Oosterdam European Adventure, Civitavecchia, Italy... Part 1 of 2

I was up way too early for our sail into Civitavecchia... Couldn’t believe the number of big ships in today, glad I’m not heading to Rome.  We took the shuttle to the port gate to meet our guide, Susanna. We wanted to do something different this time in Civitavecchia, so we set up a tour called Undiscovered Medieval Towns between Civitavecchia and Rome in the Northern Lazio Region. We really had no idea what we were in for…and we were in for a treat…this was a fantastic day! Our first medieval town was Viterbo. Suzanna parked the car and we climbed to Viterbo’s medieval quarter. The city has been inhabited starting from the 5th century, when the Etruscans lived there. The city was enclosed by 11th century walls and towers, remains practically unchanged, with its Romanesque arcades and 13th and 14th century houses and palaces. We strolled through the center, and we were enchanted immediately. Also known as the City of the Popes, this town can boast one of the best preserved medieval historic centers in Italy. We first visited the Piazza San Lorenzo with the imposing Pope’s Palace and the Cathedral of St. Lawrence. Pope Alexander IV moved his seat from Rome to Viterbo due to political conflicts in 1257. The Cathedral with its unmistakable Tuscan Gothic style bell tower was the scene of important historical events…kings excommunicated, and the Popes elected. One thing that struck us…with the Pope’s Cathedral, was how plain this church was compared to the churches in Rome…Mind you its artwork was beautiful. This cathedral suffered extensive damage during World War II and still displayed the signs. We toured squares, alleys, small houses and rich noble palaces…the historic center of Viterbo is a treasure chest. Notable landmarks, besides the iconic papal palace, include the Church of St. Francis, the town hall, and the Church of St. Mary of the Rosary. The artwork and frescos in these churches was outstanding. It was some of the best we’ve ever seen… and it just got better as the day went on.  We stopped for coffee and delicious pastries before leaving for the small village of Bagnaia to visit Villa Lante and medieval historic center.  When we stepped through the gate of the Villa, you see a statue of Pegasus, the winged stallion from Greek mythology standing in a large semi-circular pool. From here we climbed for a panoramic view of the entire garden with its numerous fountains and maze of manicured hedges. Just incredible!  From the garden we walked down to Bagnaia’s town square with its historic buildings and had the best gelato. Climbing high into the mountains we arrived in Caprarola dominated by the imposing Palazzo Farnese. Palazzo Farnese was built in the 16th century. With its fabulous, frescoed interiors, the magnificent spiral staircase, the Map Room with its maps depicting the then known world and the Angel Room with its special echo effect the Palazzo is a jewel not to be missed…we also were able to get a great shot of the Convent of St. Theresa and we stopped at the Convent for a view of the Palazzo with the town below. We returned to the ship through Susanna’s hometown of Verella. We were overjoyed with our Italian off the beaten path day. It was definitely, one of the best days touring that we have had…  Just incredible!  Wow moments at every turn!!! We had a fabulous guide!  Thanks Susanna...