If you want to take a trip out of town a short distance from Rome, we recommend visiting Capena. It is a charming village located in the province of Rome, just 30 km from the capital.
The Giant of Capena
The village houses “The Moment,” a monumental statue created by Hungarian artist, Ervin Hervé-Lóránth 9 meters high and 2.5 meters wide. The work was placed in Piazza del Popolo in Capena in 2018. It depicts a giant man leaning with his elbow and one leg on the walls of the square, which is truly striking. The man leans out and looks beyond the door of the square, toward the panorama (symbolizing “the waiting man”); a leg inside the square represents the link with the past; the gaze turned beyond the door indicates attention toward the future.
Part of an agreement with the “International Art Colony” of the Hungarian city of Cered, the special feature is the figure’s heels, decorated with mosaic, recalling the benches of Capena.
Other things to see are:
- Torre dell’Orologio, symbol of the village, houses the Civic Museum dedicated to local history
- Piazza del Popolo in the historic center, where the Town Hall and the Church of San Michele are located
- La Rocca, a historic area that can be reached by walking along Via delle Scalette
- Lucus Feroniae, an important archaeological site about 6 km from the center, with remains of an ancient Roman sanctuary, forum, basilica and amphitheater
- Art Forum Würth Capena, the contemporary art gallery with a rich collection of more than 18,000 works
- Mosaic decorated benches created by artists Rosina Wachtmeister and Giovanni Battista Rea, set within the medieval walls
How to reach Capena from Rome
Capena is about 32 km from Rome. It can be reached in several ways:
- By car the journey takes about 32 minutes by driving along the highway
- By train from Roma Tiburtina to Piana Bella Montelibretti, from there by cab
- By bus starting from Roma Saxa Rubra station, take the bus to Morlupo and then continue to Capena. The trip takes about 1 hour and 32 minutes
Where to eat local specialties
Capena offers several options for enjoying the local cuisine. If you want to try typical local dishes, we recommend trying “fregnacce,” a pasta similar to maltagliati, seasoned in various ways, and “ciambelline al vino.“