Riserva naturale della Macchia di Gattaceca e Macchia del Barco

Riserva naturale della Macchia di Gattaceca and Macchia del Barco stretches across about 1000 hectares between the Tiber Valley and the Monti Cornicolani, consisting of a patchwork of fields, forests, and open land. Dense vegetation with various woodland types shapes the landscape and creates a varied habitat for plants and animals.

The area was placed under protection in 1997 through Lazio Regional Law to preserve natural habitats near Rome. The land contains archaeological traces from prehistoric times through the medieval period, showing long human presence in this part of the region.

The area serves as an important site for nature observation and environmental learning in the Rome region. Visitors and researchers come here to discover and document the diversity of plants and animals.

Three marked hiking trails cross the area and offer various routes through forest and fields with different difficulty levels. Access points are located near Monterotondo and Mentana, where information for orientation and safety is available.

The area contains the Pozzo del Merro, an impressive sinkhole that plunges more than 390 meters deep and is filled with water. This underground chasm ranks among the world's deepest flooded vertical caves and holds significant interest for scientific research.