The Etruscans

We spend our first day in Volterra located on windswept, dramatic hills. Here we visit the Guarnacci Museum, famed for its cinerary urns carved from the local alabaster. After lunch, we walk through the town viewing Etruscan temple foundations, the ancient city gate, the Porta all’Arco and a well-preserved Roman theatre.

This morning we drive to Florence, where we will visit the Archaeological Museum. The afternoon is free to explore.

We spend the day at Chiusi, the key inland city of northern Etruria. The collections in the excellent museum are drawn from the area, and include finely carved cinerary chests and tomb markers in local sandstone.

This afternoon we have access to some characteristic Etruscan painted tombs including the Tomb of the Lion and the Tomb of the Pilgrim. The interiors of both are highly decorated with scenes of animals and humans.

We visit Veii this morning. The site was at the southern limit of Etruscan territory, and Rome’s first Etruscan conquest. We explore the remains of the Portonaccio Temple, dedicated to Apollo. This afternoon, we visit the Villa Giulia Museum in Rome, which houses one of the world’s best collections of Etruscan art and artefacts including the masterpiece Apollo of Veii from Portonaccio Temple.

We visit Tarquinia to see the Archaeological Museum and exquisitely painted subterranean chamber tombs. The museum has a fine collection of grave goods, including the remarkable terracotta winged horses from the Ara della Regina Temple. Over 6000 tombs have been discovered at the Monterozzi cemetery, which we visit next, making this one of the largest burial grounds of the ancient world. We see a selection, with depictions of banquets and funerary games.

Today we have an opportunity to explore Orvieto, or ancient Velzna, which the Etruscans presumably established because of the excellent defensive opportunities offered by the spectacular volcanic citadel. You will have free time to explore in the town including two archaeological museums, ‘underground Orvieto’, and the magnificent Renaissance cathedral. In the afternoon we visit the Belvedere Temple Podium, and the small Etruscan cemetery of Crocifisso del Tufo, where family names are carved above the entrance to each tomb.

Our tour culminates at the remarkable Banditaccia cemetery at Cerveteri, a truly extraordinary Etruscan site. This is a real ‘city of the dead’ with rock-cut tombs under tumuli or arranged in rows along streets. Many interiors are carved to imitate houses and temples. One tomb even has painted relief depictions of armor, household goods, furniture, and the family dog. Later, we transfer to Rome Fiuimicino airport for our flight home.