Marta is a town in central Italy located in the upper Lazio in the province of Viterbo a few kilometers from both Umbria and Tuscany, surrounded by the rolling and green hills of the Volsini mountains and vast countryside.

A quaint fishing village, Marta is located in the Tuscia of Viterbo, in a picturesque position on the southern shore of Lake Bolsena opposite Martana Island at an altitude of 315 meters above sea level.

The town has a population of about 3400 inhabitants and a distance from the capital Viterbo of 21 Km. 45 Km is the distance from the Tyrrhenian Sea, 73 Km from Mount Amiata and 105 Km from Rome. From the port of Marta is also born the homonymous river Marta which, after 54 Km of journey, flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea near Tarquinia.

Marta and Martana Island on Lake BolsenaThe municipal territory has an extension of 23.5 km², including the portion of the lake, and has influenced and characterized the past social history, economic and cultural of the local community and of the other communities of the Vulsinia area that gravitate around it.

Marta, in the eyes of the visitors who arrive, appears a true enchantment of nature. Seagulls carried by the wind fly over the two islands, particular sunrises and sunsets to frame that color the clear waters with shades of red or strong shades like purple.

In 1630 Benedetto Zucchi, notary of the Farnese house, wrote these words: "Marta is a land that has attached the walls to the lake, towards the east... the houses on that side are from the water beaten a lot...". In fact, only Marta, of the three villages that rise on the lake, has the peculiarity of being lapped by the waters in such a direct way. Today only a thin strip of land separates the houses from the waters in the stretch that goes from the "Pontoon" to the Martyrs of Cephalonia square, adjacent to the incile of the river Marta. Between 1927 and 1929, in fact, the mayor Luigi Donati, to protect the town from the storms of the lake avoiding the erosion of the foundations of the houses, He built a wall with its embankment thus obtaining that space later transformed part in the street and part in the public garden that the martani call Walk. It is no coincidence that around 1900 Marta was called the "little Venice of the lake" because the waters of Lake Bolsena were lapping directly at the houses, especially during days of strong north, making it not unusual, sometimes, moving people by boat.

The village of Marta with the lake of Bolsena is located in a natural environment with great charm, with the medieval village perched on a hill from which you dominate the view of the lake.
The historic center with the classic defensive walls, the tuff houses and the characteristic alleys, staircases, passages and evocative corners, is in turn dominated by the mighty thirteenth-century clock tower, 21 meters high octagonal shape built on a trunk-basepyramid and the remains of the fortress that Pope Urban IV had built around 1260.

From the square of the clock tower you discover a wonderful view of Lake Bolsena, the two islands Martana and Bisentina and the Volsini hills surrounding the lake mirror, with the villages of Capodimonte, Montefiascone, Bolsena, Valentano, Grotte di Castro, Steps and San Lorenzo Nuovo clearly visible in the background, including the Cimini mountains, Mount Cetona and Amiata with the villages of Santa Fiora and Radicofani.
Worth seeing are the Ciotti Renaissance palace of the Farnesian period and the Tarquini palace of 1500, both located next to the town hall.

May 14, the feast of Our Lady of Mount Martal' most important event and particularly felt in the lakeside town is the feast of Our Lady of Mount that is celebrated every May 14. Among the feasts of Martha we also remember the Festival of the milkman and the patron feast of Santa Marta.
Six religious buildings: the sanctuary of Madonna del Monte, the collegiate church of SS. Marta and Biagio, the Church of the Holy Crucifix, the Church of the Madonna del Castagno, the Templar Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie and the Madonna della Grotta or Grotto of the Apparitions, where it is said that apparitions still occur, in particular to the elderly centenary Mario Prugnoli, great devotee of Our Lady always. Father Roberto is currently the parish priest of Marta.

The town today is partly medieval and partly Renaissance. The most recent area of the village extends parallel to the shore of the lake and along the homonymous river Marta.
The inhabitants, extroverted and kind-hearted, have always distinguished themselves by hard work and diligence.
To visit is the beautiful town Pontone, recently renovated, from which you can boast a splendid view of the lake town and the lake.
Inside the town the most important road, which starts from Piazza Umberto I, is certainly Via Laertina that derives from "Larthe", name used in the past to indicate the current river Marta that comes from the port of the country.
Other important roads within the village are via Capodimonte and via Tuscania.

The island Martana is one of the two islands of Lake Bolsena (along with Bisentina) and is located in front of the town of Marta from which it takes its name. The island is part of the municipality and is currently private property. It is just 2 km from Marta from which it is clearly visible.
The island is historically known for the segregation and killing of the queen of the Ostrogoths, Amalasunta, daughter of Theodoric, occurred in 535 A.D. by his cousin Theodate, whose death gave the pretext to Justinian to unleash war against the Goths.

The volcanic nature of the soil and the climate strongly mitigated by the lake, make particularly favorable agricultural crops that often reach the lake waters; vines and olive trees are prevalent.

Good however the development of tourism, in strong growth in recent years, but also crafts and agricultural activities (excellent olive oil and local cheese) and breeding, especially sheep and cattle.
Very well known is the Scafata (a dish of the Umbrian tradition based on broad beans, very popular in the past among the poor, rather known to Marta) and the Sbroscia (the fish soup of the lake).
Famous are the eels of Lake Bolsena mentioned by Dante Alighieri in canto XXIV of Purgatory, which in the Middle Ages were brought to the Popes, then residents of Avignon, keeping them alive in wooden barrels filled with water. In particular, Pope Martin IV seems to have liked it very much.
The eels were mainly fished at the Cannara, an ancient pond of Marta that was also owned by the Popes themselves.

La cannaiola, typical wine of Marta on Lake BolsenaOttimi i "Lattarini" (Atherina lacustris), small fish of Lake Bolsena cooked in various ways which, in late May/ early June, are celebrated with the famous Sagra del Lattarino, party known and appreciated throughout Viterbo and central Italy.

Other typical products of Marta are panzanella (bread and tomato), the "rocchie" of pike (sausages made with pike meat), coregone (another important fish of Lake Bolsena, which is helped to repopulate in the lake from the fish hatchery of Marta managed by martani fishermen) and the much appreciated Cannaiola, typical wine of Marta and the southern part of Lake Bolsena [see typical dishes and products of Marta on Lake Bolsena].

The absence of industries makes Marta a place of environmental interest to discover and safeguard, and also offers the visitor a beautiful lakeside promenade for relaxing walks in direct contact with the lake and characteristic restaurants where you can enjoy local specialties with special dishes based on lake and sea fish.

The walk on the lakefront of MartaFrom also visit the Marta Promenade (named after Luigi Donati, an important podestà and notary of Marta of the past), a long tree-lined avenue where you can walk in full relaxation or sit and enjoy the view of the lake on the benches present.
During the weekends in the spring and summer months, in addition, in the Promenade you can find many stalls.

The very interesting geographical position that Marta occupies, is an ideal base for tourist and cultural excursions in numerous and famous Umbrian, Tuscan and Lazio towns, a few kilometers from the lake village, such as: Orvieto, natural park of Monte Rufeno, Monte Amiata, lower Sienese, area of the Maremma with Pitigliano, Sorano and Terme di Saturnia, Argentario, Tyrrhenian Sea, Tuscia, Civita di Bagnoregio and the city of Viterbo, as well as enjoying of course the beautiful area of Lake Bolsena.
There are also hotels where you can stay and enjoy a nice holiday in the quiet village overlooking the southern shore of the volcanic lake.
In summer you can also consider taking a relaxing swim in the beach of Marta, among the crystal clear waters of Lake Bolsena.
Marta is also twinned with the municipalities of Saint-Marcellin en Foréz (France) and Montegiorgio (prov. di Fermo, Marche region).