Discover a year’s worth of unforgettable short trips with Lonely Planet’s latest book, 100 Weekends in Europe. Here, in an extract from the book, we take a look at Viterbo, a delightfully under-discovered province in the Lazio region of Italy. Nestled in northern Lazio, between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Tiber Valley, the region around the city of Viterbo has (largely) remained under the radar of visitors.
Yet it holds myriad treasures: fabulous Renaissance castles and gardens or the grand papal buildings of Viterbo, as well as Roman amphitheatres at Ferento and Sutri, picturesque villages and dramatic hilltop settlements such as Civita di Bagnoregio and a wealth of Etruscan remains, from the Unesco-listed necropolis sites at Tarquinia and Cerveteri to the city ruins of Vulci and Norchia. There are natural attractions aplenty too: in a mosaic of landscapes that alternates between mountains and olive groves, vineyards and vast plains, you can bathe in the hot springs at Bullicame, Carletti, Bagnaccio and San Sisto; go canoeing, fishing or birding in volcanic lakes; or head into the hills to enjoy hiking trails through the beech forests. The local cuisine is another drawcard: sample freshwater fish from the lakes or local delights such as zuppa di ceci e castagne (chickpea and chestnut soup) and acquacotta (a rustic broth enriched with bread and egg) – and don’t forget fine local wines such as Montefiascone’s Est! Est!! Est!!!.