Bed & Breakfast
"La Locanda del Riccio"
("Riccio's Inn")
Viterbo
ITALY
Events
- May
-
San Pellegrino in flower. During the first weekend of May in Viterbo, a flower festival in the medieval quarter.
I Pugnaloni di Acquapendente. During the third Sunday of May beautiful flower mosaics are featured in Acquapendente.
In Marta "La Barabbata", a parade of floats that illustrate the local products and activities and concludes with a big feast.
- July-August
-
Wine festivals. The towns of the valley of Tiber where wine is produced offer wine and local food specialties, and many events which will appeal to different tastes. A Castiglione in Teverina, Civitella d'Agliano, Montefiascone and Vignanello.
- August-September
-
The Baroque Festival combines the fascination of classical music with incredible sceneries of Tuscia.
Every September 3rd the town of Viterbo celebrates the transporting of Macchina di Santa Rosa.. The Macchina is 30 mt high and is carried through the streets of town on the back of the facchini (working men). This is an unbelievable event with many activities for the visitors.
L'Ottava Medievale di Orte - Eight days of festivals in which typical medieval taverns open their doors. The visitors are able to eat medieval-style food served by waiters in medieval dress.
www.ottavamedievale.it
Bed & Breakfast "La Locanda del Riccio" ("Riccio's Inn")
Address: 5, Riccio's road, Cardinal La Fontaine's Corner
01100 Viterbo - Italy
Phone (Fax): 0761 321821 - Cell.: +39 328 6907367
Web: www.lalocandadelriccio.it
E-Mail: info@lalocandadelriccio.it
Just about Viterbo
Viterbo lies on an area of Etruscan settling that contains exceptional testimonies from
that ancient and mysterious civilization.
Town’s origins are mysterious too and there are old legends handed down from father to
son.
Its real history starts from "Desiderio", Longobard king, and moreover "Charles the
Great" who gave this town as a present to Adrian Pope.
From 1243 it was always for Pope's party (Guelfa) and took part to great and prosperous
historical periods. Its history is rich of great value events.
For example it was just in Viterbo that the modern form of conclave was born, when the
inhabitants, exasperated because Pope Clemente IV successor election was missed for three
years, took the roof off Pope's Palace and obliged the riotous princes of the Catholic
Church to live water and bread until achieved the election of a new Pope.
Viterbo history is Popes history, how many Popes lived and died there.
Giovanni XXI, for example, died in the Palace during a night when the floor of his
bedroom collapsed down with he himself.
Its history is also rich of intrigues and rebellions, twice it was expelled from the
Church and more times rebelled against Rome's power.
Its historical centre still keeps the medieval shape, it's still surrounded by solid
towering walls, rare conservative example, with 9 opened doors, a perimeter about 5
kilometres long.
Its most famous imagine, that goes back to twelfth century, is the one of S.Pellegrino
and Pianoscarano neighbourhoods, rich in Churches and Buildings made of "Peperino", the
beautiful local stone that gives the town homogeneous character .
The sunset colouring it rose creates an emotive atmosphere that reflects towers and
countless fountains shadows.
Each single street-corner in Viterbo, so emotional, hides true stories or legends, which
the traveller can get lost in for a little moment or for ever, wishing anyway to be back
once more.
Main Monuments in the Historical Centre
- Il Saint Pellegrino Neighbourhood, with
its characteristic arches(“Profferli”), period Buildings and the "Pellegrini Alley", where Pilgrims Hospital was founded by the bride
and groom Diletta and Guidone, and given as a present to the Viterbian Clergy to host the
pilgrims walking Francigena
road. It’s still possible to see the gravestone relating to the donation.
- Saint Lorenzo Square, where there are S.Lorenzo Cathedral (Duomo), Popes
Palace, Valentino della Pagnotta Home
those make an emotive medieval complex.
- National Etruscan Museum, inside the
historical “Albornoz Rock”, that keeps impressive Greek statues, the statutory cycle from
Ferento(Ferentum), a Roman town, where has been checked the existence of an arcaic centre
from VII-VI century b.C., as well as an entire section dedicated to Etruscan
architecture.
- The Town Museum, inside the ex-monastery
close to the Church of S.Maria della Verità(Truth’s S.Mary) that keeps a considerable
collection of etruscan remains, a gallery of portraits where it’s possible to admire two
wooden Plates from Sebastiano del Piombo( Plumber’s Sebastian), amidst them the famous
“Pity”.
- Santa Maria Nuova (S.Mary the New),
Romanic Church from XIIcentury, with its beautiful cloister is one of the most
interesting in town, or San Silvestro,
Church in Jesus’Square (Piazza del Gesù), sadly become famous since the murder of the
Prince Henry from Cornwall by Guido from Monfort.
- S.Rose’s Sanctuary, that has got a modest artistical value but a great
religious worth, linked to the story of Rose, a girl from the very far XIII century,
whose body is buried inside there.
On her Memory the Transport of the"Macchina di
Santa Rosa". takes place every 3rd September of every year. The Macchina (a sort of
tower with Rose statue on the top) is carried along the narrow roads of the town by a
hundredth of porters called "Facchini di Santa Rosa", wearing white shirt, red trousers and a white
scarf on their heads. Each Macchina lasts five years, then a new one replaces the old
one.
- S.Giovanni Battista Church (S.John Baptiste
Church), better known as “Gonfalone Church” less famous but rare example of
“new-baroque” culture in Viterbo.
To See Outside the Walls
- Since ancient times, the thermal sources
were known and appreciated for the extraordinary quality of the water.
To many Romans, it was worth the effort to travel the distance from Rome to bathe in
these waters, which were believed to be healing.
Widely appreciated, the hot springs of Viterbo are cited in literature since Dante, who,
in song XIV of Hell renders immortal the Bullicame.
Beyond the Bullicame, the rest of the "Springs of the Hebrew" Continue to fascinate, from
the "Zitelle" of the "Decrepit one" to the magnificent small lake of the Bagnaccio,
where, the mud is used in the Termi dei Papi (www.termedeipapi.it).
- The botanical garden of the University of
the Tuscia has a surface area of approximately 6 hectares. Here you will find the
important land ecosystems with particular reference to the vegetation of the
Mediterranean, of the African oases, the deserts of northern Mexico, and the subtropical
areas and the tropical forest of sub-Africa.
To See Inside the Walls
- The Amphitheater of Sutri. Dug entirely in
the tuff, it was used in Ancient times for gladiator shows and games. Today it appears in
great part covered with moss, but worthy of interest. The ancient mitreo, a temple
dedicated to the mysterious God Mitra, of Persian origin, is a favorite spot for
pilgrims: in the Christian era the mitreo transformed into Saint Maria del Parto, a
temple dedicated to the Virgin.
- Caprarola. With the rise of Alexander Farnese in 1534, this town
received the court of Pope Paul III. Dominating the historical center is the imposing
Palazzo Farnese , Don’t miss the beautiful
garden and "the room of the angels" with its incredible acoustics.
- The Necropoli di Norchia. Huge and
spectacular, one of the more important examples, among the Toscia sites, of the funerary
architecture, with their evocative terraced tombs.
- Tarquinia. This Etruscan city is famous
for its tombs, with pictographs. The Vitelleschi Palace is a remarkable archeological
museum, one of the most important of the region.
- Tuscania. See the Etruscan necropolis, the
medieval center and the Large perimeter wall. The Hill of St. Peter, the emblem of
Tuscania, hosted men since the iron age.
- Bolsena. This “City of the Miracle” is
situated on beautiful Lake Bolsena. Sites to see here include the Collegiata di Santa
Cristina, the 3rd Century Monaldeschi Castle, and a small distance from Bolsena, one can
visit the Bolsena War Cemetary.
- Ferento. Approximately 10 km from Viterbo
it is possible to visit the evocative ruins of Ferento, whose origins go back to III
century BC.
- Bagnaia. Four km from Viterbo it is
possible to visit the evocative "Villa Lante", a beautiful Renaissance garden, created
for Francisco De Gambara, bishop of Viterbo. Water is the predominant element in this
lovely formal harden, one of the largest in Italy.
- Vulci. One of the more important
metropolis of the Etruscans, with numerous necropolis and the castle of the Abbey, where
the archeological museum can be found.
Interesting Places
- The "Park of the Monster", or Sacred
Forest of Bomarzo, rises approximately a kilometer from the Bomarzo town center and was
created by Francisco Orsini, eclectic personality of the Italian Renaissance. Multiple
large creatures carved out of the surrounding rocks will surprise and delight the
visitor.
- The "Path of the Briganti" , a path in the
nature of approximately 100 km that connects the natural park of the Rufeno Mount with
Vulci, along the lago of Bolsena, crossing the mysterious "Forest of the Lamone", the
ancient ruins of Castro, and arriving, finally, to the sea of the Maremma laziale. The
route follows the traces of the briganti that, at the end of the 1800's, traveled on this
territory flagellated from misery and malaria. In particular it is possible to see places
where Domenico Tiburzi, known as the "King of the Lamone", terrified for years the poor
ones passing through those forests. Today it is possible to walk or bike enjoying
beautiful excursions, interesting experiences that will make you feel ancient and
mysterious emotions (www.cicloturismoaquesio.com)
- La "The Valley of the Calanchi", near
Bagnoregio, offers to the visitor an evocative show thanks to particular archaic shapes
of erosion that have created "cuts" in the flanks of the surrounding heights.
- The "Country that dies"- Civita di
Bagnoregio- built on a tuff promontory, this town is slowly eroding, hence its name. A
pedestrian bridge enables the visitor to walk up to the town, to see the ancient
buildings and the view of the wide valley below.
The thousand faces of the Tuscia
- The natural reservoir of the Lago of Vico
extends for approximately 3000 hectares. This area is host to magnificent flora and
fauna: chestnut trees, orchids and violet as well as hawks and owls.
- The lake of Bolsena. 151 meters deep, it
is the largest lake in the area and the fifth largest in Italy. Nearby lake towns include
Marta and Capodimonte, along a panoramic road that boasts extraordinary scenery and
magnificent views of the lake. The road joins together all the small villages.
- The Cimino Mountains. (Mt. Cimino 1053
meters.), with its beautiful landscape, is the ideal goal for anyone who loves nature and
its tranquility. This is an area for those who like to take simple walks, long hikes,
ride horses or ride mountain bikes. This is an oasis between the green of the forests and
the blue of the sky. Here every season shows a harmony of colors and the fascination of a
small world that renews itself: in spring, with the thousand blossoms; in summer, with
the shade of the forests; in autumn, with the scents of the grape harvest, the roast
chestnuts and the mushrooms; in winter, with the beauty of the snow.
- The maremma e The sea. Leaving Viterbo towards the coast, one experiences the
magnificent landscapes of the heart of the countryside which change colors with the
seasons. A 45 minute drive will bring you to the sea, where many you will find many
beautiful beaches and small beach communities. During the summer season, the visitor will
find beaches with bars and cafes, offering beach equipment to rent for a lovely day at
the seaside.
