Viterbo’s Best Kept Secret about Terme dei Papi
By Santatatiana
Tags: Bullicame, Dante Alighieri, Etruscans, Michelangelo, Pope Boniface IX, Pope Gregory IX, Pope Nicholas V, Romans, Terme dei Papi, thermal baths, Viterbo
Category: Mediaeval Walks
Around Viterbo, there are many hot springs. The most famous of them – Bullicame, boiling water, was known since ancient times. The main spring of Bullicame is situated in a lake which was formed by a small but deep caldera and now is protected by a transparent structure. Dante Alighieri mentioned Bullicame twice in the “Divine Comedy”. Michelangelo, who stayed in thermal baths in order to treat his kidney stones with Bullicame waters, made a sketch of the majestic ruins of ancient Roman baths.
While in Viterbo, we wanted to combine the pleasant and the useful. Surprisingly enough, we didn’t see any traces of the presence of thermal baths in the city. It appeared that all the hot springs are situated outside the city. It was a sort of detective story how we finally found the baths. Only one small and funny bus goes to the baths. With great difficulties and following directions of Viterbians, we found the bus stop. I stopped few buses in order to ask the drivers about this mysterious bus which they called “pulmino”, little bus. At last we saw a small yellow bus which took us to the baths…
My previous posts about Viterbo
Italian Slow Walks 
Витербо – отлично! Тепло, волн нет, рядом – хорошин люди, цивилизация на высоком уровне. Словом – здорово!
Особенно здорово, когда на дворе январь!
Богатая земля – Италия. Даже термосточники есть.
Да, богатая и красивая.