The medieval town of Bolsena is on the northern lake shore of Lago di Bolsena, east of Capalbio. The dark and mysterious archway through the old city walls to walk up to the village center is quite simply breathtaking, a sudden immediate and disorienting portal into the past.

Bolsena is the successor to the ancient Roman town of Volsinii, but the Etruscan origins of the settlement are curious because, well, scholars and not entriely sure where it was! There are a number of fascinating Etruscan tombs in the area, below the town nearer the lakeshore, but the Etruscan town of “Volsinii,” or “Vulsinii” were either the current site, or modern day Vetralla – which was destroyed by the Romans after a slave revolt – or possibly even the current site of Orvieto. So, more mystery.

If you’re planning a trip to Lago di Bolsena, as well as the beach and castle of Capodimonte, the seafood restaurants of Marta, and the cafes and green lakeshore of Strada Rocca below Montefiascone, you absolutely should make the short walk up to the medieval town of Bolsena.