Gillian Knows Best Guide to Lake Bolsena

A beach lovers guide to the lake life near Rome

I grew up going to the lake. I never loved it. The deep cold water off the dock was a murky green. The shore was squishy with mud and snakes dropped from trees. A few years ago Mark and I tried to fall in love with a few lake houses in eastern Tennessee. Ultimately, I realized that no matter how pretty (or affordable) the house and the lake were, I needed the sea. I am happiest in the salt air and salt water.

Italy has some amazing lakes. There are the legendary ones like Como and Garda that come with wooden Riva’s as transportation and stone villas set into lush gardens. There are also lots of lakes near Rome. The caldera lakes of Albano and Bracciano are an easy train ride away. In the middle of a brutal July heatwave, Mark was invited to teach a few sessions to a group of Tulane graduate students in the town of Bolsena. I was in-between trips to Ponza so I happily tagged along. We didn’t really do much of anything, but there is plenty to do now that the weather is more agreeable.

Bolsena is the largest volcanic lake in Europe. There are several towns dotted around its black sand shores. I have only been to Bolsena. Marta looks charming and I would really like to visit Isola Bisentina. (We had a boat trip scheduled but there was a rare summer storm that happened exactly when our trip was scheduled so we had to cancel)

Bolsena is about a two-hour drive from Rome. You can take the autostrada or the slower but more scenic and historic via Cassia. It is also along the Via Francigena, the 2000-kilometer-long pilgrimage route that begins at Canterbury Cathedral and ends at Saint Peter’s Basilica.

Where to eat and drink in Bolsena

Coregone is the local lake fish that you will see on every menu. Even if you think you don’t like freshwater fish order it. I promise it doesn’t taste like mud.

Have a morning cappuccino or a sunset spritz at the simple and popular Bar del Porto

Casa Patrizia After a few days of fishy meals I followed our host’s lead and ordered the hamburger at this lakeside restaurant. It was an excellent suggestion.

Ortensia Ristobar We got a table at the lake’s edge and watched a Folaga (Eurasian Coot) and her pals work on her nest while we waited for a Caprese salad that swapped out the tomatoes with grilled eggplant and a piece of Coregone smothered in an herby green sauce. The menu is small and creative

Many many years ago I had a late summer dinner at Stella sul Lago. They also have a few rooms.

What to do in Bolsena

You need a car to visit Bolsena. The surrounding countryside of Tuscia is wonderful for exploring.

Basilica di Santa Caterina is the enormous church in the center of town. As so many martyred saint stories go, Cristina was a young girl who shunned her father’s pagan religious demands and followed the new faith of Christianity. She was tortured five times with snakes and arrows and wheels until she was finally beheaded. It is the site of the Eucharist Miracle when a priest whose faith was wavering sought counsel from the martyred Caterina and blood spang from his communion host as a sign from her. This happened in 1263. There is a fresco depicting the event by Raphael in the Vatican Stanze. There is a chapel with relics of the miracle and a grotto with frescoes and the martyr’s tomb.

The Corso Cavour which becomes the Corso della Repubblica is lined with cute shops and cafes and is perfect for strolling.

Walk along the lungolago. There are bars and cafes and a stall selling Umbrian ceramics.

Visit the ancient Etruscan city of Volsinii.

These are some dates to put on your calendar for next summer. June 11, 2023: Corpus Domini is marked with the l’infiorata when large flower mosaics are created along the streets and piazzas. There are also flag throwers and music. August 15 Festa Medievale e Corteo Storico, commemorates the 1328 siege of Bolsena by Emperor Louis IV with a procession and drummers and flag throwers. Festa di Santa Cristina a Bolsena will likely be on the weekend of July 22. There is a procession with her icon and presentations of her tortures and final ascension to heaven.

Where to stay in Bolsena

Convento Santa Maria del Giglio

We have known Nathan, part of the family that runs this 500-year-old convent since he was Mark’s intern in Niger. You might catch a glimpse of their now-grown daughters who were in Alice Rohrwacher’s gorgeous award-winning film Le Meraviglie.

The comfortable rooms are spare and simple. We stayed in the Suite del Cardinale with views of the lake and a private bathroom. All of the other 23 rooms share communal bathrooms.

VesConte - Palazzo Cozza Caposavi

This dazzling palazzo popped up on my Instagram about page. Once the private home of a noble family now it is an elegant hotel and restaurant.