Bolsena on the Lake and Montefiascone Private Day Tour From Rome

Bolsena stands on a hill on the slopes of the Volsini Mountains, in a beautiful panoramic position on the north-eastern side of the large volcanic basin of the same name. It has become popular due to the presence of the beautiful lake and its peaceful atmosphere.

Bolsena is dominated by the massive Rocca Monaldeschi, one of its most representative monuments. On its towers, the municipal banner with yellow-red bands flutters boldly. With a square plan and garnished with four towers, the castle was built by the Orvietans between the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Subsequently it underwent many renovations and today it is home to the Territorial Museum of Lake Bolsena. Villanovan, Etruscan and Roman finds are kept here. On the short walkway of the towers you can enjoy a magnificent panorama of both the lake and its islands, similar to two giant whales.

It rises in the lower part of the town and was erected in the 11th century in Romanesque style. Remodeled at the end of the fifteenth century, the elegant Renaissance facade was added, the work of the Buglioni masters. The austere interior, with three naves with columns partly of Roman derivation, preserves numerous works of art. Among these we mention the paintings of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, some terracottas and polychrome ceramics of the Robbian school depicting events of the martyrdom of the Patron Saint (Chapel of San Michele). In the Chapel of Santa Cristina, on the other hand, you will find beautiful frescoes from the 14th and 15th centuries, which also focus on the same theme. It is said that in 292 Cristina, the young daughter of a Roman prefect who converted to Christianity against the wishes of her father was, by order of the same, first barbarically tortured and then thrown into the lake with a boulder tied to the neck. The stone, however, miraculously, did not go to the bottom but floated, thus saving the girl and indicating her sanctity to all the skeptics bystanders. You might visit also a complex of catacombs, dating back to the II-V centuries AD. C .: here is the sarcophagus with the remains of the Saint. ( to visit also the Catacombs, please advise at the moment of the reservation to check for the availability. Tickets fee to be paid on spot - not included )

The village is located in the south-eastern part of the Caldera of the Monti Volsini. From Montefiascone you can admire a grandiose panorama over a good part of Bolsena Lake.

The Cathedral of Santa Margherita shows itself in all its majesty to the visitors, thanks to its large dome. The church was built in honor of a young girl born in the land of Antioch, who lived for the Christian faith and died for it. His remains came after a long and successful journey on the Falisco hill. The construction of the church began in the fifteenth century by the will of Alessandro Farnese, future Pope Paul III, and artists such as Bramante and Antonio Sangallo the Younger took part. The construction suffered heavy delays, first because of wars and plagues then for a large fire in 1670 which destroyed it irreparably. It was thanks to Cardinal Albertone Altieri that the entire structure was rebuilt again in 4 years, showing itself more grandiose for the presence of the Dome.

Despite having been damaged over time, Rocca dei Papi, still retains its majesty. The fortress was built during the XII century. Its history is linked to the events of various Popes when the invasions by the Normans and Saracens were frequent and many of the Popes were forced to flee from Rome. The fortress was built with high defensive walls, and not only the Popes but even the inhabitants of the countryside also poured. The almost constant presence of numerous ecclesiastical figures made Montefiascone one of their favorite destinations, until the village was transformed into a Bishopric.