Civita di Bagnoregio and Viterbo itinerary: 1 to 2 days
Plans for one and two days in Civita di Bagnoregio and Viterbo, day by day: Civita on its crumbling tufa hill, the water gardens of Villa Lante at Bagnaia, and Viterbo's Fontana Grande, medieval San Pellegrino quarter, cathedral and Palace of the Popes, then the hot springs of the Terme dei Papi, Piazza del Plebiscito and Lake Bolsena with its castle and the Basilica of Santa Cristina on a second day. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
Civita di Bagnoregio and Viterbo in 1 day
Day 1
Civita di Bagnoregio (footbridge and Piazza San Donato)
Hilltop village on an eroding tufa outcrop, reached by a long pedestrian bridge, with the church of San Donato on its little square.
Villa Lante, Bagnaia
Mannerist villa garden at Bagnaia attributed to Vignola, famous for its terraces of fountains, a water chain and twin casino pavilions.
Viterbo Cathedral
Romanesque cathedral of San Lorenzo with a striped Gothic bell tower, beside the Palace of the Popes on the hill of the old town.
Palace of the Popes
13th-century palace where popes lived and the first, very long conclave was held; its open Gothic loggia overlooks the valley.
San Pellegrino medieval quarter
One of Europe's best-preserved medieval quarters, with stone houses, outside staircases called profferli, arches and towers.
Fontana Grande
Viterbo's largest Gothic fountain, begun in the early 13th century, in the square of the same name at the edge of the old town.
Corso Italia
Viterbo's main shopping street, busy in the early evening with the passeggiata, cafes and gelato, running from Piazza del Plebiscito.
Civita di Bagnoregio and Viterbo in 2 days
Day 1
Viterbo Cathedral
Romanesque cathedral of San Lorenzo with a striped Gothic bell tower, beside the Palace of the Popes on the hill of the old town.
Palace of the Popes
13th-century palace where popes lived and the first, very long conclave was held; its open Gothic loggia overlooks the valley.
San Pellegrino medieval quarter
One of Europe's best-preserved medieval quarters, with stone houses, outside staircases called profferli, arches and towers.
Fontana Grande
Viterbo's largest Gothic fountain, begun in the early 13th century, in the square of the same name at the edge of the old town.
Piazza del Plebiscito and Palazzo dei Priori
Viterbo's civic square, where the Palazzo dei Priori has frescoed halls and a courtyard fountain looking over the town.
Terme dei Papi thermal pool
Spa just west of Viterbo with a large open-air pool fed by hot sulphur springs, plus spa treatments.
Corso Italia
Viterbo's main shopping street, busy in the early evening with the passeggiata, cafes and gelato, running from Piazza del Plebiscito.
Day 2
Villa Lante, Bagnaia
Mannerist villa garden at Bagnaia attributed to Vignola, famous for its terraces of fountains, a water chain and twin casino pavilions.
Civita di Bagnoregio (footbridge and Piazza San Donato)
Hilltop village on an eroding tufa outcrop, reached by a long pedestrian bridge, with the church of San Donato on its little square.
Rocca Monaldeschi della Cervara, Bolsena
Medieval castle at the top of Bolsena's old town, with a museum of the lake and wide views over Lake Bolsena.
Basilica of Santa Cristina, Bolsena
Church of Bolsena's martyr saint, linked to the 1263 Eucharistic miracle behind the feast of Corpus Domini, with catacombs below.
Lungolago di Bolsena
Lakeside promenade with beaches, boat trips and restaurants serving lake fish, good for a sunset walk by Europe's largest volcanic lake.
Watch: Civita di Bagnoregio and Viterbo
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Civita di Bagnoregio and Viterbo
Spring and autumn are the best seasons, with mild days for the footbridge and the gardens; summer is hot and Civita is busiest at weekends and in August. Viterbo's Macchina di Santa Rosa, a lit tower carried through the streets by about a hundred porters, takes place on the evening of 3 September, and the San Pellegrino in Fiore flower show fills the medieval quarter in spring.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Civita di Bagnoregio and Viterbo on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Civita di Bagnoregio and Viterbo on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Civita di Bagnoregio and Viterbo on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Civita di Bagnoregio and Viterbo
- Arrive at Civita early, before the tour groups; the long footbridge from Bagnoregio is the only way in, and a ticket is needed to cross it.
- A car is the practical way to link Civita, Bagnaia, Viterbo and Bolsena; trains and buses reach Viterbo from Rome, but the villages have few connections.
- Villa Lante is closed on Mondays; its fountains, water chains and terraces are at their best in spring and early summer.
- Viterbo sits on hot springs: besides the Terme dei Papi, free open-air thermal pools just outside town are used by locals all year.
- Try lake fish from Bolsena such as coregone, and Est! Est!! Est!!!, the white wine of nearby Montefiascone.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Basilica of Santa Cristina, Bolsena: Davide Papalini, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Civita di Bagnoregio (footbridge and Piazza San Donato): User:New2022, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fontana Grande: Ben Skála, Benfoto, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Palace of the Popes: NikonZ7II, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rocca Monaldeschi della Cervara, Bolsena: Albarubescens, CC BY-SA 4.0
- San Pellegrino medieval quarter: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
- Villa Lante, Bagnaia: Jeff from Sacramento, CA, CC BY 2.0
- Viterbo Cathedral: NikonZ7II, CC BY-SA 4.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
