Civita di Bagnoregio: A Microcosm of Italy || May 21, 2026
Civita is living proof that places facing decline can adapt and overcome by drawing on their unique identity. This hilltop town-turned-tourist destination is a microcosm of Italy itself.
Faced with demographic challenges, Civita was forced to get creative to save its way of life. By charging a visitor tax, Civita was able to fund restoration projects and preserve this beautiful place.
Italy's demographic crisis is only worsening, but success stories like Civita are a glimmer of hope.
Maurizio says ciao!
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Comments (29)
Been there- done that.... and you're correct. WHAT AN AMAZING PLACE Andrew UK
Being a great fan of Italy, this episode made me very happpy!! Thank you!!
A feel good story! Couple summers back my brother-in-law and I rented some motorcycles in Milan and spent 10 days riding the west coast to Silerno and back (Amalfi coast... wow). Cappuccino in Monte San Savino as a vintage car rally rolled through. What an awesome place.
Italy is one big open-air museum and restaurant filled with wonderful people.
Perhaps the way to deal with demographic decline isn't immigration but just cushioning the blow until a population can stabilize. Sure there are pension issues, and some areas may simply have to be abandoned from state services, but it has the side benefit of cheap housing and higher wages.
With one table the service will be awesome! 🤩
Had an incredible time in the countryside last summer....little ways south of Florence, Panzano Italy. Villa le Barone hotel, a dream. Thanks for sharing Pete, very interesting.
Wow - its winter here. Looks amazing. Even with Trump, Putin and old matey Ping, life is good.
Nice story, makes me want to get my passport renewed.
... with Trump's picture on it.
Meh no thanks never going there.
Peter has your opinion about solar wind as viable alternatives to fossil fuels changed with the advances in battery technology. It seems to be Trump will go down as the greatest green president in the history of the United States, I assume in over 100 governments around the planet. They were all looking at the same thing right now , how not to use fossil fuels and be at the mercy of the oil producing nations, including us.
It it weren't for all the traffic, noise, neon lights, liquor stores and dead bodies everywhere Civitas would be a gem.
Hats off to Maurizio. Caio!
Peter has got to stop giving away his position to the Israeli state… They’re going to destroy that town now. A restaurant with one table seems like a lot of pressure.
I really needed that. Good to know there can be a happy outcome to all of this.
Va bene!
It is an interesting analogy to the coming decade... We have a lot of ideas on how things will deteriorate, but it's an open question as to how we will come up with ingenuative solutions to survive within the melee. I'm honestly hoping at this point China collapses our economy by releasing powerful frontier level open source AI models, so at least everyone can use them to help solve the problems they will be dealing with
Yeah, if only the answers we need weren't hidden and locked away... eyeroll. You do understand that an AI query to chatgpt costs like next to nothing... right? Right? Like, one communist could borrow a dollar and ask questions, and then pass the answer on to her whole sleeper cell for nothing, for the cost of a toner cartridge? Right?
Part travelogue, part geo non politics. Refreshing!
My family's from Civita! I visited many years ago. We pronounce it chEE-vee-ta though. It may be the difference between Italian and Abrish (most of my family of the older generations spoke both).
The accent actually falls on the first syllable of the name. Peter is not really good at pronouncing stuff which is not in English 🤣
We went to Civita in 92 and it IS absolutely gorgeous. Enjoy it Peter.
This is a great example of how we sometimes ignore the human factor in geopolitics. The humans will to survive at any cost. We ignored that in Ukraine and this little place on a hilltop is another example of human natures desire to survive
I was in Italy years ago. Would love to go back. I made Rome, Venice, Pompeii, and Assisi. Wonderful people, great views, good food.
One of the most beautiful places on Earth to me. I want to take my sons to see it in the next few years. Hopefully.
Your fans are all living vicariously through your travels.
I’d pay about $3.5 a view if PZ changes strategies entirely and just goes Full Bourdain and drops all the “Demographic decline this, the End is just the Beginning that.”
Damn, a nice story for once lol! Looks stunning