Monte Catillo Nature Reserve

The road for Quinitiolo, which leads to the Monte Catillo Nature Reserve, starts in Tivoli's historic centre, near Villa Gregoriana. Monte Catillo Nature Reserve, located entirely in the municipality of Tivoli, is a calcareous mountainous group (Monti Comunali Tiburtini), natural sequel of the southern spurs of Lucretili Mountains. Monte Catillo offers wonderful views of Tivoli and its ancient temples (Vesta and Sibilla tmples), as well as of the waterfalls of the river Aniene and the Roman countryside in the south-west and the Apennines of Lazio in the north-east.

View of Tivoli from Catillo Reserve

The Nature Reserve covers about 1,320 hectares and is characterized from a considerable variety of flora and vegetation not only for the great number of species living in the area, but also because the species are different for their geographical origin and ecology. The area comprises several wood formations belonging to the Mediterranean environment: there are forests of oaks and turkey oaks, woods of chestnuts and poplars and most importantly a wood of cork oaks. In fact the cork oaks are the symbol of the Reserve. In springtime brooms bloom, and a rare species of juniper flowers in the undergrowth, along with multicoloured snapdragons.

From the point of view of fauna, the Monte Catillo Nature Reserve is also home to a significant variety of wild animals, such as wild boars, foxes, badgers, weasels and stone martens, small owls and tawny owls. Along the ditches and water basins there are the grass snake, the newts, and different species of amphibians. Moreover, there are several species of rodents and insectivorous animals.