Rome reaches more than 2.7 million inhabitants. That’s a lot, thinking of Milan with its 1.3 million or Barcelona with 1.6 million inhabitants. Living in a big city has advantages and disadvantages. Among the positives we certainly find the opportunity to do many things, the vast cultural and gastronomic offerings, and the more active social life-you can meet different people all the time. On the downsides, sometimes there is the desire to unplug from all this, to go somewhere quiet, where you can be alone without noise and traffic.
This is possible if fewer than 100 people live in the village. In Marcetelli, in the province of Rieti, there are 70 inhabitants. Considering precisely this figure, it is the smallest municipality in Lazio and among the smallest in Italy.
The small village overlooking Lake Salto once marked the border between the Papal States and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The town, at 930 meters above sea level, sits on the Salto Valley and is surrounded by mountains abutting the Monte Navegna and Monte Cervia nature reserve.
The historic center dates back to the 12th century and holds some monuments and buildings to admire. We start from Piazza della Porta with its octagonal fountain and Palazzo Barberini, named after the noble family that once owned the village. Then we continue through the center with its narrow, stone streets. Many years ago a castle stood in this place, the inhabitants at sunset closed the two entrance gates to protect themselves from attack.
Marcetelli also houses a museum of crafts and rural life where various tools are preserved. In fact, there were once the “bottari” who used chestnut wood to create barrels. There is only one bar in the hamlet, but the view is beautiful!
Although 70 inhabitants are few, the record is broken in Lombardy. The smallest village in Italy is Morterone with 32 inhabitants.