The Natural Reserve of Tevere - Farfa

In 1997 a dam was built on the Tiber, this brought to the formation of a swamp in the place where the Farfa flows into the Tiber.
This is how one of the most interesting, from a naturalistic point of view, environments was created. This humid habitat has been catalogued by the European Community as an area of international interest.
Millions of birds of many different species, both migratory and non, populate this swamp. In 1994 some platforms that permit the visit of the flooded areas were built.
We believe the best way of visiting the reserve is either by foot or by bike, in both cases the routes are easy and level, perfect for also young children.

How to arrive:
The main entrance of the park may be reached through a downhill street that begins in the center of the town of Nazzano, at the 34 kilometer of the via Tiberina, on the right bank of the Tiber.
The indications for this road are few and often unclear (march 2005), we therefore suggest you ask.
At the end of the descent there is a parking place with illustrative panels and two dirt roads that lead to the reserve. Take the one on the left, after a little more than one hundred meters you will reach the Tiber.
This is where all the routes that visit this bank start, and in some periods one may take a small ferry to the other bank and visit the estuary of the Farfa.
When there is no ferry it is extremely difficult to cross over to the other bank: one must go to Poggio Mirteto Scalo, go towards the bridge on the Tiber and just before crossing it one must turn left into a dirt road that borders the river. Beware, exclusively the main entrance of the park (from Nazzano) is indicated and finding the others may not be easy.
Follow until you may the dirt road, always being careful to remain near the river and not adventure yourself in one of the numerous rural dirt roads, you will thus reach the parking place where the routes begin.

Nazzano

Before going to the park (or after), one may tour the town. The interesting part is of course the one with the castle and its immediate surroundings.
In front of the base of the castle there is the museum of the river. The entrance is free (but remember to sign the register book!). Personally I particularly appreciated the rooms dedicated to the fossils included in sandstone they found and dug in a cave in Nazzano. The director of the museum told us they were about to open other rooms, you will therefore certainly find the museum more grown respect to what we have visited.
Once out of the museum, turn to the left and follow the castle walls up through the narrow streets of the town until you reach the entrance of the fortress. One may not enter, but the view on the Tiber is more than worth this short walk.
The castle and its cylindrical towers, was built in 1200. The small late-medieval church of Sant'Antimo is on the other side of the town, it has roman columns and cosmatesque mosaics.

Visiting the Park
If by foot we suggest you visit the southern part of the reserve (valley) and renounce to visiting the river bend which can instead result a little monotonous (this on both banks).
If instead by bicycle, and there is the ferry you could also do the whole tour crossing the river at Poggio Mirteto Scalo.
Remember that if on foot, unless there is the ferry, it is impossible to cross the river for in the park there are no bridges: you will therefore have to decide on arrival which bank you want to visit.
Important differences characterize the two riverbanks, we will therefore describe them separately.

Riverbank on the side Rome is on and where there is the main entrance, of Nazzano.
Here a route, equipped with platforms that goes along the river, into swamps, woods and cane thickets reaching different outposts where one may do birdwatching, begins.
Exploring the long platforms and going from one outpost to the next is very amusing.
When the route fall into a dirt road I believe, that if on foot, one should turn back for the scenery becomes a little monotonous. If instead by bicycle it can be very pleasant.
By bicycle one may not go on the platforms: If you therefore want to cycle from the parking southward, you will have to take the dirt road on the right instead of the one on the left.

Riverbank on the side Rieti is on This is the "wilder" and less organized riverbank: fewer routes, no platforms, etc... But it is the side on which there is the beautiful estuary of the Farfa.
The estuary is on the Southern part and it may be easily reached when there is the ferry. If you have arrived by car by taking the bridge near Poggio Mirteto Scalo, you are instead not near at all: by foot you will therefore have to consider a long walk along the river, or, if capable of orienting yourself, point directly South, straight towards the estuary (thus cutting the abovementioned river bend), if by bicycle, follow the route.

What to bring?
Surely binoculars to observe the birds. For what concencerns clothing, the routes are all easy and we simply suggest you use some common sense (no high heels). Along the routes one encounters many marvelous areas where one may stop for a picnic, therefore bring food and drinks.

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