Located on the first slopes of the Cimini Mountains, about an hour’s drive from our hotel, Viterbo is an extremely fascinating city, rich in history and culture. Founded by the Etruscans and later conquered by Rome, in the 13th century it became the papal seat, which is why it is nicknamed “City of Popes“. Walking through its cobblestone streets, among ancient palaces, Romanesque churches, evocative medieval quarters, and views of rare beauty, it seems like going back in time, to when it was one of the most important power centers in Italy. In addition to its extraordinary historical and cultural heritage, it is also famous for the therapeutic virtues of its thermal springs.
What to see in Viterbo? Here is an itinerary designed to discover the best of the city in one day, touching the most significant and characteristic places.
Start the day with a walk in the San Pellegrino quarter, the medieval heart of Viterbo’s historic center, which stands out for its authentic charm and thirteenth-century architecture. Located along the Via Francigena route, it is a maze of picturesque alleys, flanked by stone buildings, towers, loggias, and ancient dwellings, which harmoniously converge into charming small squares and courtyards. Walking without a specific destination, letting yourself be surprised by its most hidden corners, is the best way to visit it. Every year, between the end of April and the beginning of May, the quarter transforms into a triumph of colors, scents, and suggestions with the flower exhibition “San Pellegrino in Fiore”.
The second stop is Piazza San Lorenzo, the religious center of the city. Here cardinals came to elect the pope and to pray in the Cathedral of San Lorenzo. The current structure of the church was started in 1192 in Romanesque style, but over time it has undergone numerous interventions. Inside it preserves the original Cosmatesque floor, although restored, and several works of art of fine workmanship. Next to the cathedral stands the Colle del Duomo Museum, which displays some archaeological finds, paintings by Viterbo artists, and a small collection of sacred objects. The adjacent Papal Palace, built in the 13th century, houses the beautiful Loggia of Blessings, characterized by a series of trilobed ogival arches, and the majestic Conclave Hall, where the very first and longest conclave in history took place (lasting 1006 days).
After visiting the wonders of Piazza San Lorenzo, it’s time to recharge with a lunch break. Stop at one of the trattorias in the center to taste Viterbo cuisine. Among the typical dishes are acquacotta (soup based on homemade bread and wild vegetables), lombrichelli alla viterbese (fresh pasta made without eggs topped with tomato sauce), and pignattaccia (beef and vegetable stew).
In the afternoon the itinerary continues in the Renaissance Piazza del Plebiscito, the political and administrative center of the city since the second half of the 13th century. Facing the square are: the fifteenth-century Palazzo dei Priori, now the town hall, which houses several historic halls and the Portici Museum; the Palazzo del Podestà, of medieval origin but extensively remodeled, to the right of which rises the Clock Tower; the Apostolic Palace, now the seat of the Prefecture, of which very little remains of the original thirteenth-century palace; and the Church of Sant’Angelo in Spatha, one of the oldest churches in Viterbo.
The next stop is the National Etruscan Museum. Located in Piazza della Rocca, it is housed inside the fourteenth-century Rocca Albornoz, one of the most significant monuments of the city. Opened in 1986, the museum presents evidence from the most representative centers of inland southern Etruria. Among the exhibited artifacts stand out: the mosaic with inscription in Etruscan alphabet discovered in the thermal area of Musarna, a small center near Viterbo, an emblematic and very rare testimony of the Romanization process of Etruria; and the burial goods from the Tomb of the Chariot of Ischia di Castro, dating back to the end of the 6th century BC and belonging to a high-ranking Etruscan woman.
Finally, before leaving Viterbo, treat yourself to a moment of relaxation at the Terme dei Papi, so called because it was a privileged destination for many popes in the medieval age, or at the Piscine Carletti, with free admission and always open without any time restrictions.
Viterbo is an hour from Bracciano. If you’re looking for a base to visit the Tuscia area – Viterbo, Sutri, Cerveteri, the lake – Albergo della Posta is in the right spot. Central to everything, with nearby parking and the station 5 minutes away.
