The village of Grotte di Castro clings to the northern edge of an ancient volcano in the Volsini Mountains, at a short distance from Lake Bolsena.
Grotte di Castro and its landscape
In the historic centre, stand the Basilica of Santa Maria del Suffragio, built in 1625, with its unique Antiquarium, and the splendid Renaissance Palace designed by Vignola, now home to the Museo Civita.
The Palace of the Museo Civita
In the museum, precious archaeological finds testify the life and traditions of the Etruscans and the history of Grotte di Castro. Particularly noteworthy are grave goods from the seventh and sixth centuries BC found in the nearby Etruscan Necropolises of Pianezze and Centocamere.
The Red Tomb in the Pianezze Necropolis – Photo by comune.grottedicastro.viterbo.it
The Necropolis of Pianezze, three kilometres from the village of Grotte di Castro, includes twenty-four impressive monumental graves, such as the so-called Red Tomb.
A detail of a Tomb in the Necropolis of Centocamere– Photo by comune.grottedicastro.viterbo.it
In the older Necropolis of Centocamere, the tombs, carved into the tuff rock, are instead connected by a unique labyrinth of corridors.
The Fontana Grande – Photo by comune.grottedicastro.viterbo.it
Another attraction in the village is the Fontana Grande in Via Roma. Inaugurated in 1886, the fountain was brought to its former splendour in 2013, following significant restoration works. The traditional products of Rocca di Castro are the Alto Viterbese PGI potato, celebrated with a festival in August, and the Colli Etruschi Viterbesi, or Tuscia DOC, wine. The typical dishes are pecorino cheese bundles, polenta with lamb and pork bujone (a tasty gravy sauce), and pappardelle (fresh large fettuccine) with wild boar. Not to be missed are also the Tuscia PDO extra virgin olive oil and the Tortelli (ricotta-stuffed ravioli with sugar, cinnamon and alkermes), the latter consumed in the same month of the celebrations in honour of the patron saints Flavio and Faustina, occurring on May 7.