a narrow alleyway with stone buildings and stairs

Viterbo

A walled medieval city in Lazio where popes stayed and were elected, with the Papal Palace and a hot sulphur spring west of town.

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Viterbo is a walled medieval city in Lazio, north of Rome. It is called the city of the Popes: the papal court stayed here in the 13th century, and several popes were elected in its palace. The Palazzo dei Papi, built from 1255 to 1266, has a seven-arch loggia and the Sala del Conclave, where Pope Gregory X was elected. The Cathedral of San Lorenzo stands beside it. The medieval walls, about four kilometers long, still mostly enclose the old center, which is entered through gates such as Porta Romana and Porta Fiorentina.

Summers are hot, with August averaging 24.4 °C, while January averages 6.4 °C. Plan one day for the old center and a second for the Bullicame hot sulphur spring west of town or the Terme dei Papi, a Renaissance bath palace now inside a spa hotel. If your dates include 3 September, the Santa Rosa procession carries a 30-meter illuminated tower through the streets.

Viterbo in five

Walk the San Pellegrino quarter and the Papal PalaceThe medieval lanes and the palace loggia are the center of the visit. Check the palace's opening hours on its official page before you plan.
Soak in the thermal pools outside the wallsViterbo sits on hot springs, and thermal baths and free pools lie a short drive or bus ride from the center. Check which pools are free and which are ticketed.
Come on 3 September for the Santa Rosa MachineThe tall illuminated tower is carried through the streets each year on the evening of 3 September. Book rooms months ahead and expect crowded streets.
Take the train or bus from RomeRegional trains and buses link Viterbo with Rome in about 1.5–2 hours. Check the station and timetable, since several terminals are used.
Add Bomarzo or Civita by car or tourThe Monster Park at Bomarzo and the village of Civita di Bagnoregio are easiest by car or on a guided day trip.Compare day trips

Things to do in Viterbo

See all attractions in Viterbo

Museum · ViterboVilla Lante

Church · ViterboSanta Maria Nuova, Viterbo

Historic site · ViterboPalazzo dei Papi di ViterboThe square and the outside of the loggia can be seen without a ticket, so you can look before you pay.

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to ViterboPut the places you like in Viterbo on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Airport: Rome Fiumicino (FCO), about 1.5–2 hours; Ciampino also used
Getting there: Regional train or bus from Rome, about 1.5–2 hours
Getting around: On foot; buses for the baths and villas
Best base: Inside the walls near the Papal Palace
Time needed: 1 day; 2–3 with day trips

Weather by month

Rainy days
Days with storms

Best
Good
Mixed

JanuaryPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh10°Low3°Cold, quiet
FebruaryPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh12°Low5°Cold, quiet
MarchPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh14°Low5°Cool, wet
AprilPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh18°Low8°Spring, green
MayPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh21°Low12°Warm, green
JuneClear7 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh28°Low16°Warm, long days
JulyClear4 rainy daysHigh32°Low19°Hot, closures
AugustClear6 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh32°Low20°Hot, closures
SeptemberPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh26°Low16°Santa Rosa (3 Sep)
OctoberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh21°Low12°Mild, harvest
NovemberRain13 rainy daysHigh15°Low8°Rain, cool
DecemberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh11°Low5°Cold, markets

Average daily high and low in Viterbo, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Right now in Viterbo

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 6°
Humidity: 70%
Wind: 34 km/h
Chance of rain: 90%

Viterbo

10:57 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT+1

Today14°8°90%Monday: Rain. High 14°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 90%.
Tue17°10°3%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 17°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 3%.
Wed16°10°10%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 16°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 10%.
Thu16°10°3%Thursday: Cloudy. High 16°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 3%.
Fri16°10°25%Friday: Rain. High 16°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 25%.
Sat15°9°18%Saturday: Rain. High 15°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 18%.
Sun17°7°13%Sunday: Rain. High 17°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 13%.

Updated 06:55 PM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 0.8961 EUR

Amount

Converted to

EUR · Euro

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

What's on in Viterbo

Concerts, festivals and big events in and around the city

Events calendar

Every year

Jun–JulFestival dei Due MondiSpoleto, a day trip
JulUmbria Jazz FestivalPerugia, a day trip

Day trips by train

Orvietoabout 1 hour by carA cathedral town on a volcanic rock with underground caves.Read the guide
Bomarzoabout 25–35 min by carA garden of carved stone monsters in a wooded valley.
Civita di Bagnoregioabout 40 min by carA village on a crumbling plateau, reached by a footbridge.

Before you go to Viterbo

Trains from Rome to ViterboRegional servicesRead the guide

Bomarzo and Civita toursMonster Park and hill villagesCompare day trips

eSIM for LazioCheck train apps from RomeRead the guide

Travel insurance for ItalyCover for transit strikesRead the guide

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Rules for Viterbo, checked

Many nationalities can enter Italy visa-free for short stays as part of the Schengen area. Check current entry rules on the Italian visa portal before you book.Source
Declare cash and goods above the limits on the customs form when you arrive from or leave to a non-EU country. Check the Italian customs agency site for current limits.Source
Dial 112 for police, fire or an ambulance anywhere in Italy.
Tipping is optional. Check the bill first, since many restaurants add a per-person coperto, a cover charge.

Plan around Viterbo

All of Italy

Regions, cities and the rules every visitor needs

Read the guide Rome

The main hub, about 1.5–2 hours south

Read the guide Orvieto

A cathedral town on a volcanic rock, about 1 hour away

Read the guide Umbria and Le Marche

Hill towns just north and east

Read the guide Lazio

The region around Rome

Read the guide Italy by train off-peak

Rail legs that avoid the summer crush

Read the guide

Viterbo FAQ

Is Viterbo worth visiting?

Yes, for a medieval center, thermal pools and fewer crowds than Rome. It is a good day trip or one night.

How do you get from Rome to Viterbo?

By regional train or bus in about 1.5–2 hours. Check the departure station and timetable.

What is the Santa Rosa Machine?

A tall illuminated tower carried by teams through Viterbo's streets on the evening of 3 September, a UNESCO-listed tradition.

How many days do you need in Viterbo?

One day covers the center and a thermal pool. Two or three days add Bomarzo, Civita and Lake Bolsena.

Is Viterbo or Orvieto better?

Viterbo for thermal baths and a bigger medieval center, Orvieto for its cathedral and a faster train from Rome.