Slow Tour in Tuscia area

After the end of the Etruscan domination, the region of Etruria was called Tuscia. At the beginning, Tuscia indicated generically the whole extended territory where the Etruscans lived, then that territory was divided into three areas: the Roman Tuscia (from Rome to Bracciano), the Ducal Tuscia (part of the regions Lazio and Umbria, Spoleto) and the post-Longobardic Tuscia (in Tuscany).

Tuscia is a land rich in history and cultural diversity, thanks to the overlapping of many different populations who settled there during centuries. Actually, the real beauty of this area is its isolation.

I went on a tour of Tuscia in the area between Lazio and Tuscany, not reachable by the main arterial roads: I left from Orte looking for the backroads -it would have been better by horse or even walking!-. I met a lot of pilgrims on the Francigena road. I visited Vitorchiano and its one-eyed walls around the city, and the local Saint Peter church, a masterpiece by the Comacine Masters in the small city of Tuscania.

 

When in Viterbo, I spent the night in the Castel San Francesco, the farm-holiday where people can also admire an Etruscan acropolis. Not far, the bridge to arrive at the ancient city of Civita di Bagnoregio, on the top of a hill that slides down very often and that little by little is carrying away the whole city. Nowadays Civita di Bagnoregio is a very elegant place where several directors, producers and artists live. One of my favourite movies, Brancaleone, was shot here!

Then I stopped at Montefiascone and Bolsena and coming back home I followed the Cassia road through the area of Crete Senesi, in Tuscany. I went to the thermal baths in Bagno Vignoni and I ate on the road looking at the landscape of Siena just after harvesting. A unique view: the landscape coloured with every shade of ochre, highlighting the Tuscan hills and the country houses among groups of cypresses and vineyards.

Oh Italy, what a wonderful country!

 

Pics courtesy of Flickr User Morail