Essential Etruscans

Departing: March 2027 - March 2027

The Etruscans are one of the great forgotten civilisations. Conquest by the Romans meant that the Etruscans only appeared as incidental participants in early histories, but they had in fact flourished throughout the first millennium BCE in a group of prosperous city states which were sophisticated, cosmopolitan and influential. Their settlements, their artefacts and even their cemeteries testify to this and as we travel through the lovely countryside of Tuscany and northern Lazio, the Etruscans are abundantly on show, if you know where to look.

Included

Explore the tombs of Tarquinia & the Villa Giulia Museum, with entrance fees included
All other visits as outlined in the itinerary
Expert Guide Lecturer & professional Tour Manager
4 nights at Hotel Palazzo Piccolomini, Orvieto & 2 nights at Hotel Villa Terreno, Rufina
6 breakfasts, 2 lunches & 2 dinners
Wine & tea or coffee with dinner
Private air-conditioned coach travel
Field notes, taxes & gratuities for local staff

Highlights

Discover the beautifully painted tombs of Tarquinia, with scenes of dancers, musicians and fabulous beasts
Admire the remarkable Etruscan collections of the Villa Giulia Museum
Explore the atmospheric Banditaccia cemetery, a real ‘city of the dead’ with tombs like terraced houses
Visit Chiusi, famous in antiquity as the city of Lars Porsenna, the Etruscan King who almost captured Rome

Oliver Gilkes

Oliver is a consulting archaeologist and specialist in Albanian archaeology. With over 10 years’ fieldwork in Italy, he has excavated at sites including Pompeii and San Vincenzo al Volturno, and directed excavations at Albania’s World Heritage Sites of Butrint and Gjirokastra.

Tour Itinerary

Arrive into Orvieto and travel via either escalator or elevator to the hilltop from where it is an approximately 40-metre walk to our hotel via cobbled streets. Later, meet your expert Guide Lecturer and fellow travellers.

Meals: Dinner

Today we explore Orvieto, perched on a high tuff plateau in a fine defensive position typical of the southern Etruscan cities. In the morning, we visit the Belvedere temple podium and the two archaeological museums. Terracotta roof decorations from the Belvedere temple are displayed in the main archaeological museum, while the Museo Claudio Faina is a private collection housed in a charming town house still with some original furnishings. This afternoon is free for independent exploration. Optional visits are available to ‘underground’ Orvieto – the tuff plateau is honeycombed with tunnels, silos and wells dating to the Etruscan, Roman, medieval and later periods. You can also visit the fine Renaissance well of St. Patrizio and the spectacular duomo – the ‘Golden Lily of Cathedrals’.

Meals: Breakfast

This morning, we visit the extraordinary Bosco Sacro de Bomarzo. Commissioned in 1552 by Prince Pier Francesco Orsini, the garden was deliberately designed to disorient and provoke emotional responses, making it a unique example of Mannerist art that continues to intrigue visitors with its enigmatic symbolism and dark romanticism. It is populated by enigmatic obelisks and grotesque stone monsters, carved directly from the natural rock formations. These bizarre creations include dragons, giants, elephants and the famous Orcus mouth – a massive stone face with an open mouth that visitors can walk through. In the afternoon, we travel to Chiusi, famous in antiquity as the city of Lars Porsenna, the Etruscan King who almost captured Rome. The excellent archaeological museum here is noted for its collection of Etruscan urns, the early ‘canopic’ ones in human form, and the later chests with sculpted figures reclining on the top.

Meals: Breakfast, Packed Lunch

The day is free today to explore as you wish or take the opportunity to relax in Orvieto. It is easy to take the train to another town or city in the area from here. Alternatively, you may wish to join an optional (unguided) excursion to Siena, one of the best-known Tuscan city states of the Renaissance.

Meals: Breakfast

Before leaving Orvieto, we visit the small Etruscan Crocifisso del Tufo cemetery, laid out on a grid pattern and has the family name carved above the entrance to each tomb. We continue to Tarquinia, known as ‘Tarchuna’ in antiquity and the capital of one of the most militarily powerful of the 12 states of Etruria. Our first visit is to the excellent Archaeological Museum, located in a Renaissance palazzo. It has a fine collection of material from Etruscan Tarquinia dating to all periods. After lunch, we visit a selection of wonderful painted tombs at Monterozzi cemetery. They date from the 6th-1st centuries BCE and are vivid expressions of Etruscan aristocratic customs and beliefs. The earlier tombs have delightful scenes of banquets with music and dancing, and also athletic games, presumably in honour of the dead.

Meals: Breakfast

We visit the archaeological park at Sutri this morning. The park is situated on a volcanic plateau overlooking the ancient Via Cassia, just outside town’s historic centre. Its unique collection of monuments is carved directly into the local tufa rock, a soft volcanic stone that has preserved these ancient structures for millennia. In the afternoon, we drive to the outskirts of Rome to visit the Villa Giulia Museum, which houses one of the finest collections of Etruscan artefacts anywhere in the world. Star exhibits include the famous 6th-century BCE life-size terracotta sculpted figures from the Portonaccio temple at Veio and the sarcophagus of the married couple from Cerveteri.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We make the gentle drive down the coast to the great site of Cerveteri. We spend the morning in the remarkable and atmospheric Banditaccia cemetery, a real ‘city of the dead’ with streets lined with vast tumuli and rows of tombs like terraced houses. Many tombs are furnished with beds and chairs cut into the rock, and one even has painted stucco household equipment and pets displayed on its walls. We continue to the modern town for lunch, after which we visit the small archaeological museum to see material from the tombs. Later, depart for the airport or continue your trip at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast

Availability & Booking

2027

7th March from $3,740

Call to Book

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