Attractions and Places To See around Villa San Giovanni In Tuscia - Top 20

Small medieval part of town that has only dead-end streets.

The Passionist Monastery of Sant’Angelo is located on the slopes of Monte Fogliano, forming part of the Cimini Mountain range, in the vicinity of a volcanic crater that gave rise to Lake Vico and the nature reserve of the same name. The monastery, at an altitude of 300 meters (approx. 900 feet) above sea level, is situated within the town of Vetralla and forms part of the Province of Viterbo, one of northern most provinces of the Italian region of Lazio. It is bordered on the south by the metropolitan capital city of Rome and on the southeast by the Province of Rieti. On the north it is bordered by the region of Tuscany (the Province of Grosseto, the location of Monte Argentario) and by the region of Umbria (the Province of Terni) to the east. The Tyrrhenian Sea is located to the west. The town of Vetralla and the monastery is a pilgrim station on the ancient “Via Francigena”, which was once traveled by wayfarers and pilgrims on their way to Rome. This small town in the Viterbo area attracts Italian and foreign tourists who appreciate its charming historic center and the naturalistic, archaeological, and religious itineraries, including our Sant’Angelo Monastery, scattered throughout the surrounding area. (c) https://www.passiochristi.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Guida-VETRALLA-2024-Inglese.pdf

Capranica, an extraordinary town in the province of Viterbo crossed by the Via Francigena dominated by the lush "Marco Forest" (short for Marcone), has ancient origins and extraordinary testimonies of its past, such as the religious architecture of the churches of Madonna del Piano, San Pietro, San Francesco, Madonna del Cerreto, San Terenziano, Madonna delle Grazie; such as the civil architecture of the Forlani Palaces, Montenero Sansoni, the Porta di Sant'Antonio, the portal of the Hospital of San Sebastiano; such as the military architecture of Anguillara Castle. Palazzo Accoramboni, built between 1571 and 1579 according to a design by the architect Giacomo del Duca, Michelangelo's only student, houses the municipality of Capranica,

Wonderful place, worth visiting!

The three towers, of different ages and designs, stand in the Vico Matrino area, inside a hazelnut grove, together with piles of rubble from other probably similar buildings. These are two funerary monuments from the Roman era from the 1st century BC. C, and of a bell tower belonging to a Benedictine church, dating back to the 10th century "Sancta Maria in campis", of which the portal remains, reused as the entrance to the ancient Hospital of San Sebastiano in Capranica. The most imposing is made up of a square base, surmounted by a cylindrical body, sixteen meters high overall. Originally it was most likely covered with slabs of peperino stone and the niches seen on the surface may have contained bas-reliefs with images of the deceased from the rich families of the vicus. According to legend, Orlando, the brave paladin of Charlemagne, king of the Franks, wandered around these lands in ancient times in search of adventures and when he was tired he loved to rest with his companions in arms in the shade of the large oaks, which characterized the site at the time. In fact, Charles, king of the Franks, came to Italy several times against the Lombards and at Christmas 19th century in St. Peter's, Pope Leo III crowned him Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. It is documented that the Frankish army, following the ancient Via Cassia, then Francigena, stopped in the territory of Sutri, of which Vicus Matrini was part at the time; the area, at the time covered by an oak forest, could constitute a ideal environment for a knights' camp. Perhaps the legend, derived from the fantastic world of the Chansons de gestes and the Chanson de Roland, contains some foundation. https://www.iluoghidelsilenzio.it/torri-dorlando-capranica-vt/

May 2023 - the path is not really developed but rather a wild path - so go on the adventure with long pants and sturdy shoes. My tip would be to go to the ruins of the third mill. It is an ancient dam with two breakthroughs and therefore two waterfalls. Carefully go over the wall (!) Crashing wouldn't be a good idea...then go right. into the ancient man-made aqueduct. The tunnel is over 2 meters high and was probably a regulated inflow/outflow from the mill. The top highlight of this valley.

Beautiful old clock tower "Porta Romana e torre dell'orologio". It serves as a city gate with a wall. Access to the old town with a nice bar "Arcanum Osteria - Caffetteria, Ristorante & Cocktail Bar". The tower is the eye-catcher and the first highlight in Barbano. The Porta Romana dates from the mid-15th century when the city extended beyond the castle walls. Two towers were added to the gate and aedicule and clocks added in 1863. As you walk through, you enter another time, immersed in an almost surreal stillness. From there, briefly on the following street and after a few meters turning left, you enter through another gate, starting with steep cobblestones, the way, the regional park Marturanum. I want to call it the valley of the 3 mills. Almost like stepping into the fairy tale of Alice in Wonderland. Excellent!

Beautiful village in tuscia 😊