Everyone talks about it, but few know how to reach the fabulous 5 Waterfalls of Cerveteri. The path isn’t marked, and there’s a risk of getting lost, trespassing on private property, and, not to mention, encountering Maremma dogs! So, how do you go about reaching the majestic Cascate di Cerveteri (calling them “cascatelle” would be an insult – we’re talking about waterfalls that are 25-30 meters tall)? Well, it’s as simple as can be: come with us!
The trail of the 5 Waterfalls of Cerveteri (or Castel Giuliano) is still one of those wild corners where water hides among waterfalls, small cascades, and little ponds – a natural paradise that eludes most people. And you know what’s strange? There are those who swear they’ve seen giant snake-like anacondas wandering around in the 1930s. But come on, obviously that’s one of those stories to take with a grain of salt!
Now, let yourself be enchanted by the Roman Tuscia, with its woods, pastures, and fields that seem to have stepped out of a fairy tale. The tufaceous rocks, born from the art of the Sabatine volcano, give that magical touch to the landscape. We’ll set out for our trek from the Necropolis of Banditaccia, an ancient and fascinating place full of Etruscan stories and hidden secrets, proceeding confidently towards the discovery of the waterfalls.
From the Ospedaletto Waterfall to the spectacular Mola Waterfall (or Castel Giuliano), we will follow the course of the Fosso della Mola, which then becomes the Torrente delle Ferriere due to the old ironworks that performed real magic with iron. Imagine this: iron being practically carried on mules’ backs from the sea to the ironworks, where a small army of workers created masterpieces.
The vegetation here becomes denser and more enveloping, and as we immerse ourselves in ups and downs and untouched nature, we will come across the two “lower” waterfalls, each with its picture-perfect little pond – the Arenile and Braccio di Mare waterfalls. Later, we will briefly ascend another stream, where we will encounter the fabulous Vaccinello Waterfall, which looks like it’s straight out of a fairy tale with its 25-meter jump onto a massive rock. And, if we’re lucky enough to have a sunny day, we might even stumble upon an optical illusion, an extra surprise that will make our adventure shine even brighter!
The return is through paths amidst lush woods and Mediterranean shrubs, back to the starting point, during which we usually compile the ranking of the 5 Waterfalls of Cerveteri. Each time, there’s a different winner, because they’re all so beautiful that you can’t pick just one!
This excursion can be approached in various ways: as a loop of 15 or 13 km starting from Cerveteri, or as a round trip traverse of about 10 km starting from Castel Giuliano. The altitude difference varies from 250 to 350 meters, depending on the chosen route. The best period to visit the waterfalls is throughout the year, but we recommend from April to October.
