Viterbo (Lazio): what to see in 1 day


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What to see in Viterbo, one-day itinerary including the main monuments and places of interest, including the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, the Palazzo dei Papi and the spas.


Tourist information

Located at the base of the Cimini Mountains along the via Cassia, in the lands of ancient Tuscia, the ancient nucleus of Viterbo was an important Roman center, which developed considerably from the 11th century, becoming papal seat between 1257 and 1281, for this reason reason is called the City of the Popes.

The medieval walls, which originally contained many small villages, are well preserved.


Inside there are monuments from various eras, valuable works of art, elegant palaces, towers and fountains, as well as characteristic medieval neighborhoods.

The most significant buildings of the city overlook the Piazza San Lorenzo, which has been on the hill inhabited since Etruscan times, including the Duomo and the Palazzo dei Papi.

The Cathedral of San Lorenzo, erected in the twelfth century on the spot where there was a small church dedicated to the Saint, has a Romanesque style structure, successive alterations, dating back to the sixteenth century, in Renaissance style.


What see

The Palazzo dei Papi, of Gothic architecture, was built between 1255 and 1266 with the aim of offering a safe home to the popes, who established their residence here.

Near Piazza Duomo, the medieval quarter of San Pellegrino stands out for the numerous houses with the typical exposed staircase, called the profferlo.

During the period of the Municipalities, in 1247, Piazza del Plebiscito was created, where the Palazzo del Podestà and the Palazzo dei Priori were erected.


Do not forget that in Viterbo on 3 September of each year Santa Rosa, patron saint of the city, is celebrated with a party that includes a procession of an illuminated bell tower 28 meters high and weighing about 50 quintals, topped by the statue of the saint, carried on the shoulders by a hundred porters, in memory of the translation of the body of the Saint which took place in 1258.

For centuries, since Etruscan and Roman times, the thermal waters of Viterbo have been famous for their beneficial therapeutic properties, in the past various Popes also took advantage of the beneficial effects.

Recommended readings
  • Anagni (Lazio): what to see
  • Lazio: Sunday day trips
  • Vetralla (Lazio): what to see
  • Ciociaria (Lazio): what to see in the historic region
  • Alatri (Lazio): what to see

In the spas, commonly called Terme dei Papi, particular waters gush, with sulphurous and alkaline-ferrous fluorinated characteristics, with a temperature ranging from 40 to 58 ° C.

Traveling to Viterbo, Italy (February 2024)


Tags: Lazio
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