Viterbo is the true “beating heart” of Tuscia. The town saw its greatest splendour in the middle ages, but its history is a long and varied one that spans across the millennia.
A town of 65,000 inhabitants, Viterbo was first settled by the Etruscans, whose traces were discovered right on the hill where the Cathedral now stands. In Roman times, the city became a strategic intersection along the busy Via Cassia. In the 12th century, work began on the city’s massive defence walls, which are wholly intact even today. The material used was peperino, a characteristic local volcanic stone of a sombre grey colour. The various gates providing an opening in the walls (Porta Romana, Porta Fiorentina, etc.) lead to the medieval town centre, including the splendid quarter of San Pellegrino, Palazzo dei Priori and Palazzo dei Papi. Palazzo dei Papi, or the “Popes’ Palace”, is so called because it was the place chosen by the Roman popes as their abode for several decades. They adding buildings and monuments to Viterbo, turning it into a city of worldwide importance. Yet Viterbo is more than just history: one of its strong points is the local cuisine, which you will experience having a lunch in an excellent local restaurant after the guided tour of the town. Not to mention its famous thermal waters, which you will enjoy in the afternoon with a rejuvenating bath. You can choose between the Terme dei Papi thermal spa, a 16th century monumental pool or the Thermal Park of Bagnaccio, a set of countryside natural pools surrounded by archaeological findings.
PROGRAM
Guided tour of the Medieval town of Viterbo
Lunch in Viterbo featuring authentic local dishes
Entry to the Terme dei Papi thermal spa or the Thermal Park of Bagnaccio for rejuvenating baths
AVAILABILITY: Terme dei Papi option, every day except Tuesday – Bagnaccio option, every day except Wednesday
MEETING POINT: Valle Faul in Viterbo, reachable by car and mini-van (free parking)
MEETING TIME: 10.00 a.m.
GROUP SIZE: that of your party
DURATION: about 8 hours
TRANSPORT
WE OPERATE TRANSFERS TO REACH THE MEETING POINT AND RETURN FROM VITERBO, ROME, CIVITAVECCHIA, FLORENCE AND OTHER CITIES IN CENTRAL ITALY.
RATES
THE COSTS OF THE TOUR AND THE TRANSFERS DEPEND ON THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS AND THE PICK UP POINT.
