Intro:

Journey with us to the beautiful Italian countryside, where dreams are created and friends are made! Amidst olive groves and lush vineyards, you will experience Italy at its very best. This tour takes you to the enchanting cities of Viterbo, Calcata and Sutri.

Your professional driver will pick you up at your hotel at 9:00am and return you back to your hotel at 5:00pm. Please note that there is the possibility that not all of the following sites will be visited. This will depend upon how much time you choose to spend at each site. Additionally, there are no additional costs for entry tickets on this tour. Lunch will be served in the city of Viterbo.

Visiting Calcata

When we first come upon Calcata, one of the best preserved medieval hill towns in Italy, you will be amazed at this quaint village perched high atop a mound of volcanic rock. You will see the small castle, reminding you of a chess piece and you’ll notice the beautiful, dense forest that surrounds the village. This fortified village appears exactly the way that travelers expect a hill town to look. There are scores of art galleries tucked in the cobblestone alleyways and it’s hard to believe that the government condemned the village in the 1930’s, fearing that the cliffs on which it sat could be crumbling. Thirty to forty years later, artists were drawn to the village due to the supposed mythical properties of the volcanic rock that the village sits upon. The Faliscans, a pre-Roman people, used the mountain as a sacred ritual site, and some say they can still feel the spiritual force. Do you feel it?

Almost all of the inhabitants in Calcata are transplants from elsewhere in Italy and other countries. This gives the village an eclectic and diverse atmosphere that is quite interesting.

We will make our way to the Church of Santissimo Nome di Gesù (The Church of Santissimo Name of Jesus). This church is in the old country. It dates back to the fourteenth century but was restored in 1793 by the will of the family of Sinibaldi. The church consists of a single nave and the roof truss. They are preserved and there is a baptismal font un'acquasantiera (basin of Holy water) from the sixteenth century and a tabernacle wall. Behind the altar is a series of beautiful, historic paintings representing stories of Christ.
After our visit to the church, we journey on to the Suburban Park Treja Valley. Suburban Park Valley Treja is a protected area. It was established by law in 1982, and included the territories of the municipality of Calcata in the province of Viterbo and Mazzano Romano in the province of Rome.
The park follows the river valley Treja and is an area is of great natural charm. A winding river flows through Treja on a bed of tufa rock where you will see picturesque waterfalls in the area of Monte Gelato.
You will also see the remains of the settlements of the Falisci. The Falisci were an ancient Italian tribe who worshiped the deities of Juno Quiritis and the cult of the god Soranus. The Falisci, often allied with the Etruscans, resisted Rome for quite some time. They were allied with Veii when it was defeated in 396 BC. Afterward, Falerii was occupied by the victorious Romans. The Falisci again took arms against Rome when Tarquinia rebelled in 358 BC, but were defeated again around 351 BC. This time an alliance was signed between the contenders, and a Roman garrison was settled in Falerii.
Outside the village, we will visit the remains of the Faliscan temple of Monte Li Santi. The sanctuary Falisco Monte Li Sante is situated along the river Treja within the Regional Park Valley Treja, not far from Calcata at the foot of the Mount of Saints.
In the shrine, discovered in 1985, there remains traces of two rooms which were on the side of the temple facing the river. Within the shrine you will see sacrificial instruments which are believed to have been used in performing sacrificial rites.

Visiting Sutri
After our visit to Calcata, our next destination will be Sutri. It is perhaps the most beautiful and relatively undiscovered Etruscan archeological site in Italy; a lovely little town just an hour from the Eternal City. Sutri is a town of very ancient origins and boasts ruined and surviving monuments from Etruscan times down through the Middle Ages. Here we will see the remains of the ancient city walls, built of rectangular blocks of tuff. Tuff (from the Italian "tufo") is a type of rock that consists of consolidated volcanic ash that was spewed forth from vents during a volcanic eruption. Tuff is sometimes called tufa, although tufa also refers to a quite different rock. The modern commune of Sutri has a few more than 5,000 inhabitants. Its ancient remains are a major draw for tourism including a Roman amphitheatre excavated in tuff rock, an Etruscan necropolis with dozens of rock-cut tombs, a Mithraeum incorporated in the crypt of its church of the Madonna del Parto, and a Romanesque Duomo. Every January 17th, celebrations are held to mark the feast of St Antony, protector of animals, whose image is still seen in many barns. (Even the barns in Italy have beautiful works of art!) Beginning September 10th, the patron feasts begin with the Blessing of the Bean and the artisan trade fair. 
We will then visit a cathedral of Romanesque origin. It is from the Lombard period, with seven naves divided by twenty columns of different origin. The pre-Romanesque Sutri cathedral was built over the ruins of an early Christian basilica and was consecrated in 1207 by Pope Innocent III. The interior of the cathedral has many important artistic treasures. The floor of the central nave is made of Cosmati mosaics and the church also has a Roman School painting of the 18th century, and a valuable wooden statue of Santa Dolcissima, attributed to the Bernini School. The crypt dates back to the times of Longobards. Porta Franceta, also known as Porta Vecchia (the Old Gate) was built in the 14-15th century out of large blocks of tufa, peperino and travertine and is one of the most picturesque and engaging spots in the whole city.
In the cliffs opposite the town on the south is the rock-cut church of the Madonna del Parto. Some scholars believe that it was a mithraeum, a cult for the Roman god Mithra, the common god figure in the late Roman Empire. This small medieval church dates back to the Etruscan civilization, and is known for its walls that are covered with votive frescoes. The church of the Madonna del Parto (Our Lady of the Virgin Birth) is cut into the tufa and it is believed that the church was constructed on the site of an ancient Etruscan tomb. Other beliefs are that it used to be a sanctuary to the god Mithras and that it was converted to Christian use at a later date. The original church consists of three naves and the frescoes depict legends connected with the Sanctuary of the Archangel Michael and his vision on Mount Gargano. This church has great appeal for tourists and scholars alike.
Now we will visit the amphitheatre in the town. It is one of the most important Roman ruins of Latium: an amphitheatre dating back from the 1st century BC to the 1st Century AD. The amphitheatre is entirely built out of tufa rock. The amphitheatre is probably Sutri’s most impressive structure. As amphitheatres go, it is fairly small, only about 50 X 40 yards. It faces the town, and visitors often experience an enchanting and almost mythical atmosphere. The exact date that it was built is not known, but scholars believe that it was constructed from as early as the Etruscan archaic period to the beginning decades of Christianity. Although many amphitheatres are round, this one has a shape that is a bit more oval . The entrance facing the north, toward the Via Cassia, is badly deteriorated. It leads to the arena floor. There is a tunnel that has five entrances still visible on each side and circles the area at its outer circumference. Due to this configuration, it creates and area separate from the spectators' section, the cavea, which was divided into three orders of tiers. A rectangular niche is cut into the lowest section on the northwest side and had its own private entrance which was believed to be used for the more important figures of the time period. This would have been the Ancient Roman version of a VIP box seat!
And finally, our last stop, the picturesque city of Viterbo.
Visiting Viterbo
Viterbo is a charming ancient city situated between the two magnificent lakes, Bolsena and Vico. After our travels, you are likely ready to sample some of the delicious fare for which Italy is famous. We will have lunch in Viterbo, and then tour various sites in the area.
The historical events which have characterized the province of Viterbo have left many fascinating things for travelers to see and experience including churches, palaces, castles, ruins, etc. The historical centre of the town – surrounded by its medieval towered town walls of the 11th –13th century, contains a remarkable architectural legacy.
We will first visit the central square of the Piazza del Plebiscito where lions and palm trees across the square are Viterbo's symbol, before making our way to the Papal Palace. Also called Rocca del Papa, it sustained a great deal of damage by the bombings in 1944 and has since been renovated. This grand building was erected by Cardinal Albornoz, who died in Viterbo in 1367, but at the time of his death, it had not been completed. It actually had been partially demolished by the population of Viterbo and it was only in 1457 that the work started again to be concluded in 1462 under Pius II. Later, both Alexander VI and Julius II enlarged and embellished the building. The external loggia was created by Paul III Farnese in 1538. A fountain with the arms of the Della Rovere stands in the internal atrium. From there is a staircase with a porch towards the atrium at the first landing. The stairs lead to the first floor where you find the Throne Hall. Pope John XXI had a new wing added to his palace at Viterbo and unfortunately, it was poorly built. While he lay sleeping, part of the roof fell in and he was seriously injured. John XXI died eight days later, probably the only pope to end his life by an actual accident, on May 20, 1277. He was buried in the Duomo di Viterbo (also called the Cathedral of S. Lorenzo) which we will visit and where his tomb can still be seen. The building also has a striking Gothic campanile (bell tower) in black and white stone.
At the right of the loggia begins the proper Episcopal Palace with the Throne Hall (Sala Gualtiero), the Gallery, the Library Hall, the Hall of Arms and the Apartment of the Cardinal.
Our next stop is one of the most important monuments of the city, the Cathedral of S. Lorenzo. It is Romanesque in style and was built by Lombard architects over a temple of Hercules. It was rebuilt further from the sixteenth century on, and in 1944 it was heavily damaged by Allied bombs. The impressive Gothic belfry is from the first half of the fourteenth century, and is influenced by Senese artists. Inside the church is the sarcophagus of Pope John XXI and the picture Christ Blessing by Gerolamo da Cremona (1472). The most ancient building in the city, the cathedral, dedicated to St. Lawrence, was altered in the twelfth and the sixteenth centuries. The capitals of the columns, the two monuments of John XXI, and some frescoes and framed pictures are worthy of note. On the cathedral square stands the Episcopal palace, decorated with fine sculpture of the thirteenth century. In total, five conclaves were held in this place: Urban IV (1261), Gregory X (1271, the longest lasting conclave of history: 2 years and 10 months), John XXI (1276, after the death of Cardinal Vicedomini, the pope of one day, before his consecration), Nicholas III (1277) and Martin V (1281).
Close by is the elegant Gothic façade of Santa Maria della Salute, in white and red marble where stunning sculptures can be viewed. We will follow this with a visit to the Piazza del Gesù, a social and political center for Viterbo. Its main feature is the simple, 11th century Chiesa del Gesù, formerly known as the Church of San Silvestro. It is known as the place where Prince Henry of Cornwall, son of King Richard I of England was stabbed to death by the sons of Simon de Montfort. Some believe that it was actually Guy de Montfort himself who murdered the prince. There was much bitterness between the two families, mentioned by Dante in the XII canto of the Inferno. The elegant Renaissance fountain in the middle comes from the previously demolished Convent of San Domenico. At the entrance of the square is the Borgognone tower (12th c.).
We now visit the Fontana Grande (del Sapale) – the Grand Fountain. It is one of the most ancient and beautiful fountains in the town. It has a Greek cross basin surrounded by a flight of stairs and in the middle, a column with two superimposed decreasing basins, which ends in a gothic pinnacle. Created by Bertoldo and Pietro di Giovanni in 1206, it was modified into its actual form in 1276, although subsequently renovated.
You will thoroughly enjoy this tour, and if the villagers are having one of their potluck pasta dinners on the square, they may invite you to join them. Just don’t plan on rising early the following morning!