Waterfalls are a true wonder of nature, their momentum can disrupt a landscape and their roaring create some uneasiness, but at the same time give really striking views. Finding them is not always easy and to admire them, sometimes, you have to walk for hours, but when we reach these remote corners of nature … well, the show is guaranteed. For the uninitiated, over the famous and beautiful Marmore Falls, in Umbria, our area is dotted with a multitude of waterfalls that you can’t miss. Let’s find out where they are!
1. Acquafraggia Falls, in Valchiavenna (Sondrio)
Acquafraggia Falls of Borgonuovo, in the municipality of Piuro in Valchiavenna, comes from Pizzo Lake at an altitude of 3050 meters. The origin of the name Acqua Fraggia, comes from “water fracta”, meaning the stream constantly interrupted by waterfalls. The Waterfalls, really impressive, impress even Leonardo da Vinci that passing for Chiavenna Valley admired the wild beauty and mentioned it in his “Codex Atlanticus”.
The presence of an equipped trail within the park takes many people to visit from near the environment surrounding the falls, and from the panoramic terraces along the trail, you can admire the entire valley until towards the plain of Chiavenna.
Several hiking trails within the park have as a starting point the Acquafraggia Falls.
2. The Waterfall of Liri Isle (Frosinone)
High about 27 meters the great Waterfall of Liri, is located in Frosinone area, a hundred kilometers from Rome towards Naples. The special feature of this cascade is to be the only one in Italy located inside of a settlement, whose name derives from its territory, a sort of island-born by the branching of the river Liri, that close to the Castle Boncompagni – Viscogliosi splits.
3. Park of Molina Falls, Fumane (Verona)
The Park of Molina Falls is due to the intuition of Professor Giuseppe Perin, geologist, and brother of the order of Don Calabria. Impressed by the uniqueness of the falls area, he proposed to the community of Molina and to the local authorities to establish the park, that attracts between 30,000 and 50,000 visitors every year. In Molina, you can feel the magical atmosphere of a small medieval village. The name of this stone village derives from the presence of the mills in the country and along the valley. You must visit the Lessinia of Molina Botanical Museum, inaugurated in 1981 and Shelter Solinas, currently known as the Grotto of Fumane, discovered in 1962, inhabited for a very long period of Neanderthal man (60,000 years ago) and then Aurignacian Homo sapiens, about 34,000 to 32,000 years ago, until the collapse of the cave probably dating back to 25,000 years ago, as a result, and effect of an ice age.
The third Sunday of July is the festival of the falls.
For info: http://www.parcodellecascate.it/
4. Dardagna Falls and the Sanctuary of Madonna dell’Acero (Bologna)
The name Dardagna comes from a stream; the waterfalls are located in the Lizzano in Belvedere, in the Corno alle Scale Park. You can get to the falls, starting from the comfort of a car park in front of the Sanctuary, from which you can admire the protected big maple tree and the view from the terrace, from which you can see the surrounding valley.
For those wishing to spend several days at the park, you can spend the night at the nearby Farmhouse Cimone “La Palazza”, a beautiful scenic place near the Regional Park of Corno alle Scale.
5. Nardis waterfall, Genova Valley – Dolomites (Trento)
Located in the western area of the Adamello Brenta Park, Genova Valley is the valley of the Falls that plunge from the typical glacial steps of the valley floor, called “scale”. Nerds Falls is the first one you meet when arriving from Carisolo.
The recommended period to visit this wonder of nature is from May to October, but in winter there are interesting sights such as the adventurous “Wilderness”.
6. Waterfalls of Monte Gelato in Treja Valley, Mazzano Romano (Rome)
Chosen by many directors for their exceptional beauty, the waterfalls of Gelato Mountain have become the setting for many movies and television dramas and deserve, for sure, a short visit. They are more a pond popular with local children in the summer than a tourist attraction. Nearby there are the remains of a water mill used from 1830 until the end of World War II.
For the adventurous, there’s Treja Adventure, the first adventure park on the outskirts of Rome http://www.trejaadventure.it/info.php
7. Toce Waterfall, Formazza Valley (Verbania)
Described as: – “The Most Beautiful, the most majestic waterfalls of the Alps” with its 143 meters its’s the second in Europe as height. To admire the waterfall in all its majesty, there’s a wooden bridge that stretches over the waterfall. Cascata del Toce is not always visible during the year, as the waters of Toce is collected in a reservoir upstream of the waterfall and through a tunnel and penstock reach the central Enel Bridge for the production of electrical energy.
Nearby there’ is a beautiful hotel in Art Deco style.
8. Barbiano Falls, Eisacktal – Alto Adige (Bolzano)
Besides the village of Barbian, above Ponte Gardena in the Eisacktal valley, there are the waterfalls, made by a series of beautiful falls, that amaze with the sound made when it crashes on the rocks. It’s the ideal destination for a day trip or a refreshing afternoon during the summer. To walk this path takes about 2 ½ hours, but if you don’t want to walk, you can also arrive just at the first waterfall, the Lower Waterfall (which has a jump of 85 meters).
9. Varone Falls, Lake Tenno near Riva del Garda (Trento)
Located in the municipality of Tenno, Trento, a few kilometers from Lake Garda, the Varone Falls are named after the town of Varone nearby. Visited each year by many visitors, the caves from which the falls flows with a deafening noise, were opened to the public in 1874. The spectacular entrance to the falls was made by the architect Maroni, who at that time also designed the Vittoriale.
In this video, a visit to the waterfalls. Info: http://www.cascata-varone.com/
10. Acquacheta waterfalls (Forlì-Cesena)
Located within the National Park of Casentino Forests, Monte Falterona and Campigna, the Acquacheta is a stream that is born in the Tuscan Apennines in the province of Florence. Shortly before moving to San Benedetto in Alpe, where joining the Troncalosso form the Montone, falls spectacularly from a high jump of sandstone, splitting into a thousand noisy streams.
Quoted by Dante Alighieri in the Divine Comedy is now a tourist destination also for the literary value of the site (which is within the so-called “literary parks”).
11. Cascade of Riva (Bolzano)
The waterfalls of Riva are located in Campo Tures in Riva valley. They can be reached by a hiking path or the path of St. Francis near Campo Tures and they are an incredible natural show. Formed by three waterfalls, each more powerful than the other, you can see how huge amounts of water are thrown into the abyss.
The waterfalls of Riva are undoubtedly among the most beautiful of South Tyrol. The largest of the three falls from a vertical rock in 42 meters deep.
12. Waterfall of Mill, Saturnia (Grosseto)
The peculiarity of these falls is given not only by the waterfalls but also by the many small pools formed below, that create truly magical scenery. Many tourists and locals often come here to relax and enjoy the relaxation and tranquility, finding moments of pure pleasure. In this falls sulfurous thermal waters arrive, they are particularly important and due to their properties, they gives benefits to the skin. This water, apparently, rich in thermal plankton, flows from a natural spring at a temperature of 37.5 ° C.
13. Sasso Falls, on Metauro (Pesaro Urbino)
They are originated by the presence of a bank of calcareous layers (Bisciaro) resistant to erosion river. In lean times you can also cross the river on the rock layers that protrude straight up the waterfall. To visit the waterfall from the bottom you must access to the river through a passage located at a renovated house, the Mill of Sasso, which has little trace of the functional structure of the original mill. Along this stretch of the river there are the kingfisher, the white wagtail and during winter also the moorhen.
14. Waterfalls Lequarci (Ogliastra)
Waterfalls Lequarci are located at the town of Santa Barbara, in the municipality of Ulassai, in the Province of Ogliastra in Sardinia. In several places there are springs that, during periods of high rainfall, giving rise to beautiful waterfalls; among these the most important ones are Lecorc characterized by a drop of nearly 100 meters that can reach a width of 70 meters. At the base of the “heels”, just above the waterfall Lecorci, there’s the Cave “Su Marmuri”, among the largest and most impressive one in Sardinia.
Those who decide to stay in this corner of Sardinia, a destination of free-climbing enthusiasts, they can spend the night at the Hotel Su Marmuri.
15. Fiumelatte Waterfall, Varenna (Lecco)
The Fiumelatte is known as the shortest river in Italy, about 250 meters from where it flows to where it dives in the lake below, crossing the eponymous village, in the town of Varenna. So named because its sparkling and withe waters that look like milk.
16. Serio Falls, Val Seriana (Bergamo)
Originated from the River Serio, who first formed the Lakes Barbellino (Upper and Lower) and then crosses the resort town of Valbondione, the Serio Falls consist of a triple jump for a total of 315 meters, the highest in Italy and the second in Europe. In 1931, in the site of a small natural lake, a dam was built to produce electricity, which interrupted the flow of the river. To relive again the beauty of the falls since 1969 the dam opened its barriers in agreed dates, thanks to an agreement with ENE. The event is repeated five times during the entire summer season.
17. Parcine Waterfall (Bolzano)
Dominated by the imposing scenery of the Texelgruppe, Parcines is especially known because of its waterfall and the Museum of Typewriters. The municipality of Parcines winds through a dense network of trails over 200 km long, leisurely walks in the valley or pretentious hikes. In the background, the waterfall of Parcines the highest in South Tyrol, with a jump of 98 meters is one of the natural wonders near Merano not to be missed!
From the hot springs tothe small and almost unknown paradises, here is where to dive into nature this summer, savoring the age-old tranquility of these places. Of course, this is just a taste, and many waterfalls will surprise you with their wonderful nature during your next itineraries. We await your stories!
