BOLSENA
Bolsena is a town of Italy in northern Latium, on the eastern shore of the beautiful Lake Bolsena. Largest of the three volcanic lakes north of Rome, Bolsena is the most characterful (and least thronged with daytrippers).
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For those who are looking for a relaxing stay, but want to have fun and to learn something on the culture at the same time, Bolsena is the ideal place.
Here you can spend a quiet and enjoyable holiday while discovering the history and the ancient traditions of this medieval village.
In this uncontaminated place, with dozens of picturesque villages and archaeological sites dating back to Etruscan and Roman civilizations, time seems to stand still.
In Bolsena each day can be different: you can practice a lot of sporting activities, go sightseeing, lay down on the dark sand beaches on the shorline or simply enjoy the stunning views while having a walk.
Water sports available at the lake include sailing, fishing, boating, water-skiing, kayaking and windsurfing, but you can also choose among many land-based sporting activities, such as hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding along the lakeside trails or in the surrounding hillsides.
In Bolsena you can also experience good food - as practically everywhere in Italy!
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You can find many pizzerias, trattorias and high standard restaurants where to taste typical specialities of this place, like the "coregone", an excellent freshwater fish representing the traditional couisine of Lake Bolsena area par excellence.
And if you feel like having something sweet there are also many cafeterias, pastry shops and ice-cream shops, where you can have a yummy artisan gelato, enjoy original drinks or simply have a coffee while admiring romantic landscapes.
Besides the variety of sceneries, Bolsena also offers many popular traditional festivals, such as "Corpus Christi Infiorata" (Infiorata del Corpus Domini) - the traditional Flower Festival which takes place every year in mid-June on the occasion of Corpus Christi feast, the celebration of the Eucharistic Miracle of Bolsena that took place in Santa Cristina Cathedral in 1263 - and the "Mysteries of Saint Christina" (i Misteri di Santa Cristina) in July - a procession through the medieval streets of the city which re-enact the pain suffered by the young saint, who died at the tender age of 12 during the last wave of Christian persecutions at the start of the 4th century.
As previously mentioned, the Lake Bolsena region boasts numerous cultural attractions, such as historic churches, romantic castles and ancient necropolises (tombs).
Some of the most notable sites include the neolithic village of Bagnoregio, the impressive 16th-century Farnesi Palace at Caprarola and the Etruscan remains at Acquapedente.
The city of Bolsena itself, with its centro storico, the Santa Cristina church, its Roman walls and necropolises, an amphitheatre and a medieval castle, offers almost limitless opportunities for sightseeing.