Cascata delle Marmore

Terni / Narni, Umbria Region, Italy

About Cascata delle Marmore

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Waterfall Safety and Common Sense

Cascata delle Marmore (Waterfall of the Marmore) was probably one of Italy’s more famous waterfalls.

We sensed it was famous because it was one waterfall where it seemed like most Italians that we encountered on our trip had either known about it or at least heard of it.

Cascata_della_Marmore_042_20130522 - Cascata delle Marmore
Cascata delle Marmore

The falls also seemed to have gained quite a bit of notoriety internationally as well.

Yet despite its apparent fame, the quirky thing about this waterfall was that it was essentially a creation by the Romans!

Romans and the Cascata delle Marmore

Although we tend to be down on waterfalls that are artificial or man-made, in this instance (like in the case of Oxararfoss in Iceland), there was a bit of history tied to it.

In particular, the Velino River was diverted in 271 BC because its flow was believed to have caused illness to the nearby city of Rieti.

It was speculated that the Romans were correct in their line of reasoning as the river’s outflow drained into marshlands neighboring the city.

Cascata_della_Marmore_009_20130522 - Cascata delle Marmore in full flow looking against the sun, which was actually not a good time for photographs
Cascata delle Marmore in full flow looking against the sun, which was actually not a good time for photographs

Thus, those swamps were believed to have been spawning grounds for malaria-carrying mosquitoes.

By the way, Rieti also happened to be the city where NBA player Kobe Bryant attended school between 1984-1992 and was said to be where he developed his fluency in Italian.

Flow Control of the Velino River and the Cascata delle Marmore

Anyways, since then, the flow had been modified and utilized for both flood control and hydroelectricity (which is its current utilization).

For this reason, we had to time our visit to ensure that we would see Cascata delle Marmore flow as its waters would be released at specific scheduled times.

During our visit, we knew the waters would be released between noon and 1pm on weekdays, but it turned out that the water release times vary depending on the month and whether it’s a holiday (festivi) or it’s on a weekend.

Cascata_della_Marmore_040_20130522 - Cascata delle Marmore just when the waterflow was starting to turn off
Cascata delle Marmore just when the waterflow was starting to turn off

For the most up-to-date information on the water release schedule, we’ve provided a link to a schedule of Cascata delle Marmore.

As for the experience of viewing the Cascata delle Marmore, we felt that this was an instance where less was more.

We say this because during the scheduled release of the water over the cliff, we witnessed that there was too much mist being thrown up in the air combined with the midday sun causing bright reflections.

The end result was that the main tier (the uppermost drop) was not visible in this state as it was shrouded in the mist.

It wasn’t until after 1pm when the waterflow was being reduced that we felt the falls was at its scenic best.

Cascata_della_Marmore_057_20130522 - Cascata delle Marmore when the waterflow was even more turned off a few minutes later
Cascata delle Marmore when the waterflow was even more turned off a few minutes later

By that time, the main drop wasn’t as shrouded in mist and thus revealed itself.

So given our observations, perhaps late afternoon might be a good time to view the falls on a sunny day (as sometimes the waters would be released between 4-5pm).

Moreover, full flow would not necessarily be the best time for viewing if the river had high volume so it might be worth waiting for the start of the waterflow to be shut off.

The waterfall can also be seen with floodlighting in the evening if it was a festival day (holiday) as the Cascata delle Marmore would be allowed to run until 10pm.

Experiencing Cascata delle Marmore

As for walking to the Cascata delle Marmore, we started off by paying for admission at the biglietteria (ticket office; we paid 8 euros per person) for the lower car park area (see directions below).

Cascata_della_Marmore_002_20130522 - After purchasing our tickets to the Cascata delle Marmore, we then backtracked along a wide walkway as we approached the entrance
After purchasing our tickets to the Cascata delle Marmore, we then backtracked along a wide walkway as we approached the entrance

Then, we walked for roughly 300m or so along a wide and paved walkway to the entrance kiosk.

After showing our paid admission there, we then continued on the paved walkway, which passed right before the impressive multi-tiered Cascata delle Marmore.

During the time the water was released, there was enough mist being generated to spray much of that walkway.

The walkway then continued beyond the waterfall and eventually joined with some trails that ultimately led up to the top of the waterfall.

Cascata_della_Marmore_017_20130522 - Julie approaching the very misty Cascata delle Marmore
Julie approaching the very misty Cascata delle Marmore

We didn’t go do the trail to the top given that we thought the falls only had one hour to flow, and we thought it would take too long to do the hike within the perceived time limit.

However, in hindsight, we probably should have done it as we realized that we weren’t as time constrained as originally thought.

After all, the waterfall still had satisfactory flow even after the flow was reduced from its peak flow after 1pm.

In addition to the walkway with the open air view of the Cascata delle Marmore, there were also stairs leading to a more sheltered area with archways providing a slightly less misty viewing experience.

Cascata_della_Marmore_020_20130522 - Inside the sheltered walkway, which blocked most of the mist coming from the Cascata delle Marmore when it was in full flow
Inside the sheltered walkway, which blocked most of the mist coming from the Cascata delle Marmore when it was in full flow

There were actually benches down there to relax and take in the scenery though every once in a while the winds would shift and allow some of the waterfall’s mist to blow right into the sheltered area.

Overall, Julie and I spent about 90 minutes at just the lower viewing area.

However, much of that time was spent sitting and relaxing.

So it would be conceivable that a visit here could be as short as a half-hour or so.

However, if one were to go for the full experience (seeing both upper and lower viewpoints), then we can easily envision how two hours might be the minimum amount of time to devote to a visit here.

Authorities

Cascata delle Marmore (or the Marmore Waterfall) resides near in the city and province of Terni within the Umbria Region of Italy. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit the Terni Tourism Board website.

Maps and Routing Content are for annual subscribers. See Membership Options.
Content is for subscribers. See Membership Options.
Tagged with: terni, umbria, narni, italy, waterfall, regulated, hydroelectric, historical, marmore, romans



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Johnny Cheng is the founder of the World of Waterfalls and author of the award-winning A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls. Over the last 2 decades, he has visited thousands of waterfalls in over 40 countries around the world and nearly 40 states in the USA.
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