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Bolsena
lake
Comuni
bordering the lake
The
following comuni are situated on the shore of Lake Bolsena:
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Bolsena,the
town, rises on the hills of Volsini, on the banks of the
lake which gives its name and is famous for the
miracle of Corpus Domini and for the plastic tables
carried out by observers on the eve of the Festival of Saint
Christine, patroness of the city.
Etruscan origin, was called Velsna and was one of the
richest and powerful town of Etruria.
Conquered by the romans and flatterned to the ground, once
rebuilt it took on the name Volsinii.
-
Marta,
a village known for its festivals in honour of the Madonna
del Monte, called Festa delle Passate, which is
often called Barabbata. The inhabitants are devoted
primarily to agriculture,
livestock or fishing.
-
Valentano
is known for having given fame to Paolo Ruffini, after having a long time been the center of the
Farnese epoch,
following the destruction of Castro (1649) and the dissolution of the
eponymousduchy. The old castle of Farnèse is the location of the museum of
the prehistory of Tuscia.
- Gradoli
is famous for its oil and wine, particularly
the wine liqueur called Aleatico. This location also
preserves an imposing Farnese palace, which was built for
the cardinal Alexandre Farnese, who became pope under the name
Paul III.
- Grotte
di Castro, in addition to the caves which its
name probably derives, is a center of production of potatoes
and lentils.
- San
Lorenzo Nuovo, rebuilt at the end of the 18th
century and known for its modern architecture, is renowned
for its potato gnocchi which can be tasted on the occasion
of the sagra which is held during the second week of
August.
Other nearby
towns with interesting history are Sorano
and Pitigliano.
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Bracciano,
a town that is known for its Castle, and a medieval one at that!!
It was also the scene of the Tom & Katie Cruise wedding
so
there was a little intrigue, especially when you see the size of
Bracciano! It was the event of the century to have
that many people here at once!
Bracciano is a
hill town and rests above the lake so the views are wonderful.
From the central car park, we venture up the hill towards the
castle. Opening time, 3:00pm There are quite a
few cute little shops along the way.
Now Bracciano,
though a nice town, doesn't offer the wonderful lakefront dining
one would expect, only 10 minutes drive away is Anguillara ,
La Nepitella, a cute little place right on the lake, for lunch of
a light salads with some local lake fish, grilled or fried.
Either way is a great choice as they are excellent.
The views of the lake with the swans floating by and the local
fisherman out in their boats makes a perfect setting.
After lunch, we
head back to Bracciano, to tour the castle.
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Rome
Our
service will take you on the discovery of the true treasures of
Rome.
From
the
Imperial Rome of Julius Caesar
to the City of
Popes.
Immerse yourself in the past touching upon the various periods
of a city that has left its mark in history.
The
Classic Itinerary comes upon a part of the antique Papal city
including attractions such as:
-
The Roman Forum of
Caesar
- The Forum of Trajan and Augustus
- The Piazza Del Campidoglio with its splendid view of the
Imperial City
- The Coliseum (with no wait in line, just as the Romans like it!)
- Circus Maximus
- The Appian Way
- The Antique Walls of Cinta
- The Pantheon
- Navona Square
- The Spanish Steps
- The Trevi Fountain
Rome
& the Vatican:
full day
Imperial
Rome with The Forum of Caesar and of
Augustus passing by the Coliseum arriving
at Circus Maximus, The Spanish Steps, Navona Square ,
The Pantheon and The Fountain of Trevi. To finish
our adventurous and memorable day we will end it by entering The
Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Here we
can take in the beauty of some of the most beautiful and
justifiably famous masterpieces of Italian art!
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Tivoli
A
fascinating little town, the trip from Rome to Tivoli is only 25
mins.
First
stop will be Hadrian’s Villa, here
Emperor Hadrian in 117 AC built
a residence which is now considered to be the epitome in
architecture of the Roman world, the
complex was more an imperial garden city than a traditional
villa. Everything was designed to follow the natural
lay of the land.
From
this astonishing archaeological site we will head towards
Tivoli where we can admire its fountains and gardens.
Famous from the early Roman era, it was highly-regarded for its
thermal waters and baths and also for its location which
expands throughout the entire narrow valley near the Aniene
River, also known as the Teverone.
Tivoli
is also known for its other famous attraction…Villa
d’Este. This villa was designed for
the governor Cardinal Ippolito II d'Este. Before
being confiscated as his residence, the property had been a
Benedictine convent. The villa is decorated with 500
fountains and gardens of rare beauty!!!
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Tarquinia
- it’s a good centre for visiting the Etruscan remains.
The approach to Tarquinia
is exciting. You are immediately outside the
walls and if you pass through, you come immediately to
Piazza Cavour where the National Museum is
situated in the 15th century Palazzo Vitelleschi,
a very picturesque building.
Inside
is what is probably the best collection of Etruscan
remains outside of Rome. Some of the paintings are
awesome and the pottery and metal artefacts are of top
quality. Some of the jewellery is truly intricate.
The
market area in the street around the Piazza dei Caduti The
Piazza del Plebiscito has a very high clocktower and the
municipal building, which is housed in the 15th century
Palazzo dei Prori. This is beautifully floodlit.
The
Piazza San Lorenzo, which contains the Cathedral
and
the13th century Palazzo dei Papi is surprisingly quiet,
though architecturally very fine.
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Although the medieval sights of both Viterbo
and
Tarquinia
are very good and in places even spectacular, this slot
must go to the necropolis at Tarquinia. It is very
different from that at Cerveteri. There are
the wonderful painted tombs stretching back at least to
the 7th century BC. Of course they aren’t in
pristine condition. It is several centuries
since the first ones were discovered and they have
suffered pollution and pilfering. Some of the best
painting is in museums in Rome or Tarquinia itself.
However what remains is more than sufficient to justify
the inclusion of the Necropolis in UNESCO’s list of
World Heritage sites.
The
Pelegrino area of Viterbo is special indeed.
Part is fortunately pedestrianised so that you can stroll
and look in peace. There are the narrow
streets and staircases typical of older Italian towns and
cities but the area has more than its share of towers,
arcaded balconies and external staircases on buildings.
The Piazza San Peligrino, in the heart of
the area, is just about the same now as in the 14th
century when it was built.
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