Civita Houses

PLEASE NOTE: FULL COVID-19 VACCINATION IS REQUIRED
FOR ALL VISITORS TO THE CIVITA INSTITUTE FACILITIES.

All visitors to The Civita Institute facilities are required to be “fully vaccinated” against COVID-19 and to provide proof of such vaccination to The Civita Institute prior to confirmation of their use of the facilities. Proof of vaccination shall be delivered via email to info@civitainstitute.org in order to reserve your use of the facilities and consists of a scanned copy of either a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-approved COVID-19 vaccination card or an equivalent European Union (EU)-approved COVID-19 vaccination card. As stated by the CDC, individuals are considered “fully vaccinated”: (a) 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series (such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines), or (b) 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine (such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine) and (c) after receiving all vaccine boosters that they are eligible to receive. If you do not meet these requirements for either a CDC/FDA or EU-approved COVID-19 vaccine, you are not “fully vaccinated” and will not be allowed to visit the Civita Institute facilities. For more information, please download our Visitor Conditions PDF.

Located approximately 60 miles north of Rome, in central Italy, Civita di Bagnoregio is an ancient and astonishing hilltown set within one of Europe’s most remarkable geological landscapes. With Etruscan underpinnings, Civita's first inhabitation predates the founding of Rome. The historic citadel of Civita does not provide for automobile access, allowing this hilltown to retain an unusually intact group of buildings, spaces and ambience dating largely from medieval and renaissance times.

The Civita Institute facilities include a series of historically-significant houses/apartments that have been restored for our educational and nonprofit arts organization use over the past 40 years by the late Professor Astra Zarina and her husband architect Tony Costa Heywood, both of whom were among the founders of NIAUSI and the Civita Institute.

The Civita Institute facilities include a group historic buildings clustered around a courtyard and garden, with spectacular views of the surrounding landscape. These stone structures contain our residences, library spaces and collections. We continue to expand our library of materials and have completed a series of historic restoration and maintenance projects over the past eight years, with more work to come. The Civita Institute Facilities Committee has compiled a summary update PDF on this progress, which is available for viewing here.

Accommodations are for our nonprofit arts organization use and are not commercial lodging open to the general public. Our program participant spaces are located in autonomous apartments within the Civita Institute compound: Lo Studio, Il Nuovo and Il Ruderino. Each dwelling is suitable for one person or a couple, though it may be possible to accommodate family members and friends by prior arrangement. Note that summers can be quite hot and the dwellings are not air-conditioned.

Fellows, Donors and Program participants staying in Civita have access to a comprehensive library of materials related to Civita and other Italian hill towns, as well as general material on architecture and urbanism.  Members also have full access to the courtyard, garden, and terrace overlooking the extraordinary EU-protected valley surrounding the hill town.  

Civita di Bagnoregio is located on a promontory, accessible only by a pedestrian bridge which is 2 km by foot or public minibus from the town of Bagnoregio. While some services (restaurants, etc.) are available in Civita, grocery stores, post office, bank, public transportation, and other services are readily available in Bagnoregio. It should be noted that there are no handicap accessible facilities available in Civita. However, by request, we will do our best to make our facilities accessible to people with disabilities and those for whom access is a challenge.

We have prepared a brief Welcome Letter for guests and directions, available for download. Please visit the Visitor Conditions page as well for more information.

The Civita Institute does not provide lodging, B&B or hotels rooms.  The Civita Institute is a nonprofit arts organization that allows only its approved Fellows, Residents, Educational Program participants and Donors to stay at its facilities. For further information about the Fellowships, Residencies, Donor stays, Programs and Membership, please email us.

Membership Benefits
Support of an excellent educational nonprofit in the heart of old Italy to preserve its way of life, its impact on past, current, and future generations, and save this 3000 year old town

Access to the facilities in Civita di Bagnoregio including the houses, the Zarina-Heywood Library with the significant Civita Collection, the courtyard, the vegetable garden, and the terrace overlooking the EU-protected valley. 

Use of the research materials in the Zarina-Heywood Library

Acknowledgement in the Civita Institute Newsletter

Eligibility to apply for Civita Institute Fellowships (with no additional fee)

Opportunities for involvement in Civita Institute activities

Thank you for your support!
The Civita Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are tax exempt to the extent allowable by law.