Nepi is a small town of about ten thousand inhabitants in the southernmost part of the province of Viterbo. It is located 40 kilometers from the provincial capital and about 70 kilometers north of Rome. For tourists, there are several attractions, but in Italy itself, the town is best known for its delicious spring water.
Nepi travel guide
Tourist information
The address of the town hall is Piazza del Comune, 20 – 01036 Nepi (Tel. +39 076155811). The ZIP code is 01036 and the area code is 0761. Subdistricts: Colle Farnese, Colle Lydia, Colle Salamonio, Grezzano, Settevene, Gabelletta.
There is no railway station in Nepi.
Public transportation from Viterbo: There is only one bus connection per day.
Public transport from Rome: There is a regular Cotral bus connection from Saxa Rubra.
What to see
The main tourist attractions of the city are the Museo Civico in the Palazzo Comunale, the Cathedral, the Catacombs in the San Tolomeo Church, the Roman aqueduct and the Borgia Castle. A special attraction is formed by the so-called Forre, enormously steep canyons created by erosion of various small streams running through the area around Nepi.
The San Bernardo Church contains the venerated Madonna dei Somarari fresco.
A brief history of Nepi
The historical center of Nepi is built on a tuff spur between two tributaries of the Treia River, which created natural channels.
The name probably derives from the snake Nepa, which was seen as a symbol of fertility by the oldest inhabitants of the region. Nepi, founded by Termo Larte more than 500 years before Rome, was among the five most important Etruscan cities. In Roman times it was called Nepete and was especially important for its strategic location.
in the 2nd century BC, Furio Camillo conquered the city and turned it into a colony. The Romans had villas and temples built there. The Amphitheater of Augustus and the Terme dei Gracchi also date back to Roman times.
In 568, Nepi was razed to the ground by the Lombard king Alboin.
During the Middle Ages the town was owned by a succession of feudal lords. In 1482 it became part of the papal state and in 1879 of the new Kingdom of Italy. Meanwhile, in the first half of the 16th century, the town had been fiefdom of several important families. Not coincidentally, members of these families (Borgia and Farnese) had been popes in those days. Until 1928, Nepi was part of the province of Roma. Outside the town itself, most of its territory is used for agriculture and cattle breeding.
Events and Festivals
On the first Sunday of October, an ancient statue of the Madonna del Rosario is carried in a procession through the town.
By car to Nepi
From Viterbo by car: Take the SR2 in southern direction and then from Forcone follow the SP84.
From Rome by car: Take the SR2 to Monte Rosi and then the SS311 and then the SP84.