Planning two days in Viterbo means exploring a historic town enclosed by ancient walls, packed with cobbled climbs and stone piazzas. Spring and early autumn offer the best conditions for wandering through the historic centre without suffering the summer heat. Keep an eye on early September: on the 3rd of the month, the town grinds to a halt for the evening procession of the Macchina di Santa Rosa, an event protected by UNESCO. Around these dates, traffic is entirely blocked off and redirected, making driving and accessing certain areas particularly tricky.
The town's layout calls for sensible footwear. The centre is paved with sampietrini cobbles and steep medieval flagstones, with numerous historic staircases bridging the changes in level. The oldest quarters can only be explored on foot, so leave your car outside the walls to steer clear of the restricted traffic zones (ZTL). Beyond the peperino stone architecture and the papal complex, the surrounding area boasts an important thermal spring vein and an impressive heritage of Etruscan and Roman remains.
From a logistical point of view, planning your trip for Saturday and Sunday ensures all the main sights are open, as Monday and Tuesday are typical closing days for civic museums and nearby historic villas. Having a car at your disposal is essential to round off your visit with trips to neighbouring hamlets, given that local public transport can be sporadic over the weekend.
How to plan your weekend
Day 1 — The papal complex, underground tunnels, and thermal baths
Morning
To avoid the ZTL and hourly parking fees, your best starting point is the free car park at Valle Faul. Spaces fill up fast on weekends, so it pays to arrive early in the morning. From there, take the stairs or the handy public lift that brings you straight up to Piazza San Lorenzo. Here stands the Palazzo dei Papi e Loggia delle Benedizioni, the town's emblem and the setting of history's first papal conclave. The visit takes about an hour and includes an audio guide if you purchase the Polo Monumentale ticket. On the same square, head into the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo e Museo Colle del Duomo. Exploring the Romanesque cathedral, its historic annexes, and the diocesan art collection takes between 45 and 60 minutes. For lunch, take a short stroll to Via Orologio Vecchio and the Osteria del Vecchio Orologio: set within a peperino stone building, it focuses on traditional Tuscia dishes made with locally sourced ingredients.
Afternoon
In the early afternoon, make your way to Piazza della Morte to access Viterbo Sotterranea. Guided tours run at regular intervals and take about 20–25 minutes. The route weaves through a network of tunnels carved into the tufa rock, in use from Etruscan times through to the Middle Ages. Back out in the daylight, carry on walking towards the Quartiere Medievale di San Pellegrino. Late afternoon is the ideal time to stroll through one of the best-preserved 13th-century quarters in Europe, admiring its distinctive external staircases (profferli) and peperino-stone houses.
Evening
Before dinner, retrieve your car from Valle Faul and drive outside the walls along Strada Bagni to the Piscina Monumentale Terme dei Papi. This vast open-air thermal pool covers more than 2000 square metres, continuously fed by the Bullicame spring. It hosts a popular late-night Saturday bathing session, a fantastic way to unwind during your weekend. Once back in the historic centre, dine along Via San Leonardo at Hostaria Lo Spito, which serves hearty grilled meats and rustic regional dishes at reasonable prices, in an atmospheric stone-walled setting.
Day 2 — Art, historic fountains, and Italianate gardens
Morning
Begin your second day in Piazza Crispi at the former convent of Santa Maria della Verità, home to the Museo Civico Luigi Rossi Danielli. This key archaeological hub houses Etruscan sarcophagi and a rich art collection set around a Gothic cloister. Allow about an hour and a half for the visit. Walking down towards Via San Lorenzo, stop at the Chiesa di Santa Maria Nuova, an ancient Romanesque church along the Via Francigena route, featuring medieval frescoes inside. From there, continue into Piazza del Plebiscito to see the Palazzo dei Priori e Museo dei Portici. The civic seat boasts frescoed Renaissance rooms that hold masterpieces by Sebastiano del Piombo. For lunch nearby, head to Via della Marrocca and the restaurant Il Richiastro, set inside historic medieval stables and famed for its traditional rustic soups.
Afternoon
After lunch, wander south through the Quartiere Pianoscarano, a working-class quarter that has kept its medieval layout intact. Stroll past historic spindle-shaped fountains, low houses, and narrow alleyways. Once you have finished your walk, jump in the car for the short drive of just a few kilometres to the hamlet of Bagnaia. Your destination is Villa Lante, a magnificent Mannerist estate. Allow around an hour and a half to take in the Italianate gardens, elaborate water features, and twin palazzine.
Evening
For your final meal of the weekend, head back near the town walls. Over by Porta Romana (in Via della Bontà) you will find Trattoria Porta Romana, a vintage-style historic spot dishing up generous portions of home-style cooking and traditional pasta dishes. Alternatively, make your way to Piazza Don Mario Gargiuli for Tredici Gradi Vineria con Cucina, which pairs regional Lazio dishes with an extensive selection of local wines and olive oils.
Top tips for a seamless trip
- To get into the centre easily without risking fines in the ZTL, leave your car at the free Valle Faul car park. From there, a public lift or a flight of stairs takes you straight up to Piazza San Lorenzo. It fills up quickly on weekends and public holidays, so try to arrive before 09:00.
- To save on single admissions, look into the Viterbo Pass or the combined Polo Colle del Duomo ticket. The latter covers entry to the Palazzo dei Papi, the cathedral, the Museo dei Portici, and the Museo Civico, with an audio guide included.
- Exploring the historic centre and the San Pellegrino and Pianoscarano quarters must be done entirely on foot. A car is necessary, however, to reach Villa Lante in Bagnaia or the thermal baths, as public transport is infrequent at weekends.
- Tuesday is the weekly closing day for the monumental pool at Terme dei Papi, as well as for Palazzo dei Priori and the Museo dei Portici. Villa Lante closes on Mondays instead. Planning your trip for Saturday and Sunday helps you steer clear of any closures.
- Anyone entering Viterbo Sotterranea will notice a sharp drop in temperature compared to outside. Bring a light jumper even in the warmer months, along with sturdy closed shoes with good grip to walk safely along the tufa floors.
Where to stay in Viterbo
Located a short walk from the church of Santa Maria Nuova and Piazza del Plebiscito.
View on Booking →Rooms with city views nestled among the lanes of Viterbo's medieval quarter.
View on Booking →A hotel on Strada Bagni, directly connected to the Terme dei Papi thermal complex.
View on Booking →