San Lorenzo Nuovo: Piazza, Lakeshore and Routes on Lake Bolsena

San Lorenzo Nuovo reveals several facets of Italian local culture. The octagonal Piazza Europa, routes to historic destinations, the shore of Lake Bolsena and festivals with religious, musical and culinary elements each offer a different focus. If you would like to combine culture, landscape and local traditions on your trip to Italy, you can get to know the town from several perspectives. When choosing accommodation, the character of the trip you want to place at the centre is particularly relevant.

Piazza Europa and the townscape

Piazza Europa is an octagonal square in the heart of San Lorenzo Nuovo. Via Cassia runs right through Piazza Europa. Those who want to understand the centre through its townscape will encounter an unusual square layout here, along with a road running through the middle of the square. This means that geometry and the course of the road jointly shape your view of San Lorenzo Nuovo.

Church and tomb chamber

The Chiesa di San Lorenzo Martire was designed by Francesco Navone in the neoclassical style. The Tomba della Colonna opens up a considerably earlier historical horizon: it is a tomb chamber dating from the last quarter of the 5th century BC to the first half of the 3rd century BC. For those interested in culture, the range therefore extends from neoclassical architecture to a testimony of antiquity. Historical forms and widely separated periods provide different cultural points of reference during your stay.

Routes to the centre and historic destinations

The routes also have their own distinct character. The CAI Route 148 reaches San Lorenzo Nuovo via the Chiesetta di Madonna del Torano and Via Torano, continuing to the historic centre. The Via Francigena crosses the Val di Lago plain and leads to the ruins of the Chiesa di San Giovanni in Val di Lago. At the Tomba della Colonna, an unpaved path also connects with the Via Francigena. If you would like to include routes and cultural-historical destinations in your travel planning, you can choose between a route to the historic centre, a route across the plain and a connection via an unpaved path.

The shore of Lake Bolsena

On Lake Bolsena, San Lorenzo Nuovo has more than one kilometre of shore suitable for swimming. Free beaches, bathing establishments, meadows and poplar groves alternate along the shore. This does not create a uniform landscape, but rather a sequence of different shore areas. This change may be of interest if you would like to experience both open spaces and vegetated sections by the lake. The shore adds a distinctly scenic dimension to the town’s cultural themes.

Religious festivals and local cuisine

The Festa della Madonna di Torano is held on 8 September to celebrate the birth of Mary. The celebrations for the Madonna di Torano announced for 8 September include a procession carrying the Madonna banner to the rural shrine of the same name; a mass is scheduled to take place there. The Sagra degli Gnocchi in San Lorenzo Nuovo offers a different facet: around Ferragosto, gnocchi are sampled in various versions, accompanied by musical and folk performances. The religious celebration and the culinary event therefore provide different seasonal focuses for your stay in San Lorenzo Nuovo.

Discover more destinations

You can discover more destinations here: Acquapendente, Castel Sant'Elia, Collevecchio, Vignanello, Capranica, Pian Di San Martino, Blera and Tre Croci.

To the higher-level travel overview: Viterbo.