 |
| The village of Calcata near Rome, Italy |
The fortified village of Calcata, Italy is not in Tuscany, but rather it is near Rome. Nevertheless, we mention it here because of our interest in castles and fortified villages. Calata in on the outshirts of the Valle del Treja Natural Park which is an easy 40 km drive from Rome. The village is a large castle that stands high up on a tuffa volcanic plug. The fortifications, especially the gate passage, are extremely well-preserved and the entire village is worth exploring. The population consists largely of "fricchettoni" meaning roughly "freaks", artists, bohemians, aging hippies and New Age types, with their associated galleries and cafes. These latter might or might not appear to you, but Calcata is definitely worth a visit if you are in the region of Lake Bracciano.
Author: Anna Maria Baldini
