Civita de Bagnoregio is known as 'the dying town' but was settled 2500 years ago by the Etruscans. Earthquakes in the 1600's cut off the main road and soil like riccota cheese dropped buildings off the edges for years. In the 1960's a pedestrian bridge was built and remains the only way in (and out, other than the aforementioned edge). Today there are 14 full time residents (down from a peak of five to six hundred), with more in the summer and many tourist in the summer on weekends.
The photo above shows the some of the blend of restoration and decrepitude that is found just inside the main gate. This building is mostly renovated, with new roofs and windows, but you can see in the corner that there is sky instead of window. As you go through the door there is a small terrace where the rest of the building used to be, now at that bottom of the hill. Therre is mainly one piazza with a decent baroque church, and several overlooks, although most of the 'view' is private terraces and gardens. We stayed at the B & B - http://www.civitadibagnoregio.it/ which is probably more charming when Franco is there. It is very quiet at night - no cars, no people - now that's my kind of town....
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