Viterbo is a province and small town located in northern Lazio. The town has a population of around 70,000, and the province has a population of around 315,000 people. Even though it is a small province, Viterbo still has many tourist attractions. This article is written to help guide a tourist through this province and its various attractions.
The City of Viterbo
The first tourist attraction would be the capital of the province, Viterbo. Every year, Viterbo hosts a festival called “La Macchina di Santa Rosa” (The March of Santa Rosa). This festival takes place annually on the third of September. The festival has been going on for 750 years, but it took a two-year pause due to COVID-19. It resumed in 2022. What happens is 100 men parade through the streets of Viterbo carrying a 30 m statue on their shoulders, lighting up the town with the candles put all over the statue. It is a wonderful sight to see. It is something that every tourist must do if they are in Viterbo around the third of September.
There are more things to do than watch the Santa Rosa festival. Viterbo offers underground tours of their Etruscan tombs from 20AD. For something related to Santa Rosa, you could go and visit her preserved body located in the church of Santa Rosa. Finally, you can visit one of Viterbo’s many churches or museums located around the city.
Best Bites
For dining in Viterbo, there are many restaurants with delicious food. Some of the most popular restaurants include La Spaghetteria di Viterbo which has over 300 different plates of Spaghetti. Close by you could visit O’Sarracino or Taverna Etrusca, both located on Via Cavour. If neither of those restaurants are available, Il Gargolo is a terrific restaurant with a great outdoor dining venue.
The Province of Viterbo
To expand into the province of Viterbo there are many cool little towns that are located all within 30 minutes – 1 hour of each other. Some of the towns include Tarqunia, a small little beach town located on the coast. It has many wonderful restaurants, along with beach access nearby. It is home to more etruscan museums and a Holocaust memorial.
Another town to visit would be Orte. Orte is located on the edge of Viterbo and Lazio. It is a town built on top of a hill, housing wonderful views of the surrounding area. It has an underground well and a beautiful church that are both open to the public. It is a great place to visit to take a nice walk about and spend an hour or two.
Lakes & More
One final option would be to visit Lake Bolsena. It is a volcanic lake surrounded by many little towns. It is perfect for warm sunny days where the warm waters are open to the public. The towns around the lake are wonderful for pit stops to have lunch or dinner with a wonderful view of the entire lake. Close to Lake Bolsena is Civita di Bagnoregio, a small town located on a plateau. The city is dying and falling apart every year due to its location on the eroding plateau. It is a breathtaking place to visit because of its unique location and entry to the town.
Overall, Viterbo is a wonderful province with many hidden gems like the ones listed above. This article is perfect for planning the perfect day trip to weekend stay. It has the essentials of what needs to be visited, with the emphasis on the capital city, Viterbo. The province offers wonderful dining options and tourist attractions that are unfindable anywhere else in the world.
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Aidan Schofield
