Bolsena and its surroundings

Bolsena is a stunning town overlooking the lake that bears its name, along the Via Cassia, just 100 km from Rome and Siena. Located on the northern shore of the lake, formed around 300,000 years ago following the volcanic eruption of the Monti Volsini, Bolsena is the perfect place to rediscover Etruscan history and ancient medieval traditions.

Located on a hill, Civita di Bagnoregio is a unique and fascinating town, accessible only on foot via a bridge built in the mid-20th century.

Known as “the dying city” due to its isolation and the slow, progressive erosion of the tuff cliff on which it stands, this small town was founded over 2,500 years ago by the Etruscans along one of the oldest routes in Italy, which once connected the Tiber River to Lake Bolsena. Today, it is considered one of the most evocative and enchanting destinations in central Italy.

The few families still living in the village, together with the surreal landscape of the clay gullies surrounding it, make Civita di Bagnoregio a truly unique place.
Its narrow alleys preserve numerous artistic and architectural treasures: the Porta Santa Maria, the only entrance to the village, is topped by a pair of lions clawing two human heads, a symbol of the tyrants once defeated by the people of Bagnoregio; the Romanesque Church of San Donato, which houses a splendid crucifix from the school of Donatello and a fresco from the school of Perugino; and the Romanesque-Gothic Church of the Annunziata, next to an elegant bell tower dating back to 1735 and adorned with precious paintings.

Viterbo is the main city of northern Lazio, renowned for its medieval historic centre, one of the best preserved in Italy, and for its role as an ancient papal residence in the 13th century, which earned it the title of “City of the Popes”.

Beyond the charm of its old town, the entire province of Viterbo offers landscapes of extraordinary variety: from the picturesque lakes of Vico and Bolsena to the Lazio Maremma, with the ancient towns of Tarquinia and Montalto, where history and nature blend in perfect harmony.

The city of Viterbo is also famous for the Transport of the Macchina di Santa Rosa, a traditional and evocative event held every year on the evening of September 3rd in honor of the city’s patron saint.
Recognised by UNESCO in 2013 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the Macchina is an impressive structure, about 30 metres tall and weighing over 5 tons, entirely illuminated. Carried on the shoulders of one hundred men — the Facchini di Santa Rosa — through the streets of the historic centre, it offers a breathtaking spectacle filled with emotion and civic pride.