Bolsena, Orvieto - Day 8

Underrated, Hidden-Gem Pilgrimage Sites in Italy

A short story about Bolsena and its deep connection with Orvieto

Bolsena is a small, quiet town by Lake Bolsena, yet it holds one of the most significant Eucharistic miracles in Catholic history.

In 1263, a German priest was traveling to Rome, struggling with doubts about the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. While celebrating Mass at the Church of St. Christina in Bolsena, something extraordinary occurred. At the moment of consecration, the host began to bleed. Blood fell onto the corporal and the altar, leaving visible stains.

Shaken and frightened, the priest stopped the Mass and reported the miracle to Pope Urban IV, who was staying nearby in Orvieto. The Pope sent theologians to investigate, and after the miracle was confirmed, he ordered the sacred relics to be brought in a solemn procession from Bolsena to Orvieto.

This event deeply moved Pope Urban IV and led to the establishment of the Feast of Corpus Christi for the entire Catholic Church. To honor the miracle, the magnificent Orvieto Cathedral was later built to house the blood-stained corporal, which is still preserved and displayed there today.

Bolsena and Orvieto are forever linked by this miracle—Bolsena as the place where faith was restored, and Orvieto as the city chosen to safeguard and proclaim the mystery of the Eucharist.

Visiting these two towns is not merely a journey through beautiful Italian landscapes, but a pilgrimage that reminds us of Christ’s true presence in the Eucharist and invites us into deeper faith.

Our pilgrimage began in Orvieto, about a two-hour drive from Siena. As Orvieto sits atop a hill, we parked our car below and took a funicular to the top, followed by a short five-minute bus ride to reach the Duomo. The cathedral is breathtaking, adorned with striking black-and-white marble. There is an entrance fee to visit the Duomo, but for those who wish only to pray, entry is free through a separate chapel entrance.

We then continued our journey to Bolsena, about an hour’s drive from Orvieto.

Bolsena is small, peaceful, and untouched by crowds. We arrived around noon and had lunch at a local café run by a family business, where the owner was also the chef. He warmly welcomed us, sharing that tourists rarely pass through, and even gifted us a bottle of olive oil produced by his family.

After lunch, we strolled through the town and climbed up to the fortress to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of Bolsena while waiting for the Church of St. Christina to open at 3 p.m.

When the church opened, we entered the very place where the miracle occurred. Inside, the marble bearing the bloodstains is preserved as a relic. We spent some time in quiet prayer and reflection before heading to Lake Bolsena to enjoy the serenity and a peaceful sunset.

After sunset, we drove back to Rome for our final night before flying to Paris the next morning. We stayed at a cozy Airbnb near Fiumicino Airport, nestled in a quiet neighborhood—a gentle ending to a deeply meaningful pilgrimage.