The Tuscia Experience GuidesAboutItaliano

Slow travel in Tuscia, the Etruscan land north of Rome

Free hot springs, cliff-top villages, painted tombs and Renaissance gardens in the province of Viterbo — an hour or two from Rome, a world away from the crowds.

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Hot springs

Viterbo's Hot Springs: A Local's Guide to the Free Thermal Pools

Bullicame, Piscine Carletti, Bagnaccio and Terme dei Papi: which Viterbo hot springs are free, what to expect, how to get there from Rome and how to soak safely.

Medieval villages

Civita di Bagnoregio, Calcata and Tuscania: Tuscia's Medieval Villages

How to visit Civita di Bagnoregio (ticket, bridge, buses from Orvieto), the artists' village of Calcata and Romanesque Tuscania — with practical tips for going slowly.

Etruscans

Etruscan Tuscia: Visiting Tarquinia's Painted Tombs and Beyond

A practical guide to the UNESCO-listed Necropolis of Monterozzi in Tarquinia, the National Museum and its Winged Horses, Tuscania and other Etruscan sites in Tuscia, with transport from Rome.

Gardens & villas

Bomarzo, Villa Lante and Caprarola: Tuscia's Renaissance Gardens and Palaces

Visit the Monster Park of Bomarzo, the water gardens of Villa Lante in Bagnaia and the pentagonal Palazzo Farnese in Caprarola: what to see, tickets, hours and how to combine them in a day.

Lakes

Lake Bolsena and Lake Vico: Slow Days on Tuscia's Volcanic Lakes

A guide to Lake Bolsena — Europe's largest volcanic lake — and the wild nature reserve of Lake Vico: towns, islands, swimming, walks, lake fish and how to get there.

Plan your trip

Tuscia from Rome: Best Day Trips and Where to Stay

How to reach Tuscia from Rome by train, bus or car, five day trips that actually work, and the best bases — Viterbo, Bagnoregio, Lake Bolsena, Tarquinia or a countryside agriturismo.

Food & sagre

Food, Wine and Sagre in Tuscia: What to Eat and Where to Find It

A local's guide to the food of Tuscia: hazelnuts, chestnuts, lentils, Purgatory beans, lake fish, Est! Est!! Est!!! and Aleatico wines, olive oil — and how to find village food festivals (sagre).

What is Tuscia?

Tuscia is the historic name for the land of the Etruscans. Today it usually means the province of Viterbo, the northern tip of Lazio, bordering Tuscany and Umbria. It is volcanic country: two large crater lakes (Bolsena and Vico), soft tuff cliffs carved into villages and tombs, and hot sulphur springs that have been used since Roman times. This site is written by a Viterbo local for travellers who want to go slowly.