ALTA TUSCIA: the Province of Viterbo

A fascinating journey through the millenarian history of Alta Tuscia, discovering ancient treasures. Alta Tuscia is an area between Tuscany and Umbria that once was the cradle of the ancient and mysterious Etruscan civilization. This region is rich in every interesting archaeological sites, such as the Museum of Bolsena, the tombs town of Pianezze, near Grotte di Castro or the Turona Archaeological Park near Bolsena. Visiting these places, the tourist goes back to an area that developed 3000 yards ago, centuries before Rome was born.

In Alta Tuscia the tourist has been the possibility to do many different sports. Thanks to the proximity to the Lake Bolsena any sort of water sport is possible, from water skiing to sailing to snorkelling. Moreover, choosing this area for your holiday will give you the flavour of the past, by tasting some typical products and many traditional dishes. The warmth and friendliness of the local people give the final touch to a very pleasant holiday.

ALTA TUSCIA is an ancient land: Tuscia (pronounced “Too-sha”) was the name used by the ancient Romans for what is now the Italian province of Viterbo, and once part of the ancient region of Etruria, home of the Etruscans.

Tuscia is an area of great cultural, natural and gastronomic interest in northernmost Lazio, bounded to the north and the east by Tuscany and Umbria. Mostly overlooked by the tourists who flock to Florence and Rome, the area has undoubtedly retained much of its ancient charm, and has indeed changed little since medieval times when pilgrims - and in later centuries travellers on the “Gran Tour” – headed down the Via Cassia ( the ancient Roman road FRANCIGENA through Tuscia) towards the Eternal City. Visitors coming from Rome today can take the motorway to Florence and exit to Orvieto. The SS 71 leads through beautiful unspoilt countryside to Bolsena, a lovely old lakeside town offering superb views onto the volcanic lake and its two islands. Near the border with Tuscany to the North are the attractive towns of: San Lorenzo Nuovo, Acquapendente, Proceno and The Monte Rufeno Nature Reserve.

ITINERARIES THROUGH TUSCIA

The following suggested itineraries focus on various aspects of the area’s historical past, its natural beauty and on local food and drink.

Prehistoric Tuscia: This itinerary, which traces the earliest human settlements in the area, takes in several interesting museums: at Valentano, Ischia di Castro (documenting the Aeneolitichic necropolis over which a Roman villa was built) and Bolsena (presenting lake-dwellings dating back to the 9th cent. BC and Villanovan finds from the Turona Park).

The Etruscans: Legend has that the Etruscan site of Vulci was discovered in 1828 when an ox pulling a plough fell into a tomb filled with burial gifts. But pillaging of the tombs was already taking place in the previous century forcing the pontifical government to intervene in 1802 to put a stop to the thefts. Vulci, with its majestic Abbadia bridge, is surely the most atmospheric of the area’s many Etruscan sites (revealed to 19th-century Europe by the Romantic traveller George Dennis), and finds from the necropolises are well documented in the Vulci museum. Beautiful Etruscan tombs can also be seen at Grotte di Castro and at the Etrusco-Roman excavations Poggio Moscini; other Etruscan finds are displayed in the Museum at Bolsena.

Brigandry: Tuscia borders on the Lazio section of the Maremma coastal area, known for its horse-riding holidays. One popular equestrian excursion explores some of the beautiful out-of-the-way places where brigands once sought refuge.

Religion: Crossed by one of Europe’s main pilgrimage trails, Tuscia is filled with chapels, shrines and monasteries that tell of the area’s devotional past and the miraculous events traditionally believed to have taken place here. Numerous are the religious buildings, the churches and the places of worship that are of particular interest, both artistically and historically, to be found in the Province of Viterbo. These testify the ultra millenary presence of Catholic Church. A particular European interest has been dedicated to the VIA FRANCIGENA, the route by the pilgrims during the Medieval period to reach Rome, following the lay-out of Consular Cassia.

Francigena Road: among the religious itineraries in the province of Viterbo, the most famous through the centuries is surely the “Francigena road”. It was at the beginning of the first millennium that Europe witnessed pilgrims flocking along the sacred routes to reach the holy places of the Christian religion, and in particular Rome. Of the various roads that led to Rome, the Francigena road was undoubtedly of prime importance. Men travelled along this road, bringing with them their culture, emblems and languages, and even today many signs and memories of these journeys can still be found in the Viterbo area. The Francigena road acrossed the Province from Acquapendente to Monterosi via Viterbo itself and in some points coincides with the old Cassia ( a main Roman road). It’s interesting to see how through the centuries the Roman “statio” (resting places) were replaced by inns for pilgrims and how merchants, soldiers and emperors have always left behind some sign or written record of their journey or stay.

Nature: Alta Tuscia is an area of exceptional and generally unspoilt natural beauty. As well as Lake Bolsena, the main areas of environmental interest are the Monte Rufeno Reserve and the Lamone Forest.

Food and Drink: The area’s gastronomic delights will not disappoint. Locally-grown produce is transformed into mouth-watering dishes everywhere, and most towns celebrate their food in a whole range of local festivals during the year.