Rieti

Traditionally called the "umbilicus Italiae" — the navel of Italy — Rieti is a walkable hilltop town in Lazio whose centre is dense with historic churches and listed buildings. The town sits above the fertile Rieti valley, formed from a lake drained by the ancient Romans, and borders the Velino River. Conquered by Rome in 290 BC and later a papal seat in the 13th century, it has a layered history to match its food-and-drink scene and vineyard-dotted surroundings.

• Population39,068
• Nearest water from center0.6 km
• Nearest mountain from center3.5 km
• UNESCO within 50 km3