Porta Fiorentina
San Pellegrino, MEDIEVALE Section
I previously talked about the city of Viterbo in my Terme del Papi post but I felt that its such an amazing city that it deserved its own post. I lived in Viterbo for nine months back in 2010/11 and it was absolutely the best experience in Italy thus far. The heart of the city is surrounded by an mediaeval wall built in the 11th century. The Viterbese take pride in their wall because of their great efforts to preserve the wall and its appearance. The only entrances into the main city are through multiple city gates throughout different corners of the wall. In the photo below you can visualize the city wall with multiple entrances and exits to the city center.
How to Get to Viterbo
Viterbo is located in the northeast region of Lazio, closest to the region of Umbria. The best way to get to Viterbo is through Fumicino airport in Rome or Ciampino airport if you’re traveling between cities in Europe. From these airports, you can take trains or cab to arrive at the following stations station: Roma Aurelia (Valle Aurelia), Tiburtina, Trastevere, or Termini. If you’re already staying in Rome, Valle Aurelia and Termini are connecting to the metro so these would be you best station options. Trains to and from Viterbo run almost hourly depending on the time of day. When arriving in Viterbo, you can exit at Porta Romana or sometimes Porta Fiorentina. Depending on where you’re staying, you may want to research which station is closest to your destination.
Accommodations
Mini Palace Hotel
Via Santa Maria della Grotticella, 2/b, Viterbo, Italy
Mini Palace hotel has earned a four star rating and is one of the best options for being almost virtually inside the city center. Mini Palace Hotel is more modern hotel with a 5 minute walk to the main entrance of the city walls, Porta Romana. If you arrive by train, Mini Palace Hotel is about a 7 minute walk from the Porta Romana station. This hotel I found while looking throughout the city to find a clean, quality hotel for my parents to stay in while visiting Viterbo. The hotel includes a free continental breakfast, free wifi, conference rooms, and 24H concierge service.
Tuscia Hotel
Via Cairoli, 41, Viterbo, Italy
Tuscia hotel has come in handy a lot when I come back and visit Viterbo. I’ve stayed here multiple times that they hotel reception has made an effort to show that they remember me. This hotel is definitely not the best of Viterbo, but the prices run about €50-65 per night. Additionally, the customer service from the hotel staff is amazing for a three star hotel. The hotel looks like it came out of the 80s so it definitely needs updating but the price is right. This hotel is located in the center of the city(in the city walls!) and can be best reached from Porta Fiorentina station. Tuscia hotel offers free wifi, air conditioning(not all hotels offer AC in Italy), conference rooms, free continental breakfast, free coffee from 7am-11pm, and TV SKY Vision Gold.
Dining
Viterbo’s city center offers various dining options throughout the city for lunch and dinner. Keep in mind that Viterbo isn’t touristic so the restaurants won’t be open for dinner until 7:00-7:30pm and you should have you’re hotel concierge make reservations for you to ensure you get a table. Everyone has their favorite places throughout the city so listen to where the concierge prefers to eat. I’ve eaten at more that 30 restaurants in Viterbo, so I’ve narrowed down the list.
La Spaghetteria
Via Aurelia Saffi, 61, Viterbo, Italy
La Spaghetteria’s menu will take you about twenty minutes to skim through. They offer 240 different spaghetti dishes. I’ve tried a lot of dishes at this restaurant and I can reccomend the “Alla Cinizia” which is cherry tomatoes, basil, eggplant, and mozzarella. Additionally, the “Il Professore” is a fan favorite if you like gorgonzola. This dish includes pasta surrounded by a creamy gorgonzola sauce with walnuts sprinkles around. The restaurant has inside seating with two different sections as well as an outdoor garden seating open during the summer.
Taverna Etrusca
Via Annio, 10, Viterbo, Italy
I discovered Taverna Etrusca through recommendations of the Viterbese. They ranted and raved about their pizzas so I had to try it at least once…or a couple times. The pizza most order allows you to get four different sections of toppings, allowing you to try different flavors. The pizzas come big with thin crust making it something one person can eat themselves. (Etiquette Tip: Don’t share one pizza in Italy, they think of pizzas as being an entree for one) Also, by getting you own pizzas, you can switch slices around the table so you can try all types! Taverna Etrusca is knows for their flavors so don’t be afraid to try a crazy flavor. If you have any room left after dinner, I recommend trying the gorgonzola ice cream. Overall the wait staff is friendly and welcome to their cozy atmosphere.
Il Monastero
Via Fattunghieri, 10, Viterbo, Italy
Il Monastero, located in the center of the city, crowds with Italian young and old every night for their famous pizza. People wait in line to be seated to try their pizzas served on two large plates. If you’re in the mood for a pie, stop by Il Monastero!
Attractions & What to Do
The first this I would recommend doing in Viterbo is getting lost within the city walls. There are such picturesque scene that you have seen in the movies, yet they have come alive. San Pellegrino also known as the mediaeval section, is where I found the best pictures and felt that I was practically in a movie.
Palazzo dei Papi, or the Papal Palace is one of the larger attractions of Viterbo and definitely worth checking out. The gothic arches of the palace have become a symbol of Viterbo. Papal Palace is located adjacent to the Cattedral di San Lorenzo, the Roman Catholic cathedral of Saint Lawrence. Next to the Cattedral di San Lorenzo, stands the campanile or bell tower. The Campanile still rings its bell throughout the city that you become used to sound of the soothing bell.
La Macchina di Santa Rosa, takes place during the beginning of September. This festival’s purpose is the celebration of the patron saint of Viterbo (Santa Rosa). The ‘macchina’ is the 30 meter high tower that is carried around the heart of the city by 100 Facchini di Santa Rosa(porters or carriers) for 1 mile starting at Porta Romana. The Macchina makes frequent stops throughout the city in the major areas such as piazzas. The Viterbese claim their spots early in the day and tailgate all day until the Macchina makes its way through the city. After the Macchina travels through the narrow roads of Viterbo, fireworks flash through the sky in Valle Faul.
100 Facchini holding the Macchina
La Macchina
Aperitivo in Viterbo can be found throughout the city. Many locations offer an great aperitivo with a large selections of different foods. I used to get aperitivo at this one spot named Novecento but they’re not located in Viterbo anymore. Blitz Bar has a great aperitivo with a retro atmostphere. They’re really welcoming to Americans and have great drinks.
Bagnaia, a city inside Viterbo and just a 10 minute bus ride away is the home to Villa Lante. Villa Lante is known for their spectacular gardens and pristine grounds. Villa Lante’s manneristic garden includes grottos and cascading fountains around the site. The entrance into Villa Lante is around €10 and can be less for students and senior citizens.
Villa Lante (below)
Il Bagnaccio, the free hot baths of Viterbo, lay right around the corner from Terme dei Papi. These baths are the real deal. You can smell the potent sulfur and feel the mud below your feet. Many fear that this may not be the most sanitary but I’ve visited many times with friends and we’ve never had problems. Experiencing both Il Bagnaccio and Terme dei Papi would definitely be worth it!
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