Why choose this tour?
Ideal for history lovers and seekers of picturesque views, this tour passes through Etruscan necropolises, villages perched on the mountains of the Tuscia region and the centres of papal power. A journey into the past to discover the Upper Lazio region.
DAY 1: Arrival
Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Depending on the arrival time, it is also possible to arrange a quick visit to the neighboring villages before the overnight accommodation.
DAY 2: Tarquinia
Breakfast and departure for Tarquinia. This day is dedicated to the Etruscans and begins with a guided tour of the Necropolis. In the 9th and 8th centuries BC, it was the home of three households. However, settlements were slowly abandoned and the hill became the main burial site of the city. Today, almost 3000 years later, it is possible to visit up to fourteen tombs rich in frescoes. The visit continues in the historical centre of Tarquinia, in the Vitelleschi Palace. The Vitelleschi Palace houses the Museo Archeologico Nazionale Etrusco, which is famous throughout the world for the richness and variety of artefacts unique for their forms and figurative decorations.
At the end of the visit, lunch based on typical products in a local restaurant.
Free time to visit the village of Tarquinia after lunch. Apart from the Necropolis and the Etruscan Museum, Tarquinia has much more to offer. A walk through the narrow streets of its historical center will show our guests the atmosphere of Medieval times, thanks to marvelous churches and well-preserved monuments.
DAY 3: Cerveteri and Sutri
Breakfast and departure for Cerveteri for a guided visit. Unesco site since 2004, it is an example of Etruscan funerary architecture, located on a tuff plateau of about 100 hectares.
The etymology of this name dates back to the early 1900s, when the lands were given in concession by the municipality through calls for tenders so the lands that were banned slowly began to be indicated with the world “Banditaccia”, because they were not suitable for grazing needs and agriculture.
The oldest part is the area of ”Cava della Pozzolana”, with important Villanovan burial grounds.
Free time for lunch.
Guided tour of Sutri during the afternoon. The origins of Sutri date back to the Bronze Age and its first inhabitants were, according to the legend, an ancient group of oriental navigators: the Pelasgians. The importance that Sutri had in the past is testified by well-preserved remains, such as an Etruscan necropolis, a cathedral and two interesting buildings, both dug into the tuff rock: a Roman amphitheater and the Church of the Madonna del Parto. A curiosity about this delightful town is its nickname: Surti is in fact called “the Antichissima” (which means “ancient one”).
DAY 4: Viterbo
In the morning, guided tour of Viterbo. The historical center of the town, named San Pellegrino, is one of the most characteristic and well preserved in Italy: a real example of a typical medieval town. The visit goes along picturesque alleys to reach the Palazzo Papale (Pope’s palace): built in medieval Gothic style, it is characterised by a loggia with seven arches. For centuries, it was the residence of the Pope.
Free time for lunch and shopping during the afternoon.
In the evening, return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.
DAY 5: Pitigliano, Sovana and Sorano
Breakfast and departure for the territory called “Triangolo del Tufo”.
This land takes its name from the large tuff area on which the two wonderful little towns of Pitigliano and Sovana have been built.
Guided visit of Pitigliano, called “the little Jerusalem of the Tuscan Maremma”. The name of Pitigliano derives from combining together the names of Petilio and Celiano, the Romans who, according to the legend, founded the town . Inside its walls there is a synagogue and a ghetto, where in past centuries the Jews fled when hunted by popes. Pitigliano, which is surrounded by the deep gorges of two rivers, is characterized by medieval stone streets and brown-red stone houses that gives the village an evocative appearance.
Lunch based on Italian dishes in a typical agriturismo of the area.
In the afternoon, free time to visit the small and perfectly preserved village of Sovana.
Like other neighboring towns, its history is characterized by the continuous struggles for the control of the town from the noble families of the time. Sovana gave birth to Ildebrando di Sovana, later Pope Gregory VII. Pretorio square is the heart of the town, where many monumental buildings, such as the Palazzo dell’Archivio, Palazzo Pretorio, the Loggetta del Capitano and the Palazzo Bourbon del Monte are located.
After the visit, we suggest the group to stop in Sorano to take some photos. Sorano is an ancient village that, thanks to its beauty, resembles an open-air museum!
In the evening, return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.
We don’t want our guests to leave without a tasty souvenir of this trip: that is why a gastronomic lottery of typical Italian cold cuts will be offered during the last dinner together, as well as a parting gift: a bottle of high quality local extra virgin olive oil.
DAY 6: Departure
Departure and return to home. Depending on the departure time, it is also possible to arrange another visit before returning home.