Day 01
Walking Tour of Volterra's Etruscan and Medieval Heritage
- On a tour of the Tuscan gem of Volterra, visitors will be treated to a breathtaking view of the cityscape and the sea from a well-known terrace in the city. The city is still surrounded by Medieval walls, and in some places, the massive cyclopean walls of the Etruscan age can also be seen.
- The tour will then take visitors to the Etruscan gate, also known as Porta all'Arco, which was part of the Etruscan walls of the fourth century B.C. Over the ages, it has become a beloved symbol of the city, and the citizens of Volterra managed to save it from destruction at the end of World War II.
- Crossing the gate, visitors will find themselves inside a perfectly preserved medieval city center: San Giovanni Square, with the Romanesque Cathedral and the Baptistery, an octagonal structure dating back to the thirteenth century whose walls are decorated in the classic white-and-green two-tone marble.
- Behind the square is the spectacular Piazza dei Priori, which is overlooked by the austere Palazzo dei Priori. A stroll around this area will allow visitors to explore the many buildings that made up the city's political heart in the Middle Ages.
- As the tour nears its end, visitors will continue down the maze of medieval streets and alleys to one of the most interesting sites in all of Volterra: the beautiful archaeological site of a Roman Theatre, discovered in the twentieth century beneath a soccer field. This historic and picturesque destination provides a memorable end to the tour.
