It is cloudy and cool today – max predicted 12 deg. We have a good view from the rooftop terrace of our hotel, but we can see it is also a bit hazy.
The signs all say 100 km to Rome and St Peters. Our stamp says the same thing. Fact: it is still almost 125 kms to walk. Don’t get excited yet!
We have time this morning to head to the fortress for opening time for a little look. Inside there isn’t as much to see as the intact outside would suggest. There is a museum about architecture of the region including a lot of information about the building of the dome in Florence. It is however all in Italian and we don’t have the time for me to try to decipher it.
Views from the park out across the lake are fabulous.
We leave the town via a steep downhill path. Today is mostly on good track, dirt roads and…….
….. long stretches of Roman road. This is the original via Cassia. Much more calming to walk on than the current via Cassia.
Once down from Montefiascone, apart from one small hill, today’s route is pretty flat and easy. Mostly farmland. The main passers by are cyclists – lycra clad. This route is a popular cycling trail, even on a Tuesday. While there are lots of bikes there are thankfully few cars as they throw up a lot of dust as they pass.
After passing an industrial area we arrive at an entrance gate to the old city of Viterbo by 2pm.
Viterbo has ancient Etruscan origins, has been home to popes and has an amazingly preserved medieval quarter. It is here we find a B&B for the night. The city was heavily bombed in WW2 but has reconstructed the walls, gates and towers that circle the older part of the town. We wander the medieval area, visit the small museum and the Popes’ Palace and check out some of the walls. People are busy at work setting up Christmas decorations in the streets and the Christmas market.
Stay B&B L’incontro Residenza Medioevale.
Eat: Taverna Etrusca.
Excellent dinner of fabulous antipasto then pizza. Followed by house made gelati for me, and tiramisù for DC. We have a card that we carry to give to waiters detailing DC’s nut allergy written in Italian. The poor waiter looked very uncomfortable with the idea of DC having gelati; most of the flavours contain nuts and the waiter repeatedly refers to the risk of cross contamination. Poor DC – there was no way he was going change the waiter’s mind. Tiramisù is much better, the waiter advises. And apparently it was excellent.
Ciao.
Richo and DC 