Basilica di San Valentino
Terni holds a romantic secret the rest of the world has largely forgotten: it is the hometown of Saint Valentine, the third-century bishop martyred here in 273 AD. The modern basilica on Via Plinio il Giovane houses his relics and draws pilgrims and lovers from across Italy every 14 February.
The Saint Behind the Story
Bishop Valentino of Terni was beheaded on the Via Flaminia on 14 February 273 AD, and his remains were later enshrined here. The current basilica, rebuilt in the 20th century over earlier foundations, is a serene pilgrimage church with a crypt where the saint's skull and bones rest in a silver reliquary.
The church sits in a quiet residential district about 1 km north of the historic centre — far from the tourist trail — which gives a visit an unhurried, genuinely local feel.
Valentine's Day in Terni
Every February the city celebrates the Festa di San Valentino with open-air concerts, flower markets and the blessing of engaged couples in the basilica — a tradition that feels far more intimate and authentic than anything in Rome or Verona.
Local jewellers and artisans set up stalls along Corso Tacito selling handcrafted rings and love-knot pendants, making the festival an unexpectedly lovely time to visit Terni.
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