ART, CULTURE AND ENOGASTRONOMY IN TUSCIA
Between Tuscany, Latium and Umbria lies Tuscia, a surprising land that will leave you speechless for the richness of its nature and its historical evidence.
Much of its territory is of volcanic origin and gave rise to the Volsini and Cimini Mountains, Lake Vico and Lake Bolsena, springs of precious thermal water, a fertile countryside and a landscape rich in gullies and tuff. It is not surprising that the ancient Etruscans settled right there and developed their wealth and culture, leaving behind incredible testimonies such as the Necropolis of Tarquinia and Cerveteri.
DAY 1 : THE CITY OF POPES… AND A CARDINAL’S WINE
Arrival in the early afternoon in Viterbo, meeting with the guide and visit to the “City of the Popes”, which preserves a rich historical and artistic heritage. You will be able to admire the Palace of the Popes, the Cathedral and the splendid Piazza S. Lorenzo with its ancient palaces, the Medieval Quarter of S. Pellegrino that preserves the original ‘profferli’ (architectural medieval element) with the typical layout of the 12th-13th centuries.
Due to its particularity, this district continues to be chosen as a set for many films and commercials.
Tasting of the renowned liqueur wine ‘Aleatico’, accompanied by typical sweets, in a suggestive restaurant in the historic centre. Arrival at the hotel and accommodation. Dinner and overnight stay in the hotel.
DAY 2: VILLAS, PARKS AND PALACES OF THE 16TH CENTURY
After breakfast continue to Caprarola: meet the guide and guided tour of the imposing Palazzo Farnese, considered the greatest work of the late Italian Renaissance ever built.
Next up will be a tasting of typical products of the Region. Continuation to the uncontaminated and suggestive Natural Reserve of Lake Vico. Then on to Bagnaia, which was for a long time the holiday resort of noble lords and important prelates. Visit to Villa Lante, commissioned by Cardinal Giovanni Francesco Gambara, designed by Vignola, a splendid example of a sixteenth-century residence, enriched by wonderful Italian gardens with fountains and water features. Lunch at leisure.
Before returning to your hotel, we will stop briefly at the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Quercia, which houses precious terracotta works, a Baroque organ, the inlaid coffered ceiling designed by Antonio Sangallo the Younger the miraculous image of the Madonna with Child in the marble temple.
Dinner in a characteristic restaurant in the medieval town of Viterbo, with typical local dishes. Overnight stay in the hotel.
DAY 3 : THE ETRUSCAN CIVILIZATION
Breakfast in hotel and continuation to the two most important places of Etruscan origin in Tuscia. Arrival in Tarquinia, a splendid city that has always been an emblem of Etruscan civilization, of which it was one of the most important centres: visit to the most significant ‘decorated chamber tombs’ of the Etruscan Necropolis, which constitute the highest testimony of painting from the 6th to the 2nd century BC. Visit to the National Museum with its collection of precious archaeological finds from the area, housed in the 16th-century Palazzo Vitelleschi, an authentic Gothic-Renaissance architectural masterpiece. Lunch at leisure.
In the afternoon visit to one of the most magnificent monuments in the Viterbo area: the Church of San Pietro in Tuscania which contains important frescoes, mosaics and marble columns of Roman origin. At the end of the visit, time permitting, a short stop at an artisan workshop selling typical Etruscan objects. Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.
DAY 4 : LAKE BOLSENA
After breakfast, we continue to Lake Bolsena. A guide will be awaiting you for a walk through the picturesque old town of Bolsena, with a visit to the 4th century Church of S. Cristina, the Grotto of the Saint, which preserves the stone with her footprint, and the Chapel of the Eucharistic Miracle. At the end of the visit, you will take a boat trip (about 40 minutes) to admire the wonderful view from the centre of the crater basin. Lunch in an excellent restaurant on the lake and home-journey.
