Face to face with the Marmore Falls

Near the end of the Valnerina valley, just when the Nera River seems to calm, a sudden Apennine storm bursts into life: the roaring waters of the Velino River plunge into the Nera through the three drops of the Marmore Falls. George Byron famously described them as “horribly beautiful,” and during the Grand Tour the power and wonder of the Terni Waterfall became an essential stop for travelers. They remain so today: the site now attracts more than 500,000 visitors each year. The park can be visited with an entrance ticket and offers fascinating routes that run almost alongside the main cascades.

However, there are other ways to walk in front of and around the waterfall. One of these is the Penna Rossa loop, a trail that climbs the cliff directly facing the Falls before continuing through woodland to the small village of San Liberato. The route begins at the lower viewpoint just beyond the road tunnel, in the direction of the main parking area. From here, the trail climbs the rocky ridge and continues along a path that coincides with part of the Via di Francesco stage between Terni and Arrone.

To admire the Falls from the most classic viewpoint, an entrance ticket to the park is required. It is instead possible to continue freely toward San Liberato, where a church and monastery—first Benedictine and later Franciscan—preserve remarkable frescoes. From here, a short path leads to the former battery park on the panoramic summit of Pennarossa. You then return to San Liberato and descend again toward the Falls along the left branch of CAI trail 619.

The Marmore Falls and their park are undoubtedly the most famous and most visited destination in the Valnerina valley. They can be reached from Terni—and from the A1 motorway by exiting at Orte—by following Regional Road 209 “Valnerina.” The Falls are just six kilometers from the city. They can also be reached from Rieti via State Road 79 bis by taking the Valnerina junction. Large paid parking areas are available at the Marmore Falls, which can also be reached from Terni by public bus.