Decima Malafede Nature Reserve – Lazio: Roman countryside, ancient paths and biodiversity between city and silence. The Decima Malafede Nature Reserve is one of the largest protected green areas in Lazio and the Municipality of Rome. It covers over 6,000 hectares between the Via Pontina, the Via Laurentina and the districts of Mezzocammino, Trigoria and Castel di Decima. A surprising landscape made up of cultivated fields, lowland woods, volcanic gorges and forgotten archaeological evidence. 🌾 Agricultural plains and historical landscapes: The reserve preserves intact a stretch of the historic Roman countryside, with large cultivated expanses, pastures, farmhouses and sheep tracks. The fields are home to cereal and fodder crops, maintaining the traditional design of a land inhabited and worked continuously for centuries. 👉 Tip: Walk through the fields near Castel di Decima in the early hours of the morning: the grazing light draws a rural landscape that looks like something out of a painting. 🌳 Hidden gorges, streams and forests: The area is crossed by a dense network of tuffaceous gorges dug by watercourses such as the Malafede ditch and the Decima ditch. These shady valleys are home to mixed forests of oaks, maples, alders, poplars and willows, creating humid and wild environments just a few kilometers from EUR. 👉 Tip: Follow the Forre path south of Trigoria: a little-frequented path where silence, moss, water sounds and animal tracks alternate. 🦉 Protected fauna and biodiversity: Decima Malafede is home to rich wildlife: foxes, porcupines, badgers, hoopoes, tawny owls and amphibians that live in the temporary wetlands. In spring, the meadows are filled with spontaneous blooms and pollinating insects, offering an intact and precious ecosystem. 👉 Tip: Bring a magnifying glass or botanical guide: the meadows between Trigoria and Via Laurentina are a hidden treasure trove of floral biodiversity. 🏛️ Archaeological traces and memory of the landscape: In the heart of the reserve are the remains of Roman villas, fountains, medieval towers and ancient secondary roads. Many are incorporated into greenery and little known, but they tell of a continuous use of the territory between eras and civilizations. 👉 Tip: Visit Castel di Decima, now home to the Visitor Center: an ideal starting point to discover the history and geography of the reserve. 🚶 ♀️ Slow walks between nature and silence: The reserve is crisscrossed by paths and dirt roads suitable for hiking or cycling. The large size and variety of environments allow routes for all levels, including sections of the Via Severiana and connections with other green areas south of Rome. 👉 Tip: Explore the ring that connects Via Pontina Vecchia to Via di Trigoria: a path through clearings, gorges and open views of the urban countryside. Decima Malafede is a reserve made of balance and resistance. A place where the city retreats and gives way to fields, woods and waterways that continue to live with the slow rhythm of nature.