Viterbo is the city that Rome forgot — and that is precisely its appeal. Located 80 km north of Rome in the heart of the Tuscia region, this medieval city was, for a brief and extraordinary period in the 13th century, the centre of the Catholic world. The popes lived here, the papal elections were held here, and the city's architecture, urban layout, and thermal springs bear the imprint of a period when Viterbo was not a provincial backwater but the seat of spiritual and temporal power over all of Christendom.
For the elite traveller, Viterbo offers something that Rome, for all its grandeur, cannot: an intact medieval city — not a medieval quarter embedded in a modern metropolis, but an entire city that has preserved its medieval character across eight centuries. Walking through Viterbo's San Pellegrino quarter — with its narrow streets, arched passageways, stone towers, and fountain-squared piazzas — is like walking into a 13th-century painting.
Viterbo's moment of supreme importance came in the 13th century, when the papacy — beset by political instability in Rome — relocated to the safer, more defensible city of Viterbo. Between 1257 and 1281, five popes resided in Viterbo, and the city became the centre of papal politics, diplomacy, and ceremony.
The most dramatic event of this period was the papal election of 1268–1271 — the longest in the history of the Catholic Church. The cardinals were deadlocked for nearly three years, unable to agree on a candidate. In frustration, the people of Viterbo locked the cardinals in the Palazzo dei Papi (the Palace of the Popes), reduced their food rations, and eventually removed the roof of the palace to expose the cardinals to the elements. The strategy worked: the cardinals elected Pope Gregory X in 1271, and the new pope instituted the system of papal conclaves — the locked-room elections that continue to this day.
The lesson for the family office traveller is both amusing and profound: when decision-makers are comfortable, they procrastinate. When they are uncomfortable, they decide. The cardinals of Viterbo didn't reach a decision until the roof was taken off their heads.
The Palazzo dei Papi is Viterbo's most important monument — a massive 13th-century palace that served as the papal residence during the city's golden age. The palace's most famous feature is its loggia — a double-arched gallery overlooking the city, from which popes addressed the people of Viterbo.
It was in this palace that the cardinals were locked in, starved, and rained upon until they elected a pope. The room where they met — the Sala del Conclave — still exists, and standing in it, you can feel the claustrophobia that eventually produced a decision.
The palace also contains frescoes and inscriptions from the papal period, including the famous inscription commemorating the election of Gregory X and the establishment of the conclave system.
The San Pellegrino quarter is the best-preserved medieval neighbourhood in Italy — a labyrinth of narrow streets, stone houses, arched passageways, and small piazzas centred around public fountains. The quarter has barely changed since the 13th century, and walking through it is an experience of total immersion in the medieval world.
Key features include:
For those who study urban design, San Pellegrino is a masterclass in medieval city planning — a neighbourhood designed for community, defence, and the efficient use of limited space. Every element serves multiple purposes: the fountains provide water and social gathering spaces; the tower-houses provide residences and fortifications; the narrow streets provide shade and defence.
Viterbo has been famous for its hot springs since Etruscan times. The volcanic geology of the Tuscia region produces springs of mineral-rich water at temperatures of up to 58°C, and these springs have been used for bathing, healing, and ritual purposes for over 3,000 years.
The most famous spring is the Bullicame — a natural hot spring that was known to the Romans and that Dante mentioned in the Inferno (Canto XIV, lines 79–81): "Qual è quel fiore tra l'Erta e la Vitorne / che le genti di quel loco chiamano / Bullicame..." The Bullicame is still accessible today — a natural pool of hot water surrounded by forest, free to the public, and one of the most atmospheric bathing experiences in Italy.
The Romans built elaborate bath complexes at Viterbo, and the Etruscans before them used the springs for ritual purposes. The Terme dei Papi (Baths of the Popes) — a modern spa built on the site of ancient Roman baths — offers a luxury thermal experience that connects the modern visitor to a tradition stretching back three millennia.
For the elite traveller, the thermal springs of Viterbo offer a counterpoint to the cultural intensity of the city's historical sites. After a morning exploring the Palazzo dei Papi and the San Pellegrino quarter, an afternoon at the Bullicame or the Terme dei Papi provides the kind of restorative experience that has drawn the powerful to this place for thousands of years.
The Cathedral of San Lorenzo — Viterbo's duomo — is a Romanesque-Gothic structure that has been rebuilt and modified multiple times since its original construction in the 12th century. The cathedral's most unusual feature is the Pietra Santa (Holy Stone) — a large stone in the cathedral's courtyard that, according to local tradition, has miraculous properties.
The cathedral also contains the tomb of Pope Alexander IV and the chapel of Saint Rose of Viterbo — the city's patron saint, a 13th-century Franciscan tertiary who preached against the Ghibellines and was exiled from the city at the age of 12.
Begin with a private tour of the Palazzo dei Papi, including the Sala del Conclave, followed by a visit to the Cathedral of San Lorenzo.
Walk through the medieval quarter, exploring the fountains, tower-houses, and churches. Lunch at Taverna del Pittore, which serves traditional Tuscan-Lazio cuisine in a medieval setting.
Choose between the Bullicame (free, natural, atmospheric) and the Terme dei Papi (luxury spa experience). Roma Luxury recommends the Terme dei Papi for VIP clients.
Dinner at Ristorante Tre Re, which serves refined cuisine featuring local truffles, wild boar, and the wines of the Tuscia region.
Viterbo's cuisine is hearty and distinctive: porchetta, wild boar, truffles, handmade pasta, and the wines of the Tuscia region — particularly the Est! Est!! Est!! white and the Aleatico di Viterbo red.
Accommodation options include boutique hotels in the medieval centre and private villas in the surrounding countryside. Roma Luxury can arrange exclusive use of a historic villa with thermal spring access.
Viterbo is approximately 80 km north of Rome, about a 1.5-hour drive. Roma Luxury provides private luxury transfers, and helicopter transfers can be arranged.
Viterbo was the papal residence during the 13th century, when political instability in Rome made the capital unsafe. Five popes lived in Viterbo, and the city hosted the longest papal election in history (1268–1271), which led to the creation of the papal conclave system.
Yes. The Bullicame is a natural hot spring that is free and open to the public. The water temperature is approximately 58°C. Roma Luxury can arrange a private guided visit with transportation and refreshments.
The Terme dei Papi is a luxury thermal spa built on the site of ancient Roman baths. It offers pools, saunas, and treatments using the mineral-rich thermal water. Roma Luxury can arrange private spa sessions.
Yes, though Roma Luxury recommends an overnight stay to fully appreciate the medieval quarter, the thermal springs, and the dining. A day trip allows 4–5 hours; an overnight stay allows a full day plus evening dining.
Spring and autumn are ideal. The Festa di Santa Rosa (September 3) is Viterbo's most important festival — a procession carrying a 50-metre tower through the medieval streets. Summer is pleasant but can be hot.
Yes. Roma Luxury can arrange private events at the Palazzo dei Papi, including dinners in the Sala del Conclave and receptions in the loggia overlooking the city.
Viterbo sits at the heart of the Tuscia — the region that was the centre of Etruscan civilisation. The thermal springs were used by the Etruscans for ritual purposes, and the surrounding countryside contains numerous Etruscan sites. Viterbo is an ideal base for exploring the Etruscan heritage of central Italy.
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