Benedict arrived four centuries later and lived in a cave above them; and the monastery that grew onto that cliff, the Sacro Speco, is frescoed from floor to ceiling and hangs over the gorge on arches. Down the hill, Santa Scolastica has three cloisters — Romanesque, Cosmatesque, Renaissance — laid out one after another as you cross them.
The other half of the valley is outdoors. Rafting and soft rafting on the river, canyoning in the side gorges, walks up to the plateaux at Campaegli and Livata, and in winter, snowshoes and cross-country skis.
This is also the coolest place near Rome in August by a comfortable margin, and the reason the Romans have been coming up here for two thousand years.
The shape of a day here is decided by how far up the valley you go. Subiaco itself has the monasteries, the river and enough operators to fill a day without moving the car twice. Above it the road climbs to Livata and Campaegli, which is beech forest and open plateau and where the snowshoeing, the forest walks and the long quad routes are. Beyond that are the villages — Jenne, Vallepietra, Filettino, Cervara — which are a slow afternoon rather than a destination.
Do the monasteries first thing. The Sacro Speco is a working community, the visiting hours follow their day rather than a tourist timetable, and it is small enough inside that twenty people change the experience. Santa Scolastica is down the hill and quieter, and the two together take a morning.
Then the water, in the afternoon, which is the right order in summer. The Aniene comes off limestone and stays cold through August, and the rafting on it runs from a soft family descent to a power raft. The canyoning is in the side gorges. Bring a change of clothes and expect to want it.
In winter the same valley does the opposite thing. Livata and Campaegli hold snow, the guides run snowshoe outings and cross-country lessons, and the monasteries in cloud and cold are arguably better than in sunshine. It is the one destination on this site that is genuinely a four-season day.
The monasteries, the river, the woods and the guides who work here. It is the single best-supplied destination in this catalogue.
Best fit for this section first, then whatever you can book today. Closest to Rome breaks a tie. Never by who pays us.
Down the riverFive kilometres down the Aniene. Helmet and paddle included, shuttle to the start.
€25 per person
Books on viverelaniene.com
See the day
On the trailA long but not difficult ring hike starting from the small settlement of Campaegli and reaching the summit of Monte Autore.
See the day
On the trailA visit to the monastery of San Benedetto, built against the rock face above the Aniene valley, where Benedict lived as a hermit.
See the day
In the hot waterA wellness session in an apiary set inside the beech forest of the Simbruini park, built on apitherapy practices: bee humming, api-aromatherapy and api-sound.
See the day
On the trailClimbing on an indoor artificial wall with routes for every level and an instructor always present.
See the day
On the trailA slow, guided sensory walk in the beech forest of the Simbruini, led by a certified forest bathing guide.
See the day
On the waterIndividual or small-group lessons on the Aniene, starting from the basics: reading the current, handling the paddle and moving safely.
See the day
Down the riverA stretch of the Aniene done on foot, through gorges, with jumps, natural slides and rope descents.
See the day
With your handsGuided tours of a working beekeeping farm at Monte Livata, following the life cycle of the bees from the gathering of nectar to the finished honey.
See the day
Under the groundA trip that combines caving with canyoning progression techniques: you walk through underground chambers, cross fixed sections and rope traverses with a helmet, harness and head…
See the day
On the trailGuided snowshoe outings on off-trail routes in the Simbruini, with TSL snowshoes and winter Nordic walking poles included in the price, sanitised after each use.
See the day
On the trailGuided snowshoe walks in the snow-covered woods of the Monti Simbruini, on routes of different difficulty from beginner outings on packed snow to longer hikes.
See the day
On two wheelsGuided electric bike rides on the trails of the Monti Simbruini park.
See the day
On the trailGuided walks in the Monti Simbruini regional park led by certified AIGAE guides, from gentle walks to demanding summit hikes.
See the day
On the trailA guide company based in Subiaco that runs tours of the Benedictine monasteries, the Rocca Abbaziale, the old town and the convent of San Francesco.
See the day
With your handsA hands-on workshop in Subiaco on making the local fresh pasta, the strozzapreti, run by the same guide company that handles the town's tours.
See the day
With your handsPutting on a beekeeper's suit and working a real hive: about three hours that start with a welcome breakfast of honey products and then move into the work of the apiary.
See the day
With your handsA guided visit built around teaching hives and an observation aviary, with a tasting of the hive products and a practical workshop, either wax or honey extraction.
See the day
On the trailA day hike through open landscapes, old beech forest and wide karst plateaus to the summit of Monte Autore, the third highest peak of the massif.
See the day
Down the riverYou paddle an individual inflatable kayak down the Aniene, with guides alongside.
See the day
Down the riverThe same stretch of the Aniene as the soft rafting but run in wetsuits, with a land briefing first, then strong currents, rapids, surfing and jumps at the end.
See the day
Down the riverA soft rafting descent of the Aniene that stops at the Aimara craft brewery, which sits directly on the water.
See the day
On the trailCross-country skiing lessons on the FISI-approved loops at Monte Livata and on the touring route linking Campo dell'Osso to Monna dell'Orso.
See the day
Under the groundA guided visit to natural caves inside the Monti Simbruini park, wearing a helmet and head torch, through tunnels and narrow passages.
See the dayJenne, Vallepietra, Filettino, Trevi, Cervara: villages at the top of the valley, and the Simbruini above them.
Closest to Rome first. Never by who pays us.
Off roadThe longer of the operator's two daytime routes: three hours from Anticoli Corrado through rock spurs, small mountain villages, grazing animals and views across the Lazio Apenni…
See the day
Off roadA two-hour guided quad ride from Anticoli Corrado along the old railway line, through olive groves and out onto the broom slopes of the Monti Ruffi, with views over the Aniene v…
See the day
Off roadAn evening quad ride on unmade tracks up to a natural terrace for the sunset over the mountains, then down to the square of Anticoli Corrado for pizza by the slice and a soft dr…
See the day
On the trailAn easy out-and-back walk in the Monti Lucretili to the Lagustelli di Percile, two karst lakes, followed by a Hatha Yoga session by the water with a qualified teacher.
See the day
On the trailA free full-day guided trek organised by the Monti Lucretili regional park, starting from San Polo dei Cavalieri and heading up to the Pratone, the high meadow below Monte Gennaro.
See the day
With your handsAn organic Cesanese producer on the Terre del Cesanese road at Olevano Romano, at about 350 m above sea level.
See the day
With your handsA visit to the vineyards and cellar at Olevano Romano followed by a tasting of the estate's premium Tenuta al Campo wines with dry savoury snacks, plus its own extra-virgin oliv…
See the day
Off roadA guided quad ride from Campaegli, at 1,200 metres in the Monti Simbruini, to the red deer enclosure at Prataglia run by the regional park.
See the day
Off roadA guided quad ride from Campaegli down towards the Fondi di Jenne, the karst hollows on the far side of the Simbruini.
See the day
Off roadA full day on a quad, arranged on request, from Campaegli to Jenne and Vallepietra with a stop to eat, returning to Campaegli by way of Subiaco.
See the day
Off roadA two-hour guided quad ride after dark from Campaegli across to Livata and Campo dell'Osso, the ski area of the Monti Simbruini.
See the day
On the trailFree evening observation sessions at the Claudio del Sole astronomical observatory at Prataglia, above Cervara di Roma, run by an astronomy association.
See the day
On horsebackA full-day ring ride on horseback across the karst plains of Campaegli and Camposecco inside the Monti Simbruini regional park, with a stop for lunch in a mountain refuge and a …
See the day
With your handsA visit to a winery at Affile, in the upper Aniene valley, with a tasting of Cesanese, the red wine of the area.
See the day
With your handsA walk from the Livata Cafè through the beech woods of the Simbruini park to the karst basin of Fondi di Jenne, where the group stops for a packed lunch and an open-air painting…
See the day
On the trailA ring hike from the Serra Sant'Antonio pass above Filettino to the summit of Monte Viglio, the highest peak of the Monti Cantari at the eastern edge of the Simbruini park.
See the day
On the trailA ring hike starting at the car park of the Santissima Trinità sanctuary above Vallepietra, along the Alta Via del Parco and part of the Frassati path, crossing the karst depres…
See the day
In the old stonesA sanctuary at Vallepietra.
Free — nothing to pay
Just turn up
See the dayRafting, canyoning and kayaking on the Aniene and the gorges that feed it. Cold, guided, and the best thing to do near Rome in a heatwave.
Closest to Rome first. Never by who pays us.
Down the riverThe association that runs the Casa del Fiume visitor centre inside the Valle dell'Aniene nature reserve in Rome.
See the day
Down the riverA circular route inside the Valle dell'Aniene nature reserve in Rome: a guided walk along the reserve paths, then a raft descent of the river past old bridges and small rapids, …
See the day
Down the riverA raft descent of the urban stretch of the Tiber.
See the day
Down the riverTrendingPaddle under Castel Sant'Angelo and past Tiber Island, down the middle of Rome.
A sports club — you join them for the day
See the day
Down the riverA four-hour excursion walking in the water through the gorge of Nepi, starting from the Cascata del Pizzo, among small falls and pools.
A sports club — you join them for the day
See the dayDriving time from the middle of Rome, on the road network and without traffic. It tells you whether the day stands up; it is not a timetable.
Getting there
The day stays yours: you leave when you want, stop where you want, and come back when the light goes.
Affiliate link — you pay their price, never more, and they pay us. You book with Localrent, and anything about that booking goes through them.
See prices on LocalrentNo parking to find, no wrong turns, and you leave when the day is done.
Affiliate link — you pay their price, never more, and they pay us. You book with Welcome Pickups, and anything about that booking goes through them.
See prices on Welcome PickupsTwo monasteries — one of them built into a cliff face — a river you can raft and canyon, mountains to walk in, and snow in winter. It is an hour and a bit east of Rome and it holds a full day easily.
Yes. It is a working monastery, so visiting hours follow the community's day and are published by them; the cards here link to the people who run the visits rather than to an opening time of ours.
The soft rafting on the Aniene is, and families do it. The harder descents and the canyoning are graded by the operator and the grade is on the card.
It comes off limestone mountains, so: cold, all summer. That is the appeal in August and the reason wetsuits are provided.
A little over an hour by road, east of the city up the Aniene valley. The drive time on each card is calculated on the road network without traffic. The last stretch is a mountain road and in winter it can want proper tyres.
The monastery built into the cliff face above Subiaco, on the cave where Benedict lived. It is frescoed floor to ceiling and it hangs over the gorge on arches. It is a working community, so the visiting hours are theirs and the cards link to the people who publish them.
It is one of the few destinations near the city that fills a day on its own — two monasteries, a river you can raft, mountains to walk and, in winter, snow. It is also the best-supplied single destination in this catalogue.
Get in the river, which is cold off limestone even in August, or go up to Livata, which is high enough to be comfortable when the city is not. Between the two, it is the best answer to a Roman heatwave within an hour and a half.
Where an operator has told us they can be reached without one, their activity page says so. In practice the valley is spread out — the monasteries, the river and the mountain are three different places — so a car or a driver is what makes it a day rather than a single stop.
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