The Etruscan tour

Description

Our 7-hour car and walking tour will take you through the main villages of the Etruscan civilization. You will admire their mastery of funerary architecture. You will marvel at the traces of wall paintings left behind by these Roman ancestors three thousands years ago.

The car will pick you up at your hotel for our first destination, Cerveteri. The local guide will escort you to the area considered one of the focal points where the Etruscan civilization flourished. It is a supremely beautiful region of Italy, bounded by the Arno and Tiber Rivers, and the azure The Mediterranean Sea to the west. The Etruscan civilization was profoundly affected by Greek culture.

The Etruscans in turn then influenced the neighboring early Republic of Rome. Many of Latin authors mentioned this fact in their writings. But the sole knowledge we have today is contained within the tombs of Tarquinia and Cerveteri. On the way to Cerveteri, you will notice that there are small mounds covered with tombs along the access road.

The extent and splendor of this necropolis’s remains testify to the city’s importance and the Etruscan mastery of funerary architecture. Within a pleasant background of cypress, brooms, and pines, the necropolis is presented as a city, with a street
of tombs indicated. Among these, some consist of underground funerary chambers accessible by a door that is decorated. You will see that they have moldings with a simple and sober layout. Other tombs are known as tumuli. They date from the 7th century BC and follow the form of a conical mound resting on a circular base.

We’ll then continue to drive towards Tarquinia, a necropolis that extends 5 km in length and 1 km in width. It contains thousands of tombs dating from the 6th century BC through the 1st century BC.

Although there aren’t any architectural features here, an extraordinary assemblage of paintings decorates the walls in the underground funerary rooms. You will see scenes of everyday life such as dining, dancing, hunting, and fishing.

There are pictures of horse races, games, and spectacles. Additionally, you will see images of the afterlife, including divinities, funerary rites, and religious symbols. The main attraction of the town is one of the most interesting museums of central Italy, the Museo Nazionale Tarquinese.

There, you will see mainly Etruscan exhibits and sarcophagi that have been excavated from the necropolis a few miles away.

Lunch will be available upon request at a typical local restaurant.

Sightseeing will continue on the way back to your hotel.

The tour is for a group of up to 15 people.

It includes private car/minibus and a fluent, English speaking tour manager.

A local official guide in the Cerveteri and Tarquinia Necropolises are recommendable and available upon request.

PLEASE NOTE:

Meals and site tickets are not included in the price.

Please contact us for more information and price estimates.