Marmore Falls: your full guide to Umbria’s tallest chutes (2024)

Dear backpackers, are you looking to chase some waterfalls? You may not think about waterfalls and cascades when you think of Italy, but we’re here to tell you that you should because the region of Umbria has some surprises up its sleeves! Plan a fun day exploring the grand Marmore Falls with our full guide to help you navigate your way.

Marmore falls, cascata delle Marmore, Marmore Waterfall guide Umbria Italy

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What are the Marmore Falls?

The Marmore Falls are the tallest waterfalls in Umbria and one of Italy’s most impressive cascades. The waterfall is actually man-made and has some history to them. The Falls were created in 271 BC when the Roman consul Curio Dentato ordered to build the so-called Caba Curiana, a canal that was aimed to drain the marshy area. The stagnant water was directed in the direction of a steep drop, creating the Marmore Falls.

The canal solved the problem of the marshy area but created a flooding problem for the cities of Terni and Rieti. This issue wasn’t solved until 1787 when the architect Andrea Vici gave the waterfalls the shape that we see today.

Something important to note is that the Marmore Falls are not always flowing at the same capacity. In fact, the flow is controlled and it changes during the day, according to a set schedule.

At its fullest, the Marmore Falls are truly impressive, discharging over 15 m³/s of water. At its lowest level, you can appreciate the rocks beneath it and the shape the waterfall takes, as well as the vegetation growing.

The Marmore Falls is composed of a total of 3 drops, with the longest one being 83m (272ft) high and with a total height of 165m (541ft). The Falls also attracts a large number of visitors, with an average of half a million every year. It is a popular tourist destination, and for a good reason!

At the Marmore Falls, there are 2 viewpoints; an upper one and a lower one. Both viewpoints have a parking lot and an entrance, with a ticket office, bars and services. The 2 viewpoints are then connected by several walking routes.

How to get to the Marmore Falls?

The Marmore Falls is located only 10km from Terni, and just 25km from Rieti. They are nestled in the Nera River national park, near the lake of Piediluco, from which they originate.

Get to the Marmore Falls by bus

The Falls are quite the attraction so much so that they’re well connected with public transit.

👇 REACHING THE LOWER VIEWPOINT

From Terni: take bus E621 which serves the route Terni-Arrone-Ferentillo-Scheggino from the “Bus Terminal di Piazzale della Rivoluzione Francese“. Alernatively you can take bus n°7 and 7/ from the train station or from the city centre.

From Rome: take bus E433 Roma-Cascia from the Tiburtina station.

From other regions: Take advantage of the service called “Marmore Link“, which combines train and bus to create the perfect package to reach the Falls. With Marmore Link you can buy one ticket for the whole trip, and the waiting times are also optimized. In order to book this option, check out Trenitalia.it and type “Cascata delle Marmore” as your destination.

☝️ REACHING THE UPPER VIEWPOINT

From Terni: take bus E624 which serves the route Terni-Marmore-Piediluco-Colli from the “Bus Terminal di Piazzale della Rivoluzione Francese“.

Get to the Marmore Falls by car

Reaching the Marmore Falls by car is very easy. There are signs everywhere, so you can’t miss it. Both lower and upper viewpoints have giant parking lots, where you can easily find a spot for your car. The parking however is not free of charge. Parking at the Marmore Falls costs €1.20 EUR ($1.05 USD)/hr or €5 EUR ($5.20 USD) for the entire day, and you only have to pay from 10 am to 8 pm.

Here are the exact locations of the parking lots for lower and the upper viewpoints:

Lower Viewpoint

Upper Viewpoint

Entrance Fee for the Marmore Falls

The entrance ticket to the Marmore Falls costs €10 EUR ($10.50 USD) per person. The ticket is valid for the whole day, and it includes the night show as well as the trails, the viewpoints, and services.

The shuttle bus that connects the two viewpoints costs €3 EUR ($3.15 USD), but it’s only active during high season and other busy weekends.

There is also the option to get on a guided tour and explore specific places like the “Balcone degli innamorati” or the trail n°2 at night, at an additional cost.

THE EASY WAY

The Marmore Falls – Detailed Guide

The easiest way to see the Marmore Falls is by checking out the two viewpoints without considering the trail options available. It doesn’t really matter where you start, since both places can be visited independently and have separate ticket offices and entrances.

There are stairs, and the trail to the first viewpoint is paved and has handrails.

THE UPPER VIEWPOINT: The upper viewpoint is located just 300m from the info point and ticket office. It is called “Belvedere Specola Pio VI“, and it offers stunning views from above the waterfall. From here you see the upper level of Marmore Falls, which is also the highest drop, measuring 83m in height. The viewpoint can be reached in just 5-10 minutes from the entrance.

We recommend visiting this viewpoint at sunset since the sun is in the most favourable position. At the viewpoint, you will find a stone structure with beautiful arches. Expect this spot to be quite crowded, especially during high season.

THE LOWER VIEWPOINT: this is where you can appreciate the 3 different levels of the Marmore Falls. The lower viewpoint is located near the lower entrance, and once again you don’t have to walk more than 5 minutes before reaching the actual viewpoint.

FROM ONE VIEWPOINT TO THE OTHER: You can easily drive your car to the lower level, where you will find another parking lot. If you don’t want to move your car or you’re visiting the Falls on public transport, consider taking a shuttle bus.

Overall, with this option, the Marmore Falls are easily accessible to people of every age and physical condition. The lower viewpoint is also easily accessible to people in wheelchairs.

Trails at Marmore Falls

In total, there are 6 trails, known as sentieri in Italian, that you can do. In the map below, the trails are outlined in different colours, and depending on which one you take, you will catch glimpses of the Falls or be in the thick of the greenery.

Trail n°6 and trail n° 4 are located in the mountain and the waterfalls are not visible.

Trails 1 and 2 are the most scenic ones, and they all feature beautiful viewpoints along their way. However, you need a guided tour to reach some of these viewpoints. Viewpoints “a“, “d” and “e” however can be easily visited without a guide.

The entire area is well thought out and has toilets, restaurants and even camping areas and picnic grounds.

The Marmore Falls by night

While the Falls are beautiful during the day, we HIGHLY recommend visiting them at night too. The night show starts at 9 pm. They are lit up and look so much cooler at night.

In the evening, it is windier which means you may get wet from the water. Keep that in mind with your camera equipment and clothes. The nearby bars and restaurants are open too so consider grabbing a drink or a bite while walking along the path of the waterfalls.

Best time to visit

Since the tickets to visit are valid for the entire day, we recommend checking out the trails in the morning, and then returning to see the night show later in the evening. Here are some more things to keep in mind:

The upper viewpoint is best at sunset. Late in the day, in fact, the sun lights up the waterfall and it often creates rainbows. In the morning, on the other hand, the sun is behind the Falls and the view is not as pleasant.

The night show is best from the bottom, so try to get to the lower viewpoint later at night.

The park and its waterfalls are open year-round, but if you’re planning on doing the trails consider visiting the Marmore Falls in summer (Jun-Sept). You will get wet, and you don’t want to hike in wet clothes in winter. Also, summertime is the best time of the year to watch the Falls at night.

If you’re only interested in seeing the Falls, like in our “easy way” guide, check out the water release schedule and try to plan your visit accordingly. In winter, you may have to visit the falls on a weekend since most of the time there is no release during the week.

Water release schedule

Every month, and depending on the National holidays, there is a different water release schedule. Be sure to check out their website before going so you don’t show up when the water has been reduced. We visited the Falls in July, on a Saturday, and the hours were from 10 am to 7 pm and 9 pm to 10 pm. The park itself however has different hours than the water, open from 9 am to 10:30 pm.

Typically, during autumn and winter, the water is almost never released, with the exception of the weekends and holidays. Also, when it’s released it’s usually for a couple of hours a day. No release however means there is minimum flow, as shown at the beginning of this post. This minimum flow is kept all year round, at any time of the day.

March is usually the first month in which water starts to be released also during the weekdays, with the number of hours that gradually increases until August and mid-September.

Where to stay near the Marmore Falls

ON A BUDGET: The cheapest option to stay near the Marmore Falls is located in Terni and it’s called White. Rooms go for as low as €58 EUR ($59USD).

If you’re looking for a different experience check out Convento San Bernardino. It is an old convent that dates back to the 15th century and was inhabited by nuns until 2016. Today it’s a hotel with great positive reviews and double rooms from €80 EUR ($82 USD).

A cheap but beautiful apartment near Terni is Residence Viviverde. The apartments range from €80 EUR ($82 USD) to €100 EUR ($102 USD) per night and can house 2 to 4 people. If you’re travelling with friends or with your family this apartment will cost you only €25 EUR ($26 USD) per person a night.

Best restaurants near the Marmore Falls

The area near the Marmore Falls is dotted with bars and restaurants and – to our surprise – they aren’t particularly touristy. Obviously, you should stay away from the ones that are right by the Falls if you’re looking for an authentic Umbrian meal, Most of those in fact serve fast-food-like meals and they’re not as traditional.

ON A BUDGET: Grab a sandwich or share a cold cuts plate at “La Cascata dei Sapori“. The bar is located on the upper level of the Marmore Falls and it’s great value for money.

MID-RANGE: A restaurant we loved is “Osteria La Cascata“, which is located on the main road near the lower entrance of the Marmore Falls and serves great meat dishes, homemade pasta and truffle. This Osteria is more of a mid-range level restaurant, so expect to pay around €20-30 EUR($ 21-31 USD) per person for a two-course meal.

FINE DINING: The best restaurant in the area is probably “L’Antico Borgo“, which – surprisingly – is a seafood restaurant. It has the best reviews and the dishes here are simply delicious.

What to bring

Bring a light water repellent poncho for visiting the falls at night and if you take the trails that reach closer to the water.

No need to bring snacks and food, there are plenty of nearby services, even toilets. However, we always recommend bringing your own refillable water bottle.

Comfortable/waterproof shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty or wet.

A backpack is best for the trails and walking around the park of the Falls.

Our tips for the Marmore Falls

Visiting the Balcone degli innamorati is a beautiful lookout point that is only accessible by reservation. You can book when you want to visit online at the same time that you buy your tickets at the park and Falls (1 ticket for everything).

If you want to get close to the water sources on the trails, try out sentieri 1, 2 and 3. If instead, you’re looking for trails that take you through the rich vegetation of the mountain, you should try the sentieri 4, 5, or 6.

Have you visited the Marmore Falls? If so, share your experience and tips you might have in the comments below.