Corte della Maestà
Civita di Bagnoregio, Italy
★ Verified by our editors · October 2026
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The verdict
Four rooms in the old Episcopal Palace of Civita di Bagnoregio, the tufa village in northern Lazio that you can reach only on foot, across a long pedestrian bridge. You find it behind the church, through a green gate under a bridge of roses, and inside it is a theatre of the owners' collection: a carved canopy bed in La Badessa, an opera backdrop in La Sonnambula, hand-painted flowers on every wall of La Scrittrice. The smallest hotel in Italy with three MICHELIN Keys, and one of the most personal anywhere.
A night or two in a village that empties when the day visitors leave, in a house that feels like someone's collection.
You travel with children or heavy luggage, or want a full-service hotel: there are four rooms, no cots and a bridge to cross on foot.
Book the private wellness corner, a sauna and whirlpool for two, and walk the village after dark, when it is almost empty.
The rooms
Four rooms, each built around the objects in it: La Badessa with its carved canopy bed, La Sonnambula with a theatrical backdrop, La Scrittrice papered in hand-painted flowers, and La Intrusa, the most intimate. Rooms cannot take cots or extra beds.
The setting
In the Episcopal Palace behind the church of Civita di Bagnoregio, a village on a spur of volcanic tufa above the calanchi, the eroded clay valleys. There are two gardens: one on the site of a Roman villa, and the Vescovado, the largest green space in the village.
The food
Breakfast and the house's shared spaces: Cucina di Fratta, around a long table under three chandeliers, and the Tana del Lupo, a former Roman cistern with a piano and books. The village has family-run restaurants for dinner.
Getting there
Civita is closed to cars: the last stretch is a pedestrian bridge a few hundred metres long. The hotel collects luggage from Orvieto station until 17:45 for €50; travel light if you arrive later.
Good to know
There are four rooms, so book early. The owners also run a sister house on Lake Bolsena, Corte al Lago, which is a separate place. The three Keys are those of the Guide's 2026 selection.
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