About the tour
Volterra is one of the oldest town in Tuscany and it has a glorious past dating back to Etruscan and Roman age. The guided tour of the city starts from the spectacular Piazza dei Priori, overlooked by the austere Palazzo dei Priori and many other buildings that made up the political heart of the city in the Middle Ages. Behind the square is the Romanesque Cathedral, with its elegant and recently restored bell tower, and the Baptistery of San Giovanni, an octagonal structure dating back to the thirteenth century, whose walls are decorated in the classic white and green two-tone marble. After that, the visit continues in the maze of medieval streets and alleys where you can admire the Palazzo Viti, the church of San Michele, the Etruscan urns embedded in the walls near Porta Fiorentina and the beautiful archaeological site of the Roman Theatre. Volterra is still surrounded by the medieval city walls and in some places you can also see the massive Cyclopean walls of Etruscan age. Moreover, it is also worth a mention the Etruscan gate called Porta all’Arco, which was part of the walls of the fourth century b.C. On the top of the hill, the city is dominated by the Medici Fortress and offers some awesome panoramic terraces where the view sweeps over the typical landscape of the “Balze” (cliffs) of the surrounding valley. We recommend a visit to a laboratory of alabaster, traditionally mined and crafted in Volterra since ancient times. My Tour in Tuscany can also arrange an urban trekking route including a close-up view of the “Balze” and Etruscan necropolis to be agreed with our tourist guides.
Lenght: 3 hrs
Groups of 15 or more people are strongly recommended to rent headphones.
Volterra “city” and Volterra “museums”, 6 hrs; Volterra “city”and San Gimignano, 6 hrs; Volterra “city” and Colle Valdelsa, 6 hrs; Volterra “city” and Certaldo, 6 hrs, Siena “city” and Volterra”city”, 6 hrs.
