The best running trails around Montefiascone

The present basilica is the result of an architectural path started in the Roman period. There is certain evidence of St. Maria Church in Pope Leone IV privilege written around the year 850. This church preserves the body of the Blessed Flaviano Martyr, with his house and village. Unfortunately, the few architectural traces of this primitive building do not allow us to make a hypothesis on its shape and size. There is proof of a Carolingian presbytery decor from some fragments of a pluteo, a hurdle or a ciborium, found during some restoration works. In 1032 the little church of St. Maria and its ruins were completely rebuilt and dedicated to the Martyr Flaviano. An inscription set on the inside facade wall informs us about this event. The original construction displayed some particular architectural solutions. It combined, in fact, a rare balance, the two morfological tendences of the Romanesque architecture, that is, the Basilica longitudinal plan with three naves and an outer rectangular perime-ter and the radial one with a centralised plan used for the Baptistery, both in the inner plan which has largely an ovoid shape and by the apses and in the typical pseudo matroneum devel-oping as a perimeter ambulatory. Consideration has to be given to the position of the church along the sacred itinerary of the Pilgrimages. The building was situated, in fact, at the confluence of various Roman roads amongst which were those linking with Bologna and Forli. At the beginning of the fourteenth century, they added an extension to the Romanesq church creating a prolongation of two gothic pillars and their relative spans and a new faca This successful grafting of the fourteenth century building may be easily seen in the wall str ture of the building while you may see the chronology of the previous developments. chapel Defuk's tomb has been placed, the famous character who gave fame to the Est! Est! Est!!! wine, considered for centuries as the best white wine in Italy.

From here you have a beautiful view of the lake.

Located in the heart of the village of Marta, on the southern shore of Lake Bolsena, the Clock Tower is one of the main historical and tourist attractions of the area. This medieval tower, which stands majestically in the historic center, is not only a symbol of the city, but also a witness to centuries of history, art and local traditions. The Clock Tower stands imposingly at 21 meters high. Its structure is characterized by a truncated pyramid base with a square plan and an octagonal body that culminates with a small octagonal tower about 2.5 meters high, where the clock bells are located. This clock, installed in 1575 during the Farnese domination, is one of the distinctive elements of the tower. Originally, the tower was part of the Rocca, a medieval fortification that has seen numerous restorations and alterations due to the turbulent historical events of the village. The tower has survived various modifications and reconstructions, and today represents one of the most fascinating testimonies of Marta's past. (c) https://www.visittuscia.eu/torre-orologio-marta/

Travelling along this pleasant dirt road, a suggestive view of Lake Bolsena opens up here.

Just before starting the descent towards the lake from Cassia you can enjoy a beautiful view. Stop before enjoying the rapid and steep descent.

From Cassia you descend towards Lake Bolsena on smooth dirt roads, surrounded by olive trees and grazing goats. A beautiful passage during the tour of the lake.

Lago di Bolsena is the largest volcanic lake (crater lake) in Europe. The lake lies in the previously volcanically active zone of the so-called Apparato Vulsinio. It fills a caldera that was formed by the collapse of underground magma chambers following powerful, explosive volcanic eruptions, an estimated 300,000 years ago

Easy to walk along the lake, away from the busiest places, where you can take peaceful walks