Holiday apartment in Viterbo – Etruscan sites, nature and history

Viterbo combines Etruscan history, medieval townscapes and protected landscapes into a diverse travel destination. Between necropolises, palaces, volcanic lakes, tuff gorges and signposted paths, very different impressions lie close together. Those considering a holiday apartment in Viterbo will find a place where culture and nature equally shape the character of the stay.

Culture and history

Viterbo was the seat of the papacy in the 13th century; the popes resided in the Palazzo Papale. In the medieval quarter of San Pellegrino, which is one of the largest medieval urban quarters in Europe, historic paving, buildings, vaulted houses, arches and loggias have been preserved. The Profferli are also characteristic: exterior stairways between the courtyard and the ground floor. Another gateway to history is the Museo Nazionale Etrusco Rocca Albornoz in Viterbo. It is dedicated to Etruscan archaeology and housed in the Rocca of the same name.

The Macchina di Santa Rosa is also part of Viterbo’s cultural identity. It is carried through the city streets by one hundred Facchini and belongs to the UNESCO-recognized network of shoulder-borne processional structures. Traditionally, it is carried through Viterbo every year on the evening of 3 September. Near Viterbo lies Ferento, an Etruscan-Roman city with a well-preserved theatre where open-air performances take place.

The necropolis of Tarquinia, also known as Monterozzi, comprises 6,000 tombs carved into the rock. The necropolis contains 200 painted tombs; the oldest date from the 7th century BC. In the Pile valley near Norchia, numerous tombs lie on tuff terraces, including the Tomba Ciarlanti, the Tomba a Camino and the Tomba Prostila from the 4th century BC. The necropolis of Norchia is freely accessible and admission is free.

The monumental necropolis of Castel d'Asso lies opposite the city of Viterbo. Its tombs are carved into red tuff and arranged on two or three superimposed levels. Because of the difficult access, a visit to some archaeological areas of Castel d'Asso is recommended in autumn or winter, with suitable clothing and preferably accompanied by a local guide.

The Palazzo Farnese in Caprarola is an ensemble created by Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola that combines the features of a fortress, a palace and a villa. The complex includes a circular courtyard within a pentagonal plan, a remarkable spiral staircase, a significant Mannerist fresco cycle and the Sala del Mappamondo with its celestial vault and geographical maps.

Today, the medieval Rione Castello of Bolsena, situated on a tuff spur above Lake Bolsena, houses the Territorial Museum of Lake Bolsena.

Nature and protected areas

Established in 1999 under Regional Law L.R. 30, the Monte Casoli di Bomarzo Nature Reserve covers 285 hectares and lies entirely within the municipality of Bomarzo. Numerous animal species live there, including the rare Lanner falcon and the black kite. The reserve’s administration promotes the use of its natural resources for educational and recreational purposes.

Parco Marturanum comprises gorges cut by streams into flat tuff plateaus, as well as clay hills with forests and pastureland. Several officially signposted CAI trails run through the park, including long-distance trails and connecting paths that make circular hikes possible.

The Forre di Corchiano natural monument protects a gorge on the Rio Fratta, together with its banks and tuff walls, within the municipality of Corchiano. Among other things, it preserves a section of the Via Amerina.

The Lago di Vico Nature Reserve encompasses mountain landscapes, wetlands, a volcanic lake, beaches, oak forests and high-trunk beech forests. Its wildlife is diverse and includes numerous fish species, small and large mammals, diurnal and nocturnal birds of prey, and waterbirds such as the great crested grebe.

The ancient beech forest in the Cimini Mountains near Soriano nel Cimino belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage property “Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe”, or to the corresponding serial site of centuries-old beech forests. The northern slope of Monte Cimino is designated as a Natura 2000 Special Area of Conservation with code IT6010022. Signposted CAI trails make it possible to explore the special features of this northern slope.

Trails and activities

The third stage of the Cammino Tuscia runs through the Faggeta del Monte Cimino Special Area of Conservation and the Lago di Vico Nature Reserve. CAI Trail 103 crosses the province of Viterbo from the Monti Cimini to the sea between Soriano al Cimino and Tarquinia. In addition to the trails in Parco Marturanum and on Monte Cimino, the area therefore also offers longer signposted connections.

At Lake Bolsena, visitors can go sailing, fishing, canoeing, diving, trekking, mountain biking and horse riding. The lake’s different landscapes, protected areas and historic places form distinct themes within the area, without being limited to a single type of travel.

Also pay attention to the booking and cancellation conditions mentioned there. Depending on your travel plans, different details may be important; the specific information stated for each individual offer therefore remains decisive. Before booking, it is advisable to take a final look at these fields directly on the respective offer page, so that the type of accommodation, occupancy, services and costs remain clearly separated from one another.

More destination pages

More destination pages: Bagnoregio, Bolsena, Capodimonte, Gradoli, Montefiascone, San Lorenzo Nuovo, Bassano In Teverina, Acquapendente, Bagnaia, Capranica, Caprarola, Castiglione In Teverina, Celleno, Civita Castellana, Collevecchio, Corchiano, Graffignano, Ischia Di Castro, Lubriano, Montalto Di Castro, Orte, Proceno, Ronciglione, Sutri, Tarquinia, Tre Croci, Tuscania, Vitorchiano, Marta, Carbognano, Farnese, Pian Di San Martino, Viterbo, Fabrica, Valentano Vt, Grotte Di Castro, Vetralla, Soriano Nel Cimino, Civitella Dʼagliano, Civita, Bassano Romano, Pescia Romana, Trevinano, Chia, Gallese, Canino, Chiusa, Piansano, Monterosi, Latera, Vignanello, Oriolo Romano, Bomarzo, Blera, Punta Del Lago, Arlena Di Castro, Tobia, Marina Velca, Fonte Vivola, Acquapendente Torre Alfina, Fastello, Villa San Giovanni In Tuscia, Nepi, Civitella Cesi, Marina Di Pescia Romana, Capraccia, San Martino Al Cimino, Montalto Marina, Montecalvello, Cellere, San Michele In Teverina, Roccalvecce, Canepina, Calcata Vecchia, Sipicciano, Vallerano, Colle Farnese, Castel Sant'Elia, Cava.

To the higher-level travel overview: Lazio.