Weekend between villages and castles of Tuscia from Viterbo by camper

This short tour that I did in the spring will allow you to spend a weekend in some towns and castles in the Tuscia area of  ​​Viterbo moving easily in camper.

In truth, some roads that cross localities perched on the rock do not offer a comfortable crossing for our campers, but believe me it is a journey that will allow you to visit the province of Lazio among the richest in historical and cultural attractions where time seems to have stopped.

On the border with Tuscany and Umbria, a weekend in the enchanted Tuscia allows you to relax by also getting in touch with nature, thanks to the volcanic lakes, woods and parks; without obviously forgetting the food and wine varieties that you can find here.

Curiosity

This province has the highest concentration of historic gardens in the Bel Paese did you know that?

They are 5 and one boasts the richest collection of peonies in the world: it is theMoutan Botanical Center  in Vitorchiano which you can visit from April to mid-May at a cost of €5 per person.

 Weekend in Tuscia from Viterbo by camper: let’s go!

Coming down from Parma our first stop is:

• places:

It is certainly not among the most beautiful historical centres, but its skyline that can be seen arriving from the E35, deserves the stop and the time to discover it.

City of prehistoric origins under the Romans it became a fundamental junction of the Via Armerina. For centuries it remained a fundamental center under the Romans, the Arabs, the Byzantines and the Papal States.

If you walk through the historic center you come across numerous churches and some palaces such as the Palazzo Comunale from the end of the 1200s which has three coats of arms on the façade. Meeting point is Piazza della Libertà where 7 narrow streets from the 7 city districts lead. From afar you can still glimpse some arches of what was once the Renaissance aqueduct that brought water to the city into the ancient underground fountain in the central square of Orte. A nice eye-catcher!

In Orte you can also visit the underground which I am sure you will enjoy. You can find any info Who.

• The camper stop: I recommend the small public car park in Via della Rocca, which is convenient for going up to the historic centre.

The next stop is Vitorchiano which I have already mentioned in the article dedicated to this visit

Visit Vitorchiano: by camper in the Tuscia area of ​​Viterbo

Let’s continue the journey of our weekend in Tuscia by camper and go to

• Bomarzo

Do you remember that I told you that on this itinerary of yours between villages and castles you would have had the opportunity to visit beautiful parks?

 The Sacro Borgo dei Mostri of Bomarzo is certainly the most extravagant of  Tuscia in a camper.

It is dated 1552 and was commissioned by Orsini, lord of Bomarzo; by paying €13.00 the visitor enters this extraordinary Italian garden with terraces and fountains, in a path interrupted by huge statues, sometimes depicting monsters, other mythological or exotic figures in an unrelated and regular alternation but of sure impact.

 Just think that only in 1960 was it removed from the neglect of centuries and restored. link for visit information.

 Dogs cannot enter here, but there are some cages in the car park in a sheltered area where, for €2.00, it is possible to leave the dog sheltered during the visit.

But Bomarzo is also an ancient village which also stands on a spur of Peperina rock, like Vitorchiano and others. Its origins are Etruscan but walking through the village you will notice some medieval buildings including Palazzo Orsini which dominates the historic center, and the Duomo.

•  The camper stop it is at the parking lot in via Madonna della Valle. Free without connections and sunny It is however convenient for visiting both the village and the Sacro Bosco

We move a few tens of kilometers south:

• Vico lake

In fact, to get from Vitorchiano to Caprarola we traveled along the Cassia Cimina and crossed wonderful beech forests interrupted by hazelnut cultivations, which open onto the panoramas and picnic areas of Lake Vico, a splendid natural oasis where relaxation and excursions are guaranteed.

Yeah why a weekend in Tuscia Lazio in a camper is also views of ancient extinct volcanoeswhich then turned into natural water basins. Like the lake of Vico whose origins date back to 8000 years ago. Today it is a nature reserve where numerous paths offer the possibility of hiking, mountain biking and horse riding.

• Caprarola

View from above this village a few kilometers from the lake of Vico it looks like a long inhabited center surmounted by Palazzo Farnese and its sumptuous gardens. In 1500 the urban planning was overturned to build a spectacular straight road that reached the square in front of Palazzo Farnese. Both the palace and the monumental gardens are included in the largest gardens in Lazio and are the work of Jacopo Barozzi known as il Vignola. Does this name mean anything to you?

We have already mentioned this to you in our article about Vignola locality in the Modena area where Jacopo Barozzi is originally from.

The Vignola in Caprarola modified the initial structure of Palazzo Farnese transforming it from a fortress into a sumptuous stately home considered among the most beautiful in Europe. 6000 square meters of frescoes cover the halls, corridors and stairs of the two noble floors of the building.

The central courtyard deserves to be highlighted: here Vignola has best expressed his creativity and ingenuity together with the stairs that he thinks were used to send secret messages frescoed on the walls. Mysteries and extravagances of the Nobles of the time!

In addition to the palace, the visit continues in the gardens with fountains, statues, caryatids, labyrinths and caves, splendid Renaissance water features that Vignola created for Cardinal Farnese and his guests.

I can only imagine what a feeling of relaxation you must have felt while strolling among the coolness of the plants with the background of the water games; therefore I invite you to visit it. To organize your stop at Palazzo Farnese you will find all the information  Who.

Here too our dog friends are not allowed: we took turns visiting.

• The camper stop it is not convenient indeed on public holidays finding parking for a bulky vehicle is difficult. So I point out to you:
• Free parking in Piazzale Caduti di Nassiriya, 1 km from Palazzo Farnese
• Mixed parking near the sports field on the SP 69 at the corner of via Monte Grappa where there is also a small parking area for coaches

Weekend in the Tuscia area of ​​Viterbo in a camper

15 km separate Caprarola from another small town and its castle: crossing hilly landscapes covered with hazelnut and olive trees you get to:

•  Vignanello

The medieval village deserves the stop to visit Ruspoli Castle and the Renaissance gardens.

Entering this fortress means discovering the history of the Ruspoli family through furnished and frescoed rooms and portraits of the family. While the garden is linked to the name of Ottavia Orsini, daughter of the one who wanted the evocative sacred park of Bomarzo. The guided tour costs €15.00 per person and must be booked Who

• Campervan stop:there is a convenient parking lot with 7 stalls for campers, a cockpit and a fountain in Via Maregnano just below the Castle and the historic centre.

• Bagnaia

The last stage of our strolling tour among the panoramas of the Viterbo Tuscia by camper is Bagnaia and Villa Lante. We are only 4 km from Viterbo and here is one of the Italian gardens considered among the most beautiful in the world. Worth the stop don’t you think?

 Villa Lante and its park are owned by the Italian state, they welcome you with the magnificence of the two buildings decorated with frescoes of enormous visual impact. To increase the scenographic effect of the interiors, the fireplaces, the furnishings, the frescoes and elaborate stuccos contribute.

The gardens then extend for 12 hectares behind the two lodges and offer an enchanting walk among the numerous fountains and waterfalls decorated with statues interrupted by caves that will leave you speechless, I’m sure.

Unfortunately my visit fell on a rainy day that was sometimes intense, so reluctantly I was only able to take a quick tour of so much wonder. So I leave you the link from which to access for any information necessary for the visit.

• The camper stop. there are some parking lots where you can park your camper
• Via Cardinal Gambara Just before the level crossing on the right
• SP Acquarossa near the cemetery in the large gravel car park 700 meters from Villa Lante

Conclusions

Obviously there are many other destinations, organizing your weekend in Tuscia in a camper to add to this tour; I think of Lake Bolsena and the villages that overlook it.

• Montefiascone that we have seen together withMarta a few years ago and that I recommend you visit for the beauty of the monuments and above all for the panorama that can be enjoyed towards the lake.
•  Sant’Angelo known as the small village of fairy tales for its houses painted with murals fairy tale themed. To the detriment of the very few remaining inhabitants, it becomes a tourist attraction at the weekend and in the summer.
•  Civita di Bagnoregio “the dying city” where every time I go back to visit it I am fascinated by a new one for the particular scenic beauty.

In short, as you understand in my opinion, Tuscia is an Italian reality that absolutely deserves to be visited and perhaps even at the table. 

But this is another journey that I will tell you about.

Angela