Have you heard of Lazio’s dying town? Located a couple of hours north of Rome in the under-the-radar region of Tuscia, Civita di Bagnoregio rises on a bluff and looks almost like an island surrounded by a valley. I recently included it in a list of Italy’s most charming small towns for AFAR, but I think it warrants a closer look.

Curious to see the mysterious town, my husband Marco and I took a day trip there on a chilly day in November. Civita di Bagnoregio is designated one of the Borghi più belli d’Italia (most beautiful villages in Italy) and as you approach it, you start to understand why.