A town of great cultural and gastronomic interest, whose origins are linked to the “Gens Caninia”, an ancient Etruscan family of Vulci, and to an ancient Etruscan settlement then absorbed by Rome, of which little remains: Canino, sited 40 Km from Viterbo in the North-West of the province of Viterbo.
You can reach Canino both from the North and from Rome along the SS1 Aurelia to Montalto di Castro. From Viterbo you have to take the Northern Cassia up to the exit for Valentano and then continue following to Canino. Do not miss a visit the old town of Canino characterized by a Medieval atmosphere with its many ancient buildings, among which the most interesting are the Collegiata of St. John and Andrea, in Piazza De Andrei, and the Chapel with the tombs of the family of Lucien Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon.
You can enjoy a “stop tasting” in one of the many farming enterprises located in the surrounding area, where you can buy typical food excellences, including the famous Canino DOP Oil, one of the most appreciated extra virgin olive oil in the culinary world for its healthy qualities.
Driving along the SS312 towards Cellere, one remains enchanted by the unique charm of the area characterized by a series of picturesque hills of sedimentary geological origins, which are situated along the river Timone, a tributary of the Fiora: the so called “Mountains of Canino”.
Also in the territory of Cellere here are several farms, charcuteries, cheese factories and mills where you can stop to enjoy a very good food shopping.
Do not miss, however, a visit to the medieval village of Cellere, to the original Museum of Banditry in Via Marconi, created in a former slaughterhouse to provide greater knowledge of the culture and history of this area and to the Castle of the Farnese, a very interesting building dated back to centuries. XII and XIII, built on a tufa rock with large square blocks of the same material.
Ischia di Castro
The ancient village of Ischia di Castro, quaint town that preserves the memories of the nearby town of Castro, destroyed during the seventeenth century, will charm you with its old town. At the center stands the Fortress, one of the oldest Homes of the Farnese Family, which was considered one of the most powerful families of the age and who commissioned the architect Antonio da Sangallo the typological and aesthetic transformation of the medieval fortress in order to make it a Renaissance noble and elegant building.
Walking around, not far away you will find the Duomo, in which many works of artistic interest are preserved, including the baptismal font in travertine, dated back to 1538 and donated to the church by the Farnese Family, as well as a work donated by the sculptor Antonio Canova.
Food lovers can enjoy a dinner based on genuine local products and/or rest in one of the several farm holidays, spending a “regenerating” night immersed in an oasis of tranquility, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Farnese is well known for hosting the Home of the Farnese Family, who gave the name to the town, as well as for the presence, in its territory, of the Lamone Selva, which is part of a large natural park.
The second day of the route is dedicated to wellness and proposes you a suggestive walk within the Lamone Selva. It is impossible not to be enchanted by the unspoiled beauty of the park that, thanks to its rich vegetation, its pure air and the coolness offered by the thick forests of oaks, offers a wonderful feeling of tranquility, making it pleasant to walk in the Reserve. Nearby Farnese, which is part of the municipalities of the “DOP Canino Road”, you can stop for a lunch in the many farms and mills characterized by their specialties and local production.
A stop not to be missed is Tuscania, one of the most beautiful jewels of Tuscia that rises over some cliffs of tufa rock overlooking the valley of the Marta River.
Tuscania is a city of art in the province of Viterbo surrounded by a sweet and unspoiled countryside, protected for the most part as a nature reserve.
Apart from a visit to the historical city centre, it is possible to walk around through the many narrow ways, admiring the beauty of the historic buildings, such as the Baron’s Palace with its ancient walls and the Renaissance Cathedral of St. James, with its eighteenth-century interior, in Piazza Bastianini.
At the sunset, from the medieval walls of the town enjoy the magnificent landscape of Tuscania. From the historic center of the country, walk along Via della Torretta and reach the Torre di Lavello Park to admire the Basilica of St. Peter, one of the most important monuments of the Italian Romanesque Architecture, dating from the VIII century.