Marta on Lake Bolsena: History, Festivals and Regional Cuisine

Marta lies on Lake Bolsena and combines lakeside scenery, medieval heritage, religious festival traditions and a distinctive local cuisine. If you would like to get to know a place with tangible traces of history and its own culinary traditions, Marta offers several different points of connection for this.

History with a View of the Lake

The remains of the Rocca have been preserved in the medieval historic center. The fortress was built in the second half of the 13th century at the behest of Pope Urban IV. These surviving remains include the 21-meter-high Torre dell’Orologio. It can be accessed via a staircase made of iron and peperino stone at the side, leading to the entrance on the southern side. Next to the tower, a viewing terrace offers a view of the islands of Martana and Bisentina in Lake Bolsena.

Sanctuary and Festival Traditions

In 1495, the Santuario della Madonna del Monte received a new church façade under the sons of Ranuccio Farnese, who had become governors of Marta. It was built on older ruins. The Festa della Madonna del Monte is also known as the Festa delle Passate and takes place on May 14. Its procession leads from the shore of Lake Bolsena through Marta to the Santuario della Madonna del Monte.

At the Festa della Madonna SS. del Monte, the Casenghi arrive on horseback and repeatedly greet Mary with “Evviva” upon their arrival. In the procession of the Bifolchi, two oxen lead the procession, followed by donkeys and agricultural tools. The fishermen, as the final group, arrive at the sanctuary at around 11:30 a.m. During the Passate, they bring lake fish as offerings to the altar of the Madonna.

Typical Specialties from Marta

Special foods and drinks are also part of the festival culture. The traditional ciambella, made from flour, water, salt and anise, is handed to the passanti after they have circled the inside of the church three times. The heart-shaped Cuori della Madonna SS. del Monte are made every year for the festival on May 14. They are available in a sweet and a savory version, both with anise.

Cannaiola is a typical wine from Marta. For the Festa della Madonna del Monte, each group brings at least one bottle; during the celebratory meal, the groups compete to offer the best Cannaiola. For pesce a scottadito, pike and tench are cut into pieces, dusted with flour and fried in a mixture of seed oil and olive oil. The ciambelle of the Barabbata are parboiled for about 30 minutes in boiling salted water after rising and are then baked in the oven. At the beginning of June, the Sagra del Lattarino takes place, celebrating the lattarino and fish from the lake in general.

A winery in Marta offers tours and tastings by prior reservation; it is freely accessible for purchases.

Getting There and the Harbor Area

From Rome, the recommended route follows the A1 motorway, taking the Orte exit and continuing toward Viterbo–Montefiascone to Marta. Berthing concessions have been granted for the 2026 to 2029 seasons for Marta’s harbor area near the mouth of the Marta River.

More Destinations

More destinations: Monterosi, Civitella Cesi, Roccalvecce, Piansano, Celleno, Ronciglione, Acquapendente, Bassano In Teverina

To the broader travel overview: Viterbo.