Take A Tranquil Day Trip From Rome To Escape Crowds At This Town With Two Unique Waterfalls

Whether you're walking through the ancient corridors of the Colosseum, marveling at the treasures on display in the Vatican, or digging into a dish of pasta, Rome is a city of endless wonder and delight. Millions of visitors come every year to tour the Eternal City, packing in visits to ruins between great meals and stops to enjoy aperitivo in a sunny piazza. There are so many things you could do with even one day in Rome, but if you want to visit the essential destinations, you will need at least a few days to do so. 

To break up the marathon of sightseeing and to keep your sense of wonder sharp, add an excursion away from the city in the middle of your trip's itinerary. There are lots of day trip destinations that are easy to get to by train from Rome, but don't expect to break away from the crowds if you're visiting the most popular and closest spots like Tivoli and Cerveteri.

Instead, consider the unique town of Isola del Liri which offers the charms of a historic town and beauty of nature with two gorgeous waterfalls right in the city center. Here's everything you know about this off-the-beaten-path day trip destination.

Located in southern Lazio, Isola del Liri is not your typical island. The town sits between two offshoots of the Liri River, forming a small island between two urban waterfalls: the 88-foot-high Cascata Grande and the more humble Cascata del Valcatoio. People have resided on this inland island since the pre-Roman era, but the town's castle, which sits between the falls, was built in the Middle Ages by the noble Boncompagni-Viscogliosi family.

On a typical visit to Isola del Liri, you can walk along the river banks to admire the landscape of the waterfalls and visit the castle. Couples exploring the town should look out for the "Obbligo di Baciarsi" sign, which translates to "Obligation to Kiss" and is posted in front of one of the most romantic viewpoints of the waterfall.

The Castello Boncompagni Viscogliosi has a long history, but most notably it was sometimes used as a Royal Palace of King Ferdinand IV of Naples. Visit the castle for a unique view of the town, looking down from the top of the waterfall. You can spend the rest of the day checking out other landmarks like the Villa Nota Pisani, a grand 19th-century house that mixes different architectural styles. It was built during the city's industrial era, during which Isola del Liri became something of a powerhouse thanks to the energy produced by the waterfalls.

On a day trip from Rome, the best way to visit Isola del Liri is to hire a rental car and drive south towards Frosinone. From the city center, it takes about 90 minutes to cover approximately 70 miles. If you don't drive, the train is also an option, but you will have to transfer in Roccasecca and it could take between two and four hours for a one-way journey. From Anagnina — a metro station and bus depot outside the city center — there is a direct bus to Isola del Liri that only takes 90 minutes.

The best time to visit Isola del Liri is during the town's famous blue festival, which has been taking place every July since 1988. The Liri Blues Festival is one of the genre's premier festivals in Italy, bringing crowds of music lovers to the town to enjoy free concerts headlined by some of the world's most prominent blues musicians like the Campbell Brothers and Jon Cleary.