Known all over the World as Città dei Papi ( “Popes city” ), it is placed in the centre of the province, behind Cimini Mountains and very near to the Vico lake and to the Bolsena one. In the province of Viterbo there are many places such as Caprarola, residence of the noble Farnese family, Civita Castellana with its cathedral, Montalto di Castro well-known for its graves and for the nuclear power station, Montefiascone, Orte, Soriano nel Cimino, Sutri ( the legend says that this city has been given from Liutprando to the Church ), Tuscania with the Etruscan Museum, Marta the fishers village, Capodimonte with its wonderful Bisentina Island, Bolsena with the church of S. Cristina ( in which happened the miracle of the Corpus Domini ), and Acquapendente the city of Pugnaloni with palaces Fidi, Viscontini and the Bishop Palace.
Just outside you will find the renowned Spas of Popes ( “Terme dei Papi” ) and the thermal springs of the so-called Bullicame, that feed the large swimming pool of Spas of Popes and various pools in the surroundings; after that, near to the city there is the Etruscan necropolis of Castel d’Asso and, 9 km far, the ruins of Ferento.

What to visit?
The Palace of Popes ( “Palazzo dei Papi” ), has been built between 1255 and1266 on the San Lorenzo hill to protect the Pope; from the loggia you can enter the big Sala of Conclave, where Pope Clemente X was elected (see above).
The cathedral with its square is not far from old medieval quarter, almost entirely preserved.
Also the Plebiscito Square is very interesting, and is better known as Piazza del Comune ( Square of the Town Hall ) where there are the city hall and the prefecture. Beside the main street ( the so-called “Corso” ), you’ll find the Santa Rosa Church, built on a little hill near the house of the Patron Saint of Viterbo.
After that, is interesting to visit also the Piazza della Rocca ( “square of the Fortress” ), Piazza Fontana Grande ( “Square of the large fountain” ), the tower of Branca called Bella Galliana near to the Porta Faul, the city walls with the 2 main doors (Porta Romana and Porta Fiorentina) and the ancient church of San Silvestro.
A peculiarity of the city is the various tunnel excavated in the tufa,and that puts in contact the biggest part of the centre of the town, today used as cellars; finally, you must see the wonderful Presepe ( Crib ), now in the Museo Civico ( Civic Museum ), made by the painter from Viterbo Antonio del Massaro, called il Pastura, in the XVth century.
Spas:
The mineral and thermal basin that generate the Popes spas ( Terme dei Papi ) is formed by many springs, most of them hyperthermal (from 40 to 56 °C), mostlysulphuric-sulphate- bicarbonate-alcaline-earthy.  The waters of the spring Bullicame, with its 58 °C and 18 liter per second of capability, has always been famous for its therapeutic properties.
The thermal area of Viterbo is very large: there are in fact areas to enjoy for free thermal waters but also areas with lidos where you have to pay to enter.
Not very far you will find also the Saturnia Spas that, in addition to its past history ( it was an Etruscan centre ), has a wonderful Spa placed at the bottom of the medieval town of Saturnia, and is surrounded by an age-old park, in the typical style of the area ( maremma ).
The spring of this Thermal waters come from a volcanic crater ( where there are also the swimming pool and the lido ) and runs along a natural stream (called Gorello) for about 500 metres, where there is a difference in height that form a waterfall that create itself series of natural pool digged in the rocks.
From a scientific point of view,water of Saturnia is: “mineral homeothermal sulphureus-carbonic, sulphate-bicarbonate-alcaline-earthy” and, in its property, we can count the presence of two gases dissolved such as the  sulphur hydrogen and the carbon dioxide.
The chemical composition of this waters keep the secret of its healty properties, effective for skin, breathing apparatus, muscle tissue and skeletal system.

What is the most important event of Viterbo?

It is the Santa Rosa Machine… this event is unique in the world, and if you see it for the first time, you’ll be impressed by this big human machine composed by many porters who bring on their shoulders a tower 25 metres tall. This event is shown every year, in the night of the 3rd of September.