Marta, Lazio, Italian comune
Marta is a commune in the Province of Viterbo, Lazio, sitting directly on the shore of Lake Bolsena. Stone lanes climb from the waterfront up to a medieval clock tower, the Torre dell'Orologio, which marks the highest point of the old town.
Marta developed as a fishing and trading settlement on Lake Bolsena during the medieval period, when the lake supplied most of what the community needed. Over the following centuries, churches and small fortifications were added, giving the town the layered look it has today.
The name Marta comes from Saint Martha, the town patron, whose feast draws locals into the streets each May for a procession called the Barabbata. Women dressed in traditional costumes carry offerings through the lanes, a tradition that has been repeated in the same way for generations.
Marta sits about 12 miles (20 km) from Viterbo and can be reached by bus or by car from there. Visiting between May and October means you can also enjoy the lakefront, since the weather makes it easy to walk along the shore or take a boat out.
Lake Bolsena, on whose shore Marta sits, is one of the largest volcanic crater lakes in Europe. Water from underground springs feeds the lake and keeps it noticeably cooler than most other lakes at the same time of year.
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