The best walks and hikes around Ponzano Romano

The hermitage of Santa Romana, in Sant’Oreste sul Monte Soratte, is a rock-hewn church carved into a cave on the northeast side of the mountain, in a wooded and very evocative setting. According to tradition, it was consecrated in 1218, but the site seems to have even older origins, perhaps also linked to pre-Christian cults. The site preserves remains of walls and ruins that show how the hermitage was larger than it appears today, as well as frescoes visible on the damp cave walls. Inside there is also a marble basin that collects water dripping from the rock, traditionally used for devotion by women who lacked milk,

Viewpoint and fork of the sentinel path. You get there along a path that runs parallel to the fence of the old military area. It's very steep at first then it's easy. From this point you can go back along 204B continuing to follow the fence or go down to the bunkers and old military vehicles

On the path that leads from Sant'Antonio to Santa Lucia there is a deviation to the right which immediately begins to descend very steeply. In the first stretch you have to be careful not to slip, then the path continues without difficulty along the fence of the old military area; in fact it is called the path of the sentinels. At the height of a wooden platform and of a bench there is a deviation to the right which, following it all, descends to the area where there are the bunkers and the open-air museum of old military vehicles.

On the right side of the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie begins the path that leads to the church of S. Antonio. The first news of this Hermitage dates back to 1532; the prior of all the Soratte hermits resided here. The building has been preserved but the interior cannot be accessed. Other remains are in the rear area of the church where there is also a bench to admire the view. In front of the church the path continues in the direction of Santa Lucia although halfway you can turn left to reconnect to the concrete road that takes us back to the town.

On the way to the top of Soratte, just before the San Silvestro hermitage, you can take the path on the left that leads to the small San Sebastiano hermitage, of which modest wall traces remain. The latter was home to hermits in the 16th and 17th centuries, after which it began to be abandoned and fell into ruin. In the rock there is a cavity used to collect water. Short trail but to be followed with care.

Huge boulder leaning against the rock, looking at it it seems like it is about to fall down. Legend has it that Saint Nonnosus was a monk and that rock is in that spot because he managed to move it from the top of Soratte to make room for a vegetable garden for the monks. Panoramic point

Remains of a building which legend has it belonged to bandits. Very panoramic point on the path to get to the top of Soratte

The meri are very deep karst cavities. Easy path to follow. Start from the large Sant'Oreste car park, the one below the road. There are three of them, all close together. On the same path, a little further on, there is the church in the cave of Santa Romana, a beautiful place that deserves to be visited.