Pantanello Park

A walk in the Pontine marshes

The Pantanello Natural Park, which extends for a hundred hectares outside the walls of the Garden of Ninfa, is an example of reconstitution of the original environment of the Pontine Marshes

The Pantanello Park

The Idea
The Project

The idea of re-naturalizing a stretch of the Roffredo Caetani’s famlands, adjacent to the Garden of Ninfa, took root in 1991 and was the brainchild of three conservationists associated with the Foundation: Fulco Pratesi, Honorary President of WWF Italy, and member of the Foundation’s general council, Arturo Osio, former Chairman of the Foundation, and Lauro Marchetti, Director of the Garden.

In an area of some 100 hectares, the project was designed to recreate the conditions that pertained prior to the reclamation of the Pontine marshes in the early 20th century.

The resultant Pantanello Park, with its woods, canals, lakes and marshland, is a unique habitat for migrating birds and wildlife in general. As such it complements the Garden of Ninfa and its historic buildings, bringing back to life the features and landscapes that were once there.

It began with a team of geologists, botanists, zoologists, entomologists and historians carrying out meticulous research on the original environment of the Pontine Marshes.
The Pantanello Park contains six ponds of differing dimensions, each fed by water from the river Nympheus: three of these feature plant life. Another, the Pond of the Amphibians, is a still-water pond without fish. The largest pond is the deepest and it is a habitat for aquatic bird life and for many species of insects. Lastly, there is a pond close to the western perimeter of Ninfa, in which is reflected the wall of the old town.

The Park contains flora and vegetation typical of the area prior to the 20th-century reclamation, much of this based on a study by the botanist Augusto Beguinot (1875–1940).

The Pantanello Park was opened on 15th December 2009.

It is open to the public during the winter season, from October to March, thus avoiding the nesting season. Pantanello lies on one of the main migratory routes, and is suitable for wintering and nesting. Among the species that have flown into the Park are teal, pochard, spoonbills, gadwalls, herons, egrets, lapwings, and birds of prey such as the marsh harrier and the peregrine falcon.
The Pantanello Park performs an educational role, through study programs, environmental monitoring and the study of wetland ecology of often carried out in collaboration with schools and research institutes, national and international.

Visit the Pantanello Park

The Pantanello Park may be visited from October to March.
Organized groups and schools may visit the park throughout the year
by booking a guided tour.

Guided Tours

The tour is guided, starting at 10.00 a.m. and lasting for two and a half hours.

The Park is open to the public every Sunday from October to March.

Booking is required. In applying please specify the day you plan to visit, the number of participants and, for organizational purposes, a contact telephone number for the day of your visit.

Entrance Contribution

Adult	€ 6,00
Minors under 12 years old Accompanied by a Parent, not valid for groups	Free

Organized Groups

Groups, composed of a minimum of 20 participants, may visit the Park from October to March. Tours are guided and last about two and a half hours. Pre-booking is mandatory.
To book, please use one of the following email addresses:

dmarchetti@frcaetani.it
or
info@lipulatina.it
Telephone: +39 0773484993
Mobile: +39 3273860129

The entrance fee may be paid on arrival or by bank transfer.
Pre-payments by bank transfer are not refundable in the event of a missed visit.
The contributions are per person and include the guide.

Entrance contribution

Groups, subject to a minimum of 20 pax	€ 6,00 pp.
Minors under 12-years old	€ 5,00 pp.

* Accompanied by a parent

Schools

School parties may visit Pantanello on any day of the year. The guided tour lasts about two and a half hours, and is particularly suitable for children as it includes environmental education and birdwatching.

Booking is mandatory and may be done by emailing one or other of the email addresses below. In addition to the date of your proposed visit and the numbers involved, for organizational purposes please provide the telephone number of one or more teachers who will accompany the class on the day of the visit.

Roffredo Caetani Foundation:
dmarchetti@frcaetani.it

LIPU of Latina:
Email: info@lipulatina.it
Telephone: +39 0773484993
Mobile: +39 3273860129

Entrance contribution

Adult	€ 5,00 pp.
The disabled and their carers	Free
Parents and supervisors	€ 8,00 pp.
Three supervisors, needed for every 25 students	Free

Groups booking a visit to Pantanello may, on the same day, apply to visit the Caetani Castle at Sermoneta or the Garden of Ninfa, the latter only on days when the Garden is closed to the general public.

No Drone Zone

The Pantanello Park is private property, and the flying of drones is strictly prohibited.

Entrance and Visit

When applying please specify the numbers in your group, including adults.
The tour, which is guided, lasts approximately two and a half hours. Visitors are not permitted to stay on in the garden once it is over.
Guided tours are guaranteed, even in the event of rain.

Not permissible in the Park

Lunch or picnics.
Playing with balls, or picking plants and flowers.
Dogs and other pets

Information about the Park

For information about the Park, please fill in the form, specifying the type of visit that is of interest to you – whether a private guided visit, an organised group, a school or simply for information and research.
A member of our staff will contact you by return.

The Pantanello Park

The Park covers an area of some 100 hectares (250 acres) and is part of the Natural Monument "Garden of Ninfa", established by the Lazio Region in 2000.

Some 12 hectares (30 acres) of wetland consist of ponds and marshes, flooded meadows and small streams and canals, each with their own ecological identity.