" Il Girasole" is placed in a territory of remarkable interest landscaped rich of suggestive panoramic ends with.
Walking in the forests that surround the country house, you can admire the wonderful argillaceous crests of the valley, and in the distance, the wonderful Civita.
Civita is connected to Bagnoregio only by a footbrige.
The locality rests on the borders of Lazio, Umbria and Tuscany. You can reach numerous cities of art and historical. Towns in less than one hour: Tuscania, Pitigliano, Acquapendente, Montefiascone, Sovana, Tarquinia, Cerni, Vulci, Chianciano.


      Excursions within 30 Km:        One day excursions :
  • Deruta Km. 80
  • Todi Km. 30
  • Perugia Km. 90
  • Arezzo Km. 90
  • Assisi Km. 110
  • Roma Km. 90
  • Siena Km. 120
  • Firenze Km. 150

In the Middle Ages, Viterbo which is also called "the city of the papi" ,was an important city and episcopal center. Its growth continued in the course of the centuries until becoming chief town in the present.
There is a wide variety of magnificent monuments.

The Papal Palace, the Cathedral, the Saint Pellegrini quarters , the Palace of the Priori, the churches and the splendid fountains constructed in various ages, coexist harmoniously in a well conserved historical centre.
You forget the traffic, the chaotic rhythms to live great emotional.

Viterbo is also famous for the "Macchina di S.Rosa".
Every year on the 3rd of September a special statue around 30 metres higt and weighing approx 4/5 tonnes, is carried through the streets of Viterbo by 100 very strong men.
This religious procession of S.Rosa who moved from one church to another. ixiiiIt is a still a very beautiful and emotional sight. The outskirts of Viterbo offer many sights including Villa Lante, wonderfull Italian gardens dating back to 500 years ago.

Villa Lante di Bagnaia Where you can see, following the paths fountains waterfalls and landscaped gardens.
The Terme represent the best attraction for tourists. It is a great natural resource for its beneficial property of its waters.
In Ferento city of Etruscan origin, you can visit the wonderful roman amphitheater still used for shows and concerts.

Bolsena is famous especially for an event called "The miracle of the Eucharist" happened during the celebration of a holy mass.
The prelate who officiated that mass argued that jesus wasn't physically present in the consecrated host but, during the ceremony, the Eucharist dripped blood.
This is the reason why the pope Urbano IV who, at that time dwelled in Orvieto, established the Corpus Domini feast-day.
Nowadays Bolsena has become a destination where tourists arrive by the hundred to appreciate its local beauty.
Tourists are usually pleased to discover the transparency of the Lake's water and the restaurants offering them typical Mediterranean cuisine, all in one climate-temperate environment. Two Islands emerge on the lake surface: Bisentina , and Martana . The first one can be reached by boat from Capodimonte while the second one is popular because of the murder of queen Amalasunta.
 
The lake surface extends a 43 Km. long perimeter in a hollow created by the collapse of a particularly active volcano praised since the ancient times for its eels, while a range of villages, radiated around the lake, form a surrounding view of an overwhelming beauty.
Remarkable are also the traces of the ancient Etruscan and Villanovian dwelling places which can be found in the Lake nearby. The most important centre is Bolsena (in ancient times called Volsinii Novi), Roman colony founded in 264 d.c after the capture and the destruction of Volsinii Vetres (the current Orvieto).

Velzna Etrusca was a part of Etruria (The name of the Etruscan state), so one of the twelve city-state (even Called lucumony). It was very rich and powerful as well as capital city for some time.
By its location, which allowed an easy defense, it was the last Etruscan lucumony fallen under the Roman control.
Afterwards lots of trials and a long state of siege, Orvieto was conquered by the Romans in 264 d.c because of the Etruscan nobility betrayal, which cost them a banishment from the city.
The Romans revenge was so much cruel that the city was razed to the ground, and the few survivors moved in a colony by Bolsena lake, which was called Volsinii Novi (today Bolsena). As the Roman empire decayed the ancient Etruscan site got populated again, and went by the name of Urbevetus (it means the old city).


Towards the end of 1200, by the initiative of a bishop named Franceso Monaldeschi (native from Bagnoregio), the first stone for the building of the wonderful cathedral was set.
The cathedral today represents an element which characterizes the magnificent Umbrian city.
Even "Pozzo di San Patrizio" (St. Patrizio's well), the Etruscan necropolis and the wide choice of musems are places of interest which worth to be visited.
Orvieto is popular for the production of its excellent wine known as "Classico d'Orvieto" (Orvieto's classic) as well as the ceramics and the handmade goods.
A great atmosphere is created when the city revives the past traditions such as: "Festa della palombella" and "Palio dell'Oca" a play which had already existed in 1400.
Another noteworthy festivity that still today links Orvieto and Bolsena is the CORPUS DOMINI (Eucharisty feast) which shows the passage of an historic cortege with over than 400 participants on the streets; the majesty of the event is also given by the wonderful flower-covered environment, set exclusively for this event.

Vetriolo is a small town which comes under the local Municipal offices in Bagnoregio.
The town was founded around 1500 by hundreds of miners from Romagna, who came to extract iron sulfates, a material very widely used in the middle ages. Due to this, the town was named Vetriolo.
This important industry didn't last very long, so the miners began to take advantage of the good quality clay which was. Still is in abundance in this area.
The importance of clay was doscovered by a man from Deruta called Francesco Burla. Two furnaces produce hand made articles thanks to the techniques handed down from father to son. The small town of Vetriolo is one of the most enterprising of the tevere valley thanks to an active cultural society which takes care of local history and culture, local festivities and religious festivals, most famous being the "procession on Good Friday" .

We do not know the ancient name of this small inhabited center; Civita is a common name deriving from Latin language which means city.
Discovery indicates the terrytory was inhabited since the stone age, but the numerous tombs found, testify an important Etruscan settlement.
Civita was a very important town, it ruled over many local towns due to its convenient hilltop position.
In the 12th century, S. Bonaventura, a famous and important priest, was born in Civita.
Civita continued to be a successful and prosperous town until 1695 when there was an earthquake which separated Civita from Bagnoregio and left Civita isolated.
From 1496 to 1612 Bagnoregio was ruled by a cardinal, appointed by Pope Innocenzo XII but at the end of 1700, Bagnoregio hosted many battles, first Napoleon and then Garibaldi and then religious wars. But in 1870, Italian troops from Orvieto occupied Bagnoregio and from then, on Civita and bagnoregio became part of Italy.
Bagnoregio and Civita suffered again during the 2nd world war but due to the help of bishop La Rosa, the town and many families were saved. However, the road which connected Civita to Bagnoregio was bombed, so after the war a small footbridge was built.
In 1964, Bonaventura Tecchi, writer from Bagnoregio, costructed a modern bridge to give life to "the country that dies", name given by the writer for Civita, the town which everybody named "the dying city" .