Tarquinia

Tarquinia’s most famous site is, of course, the Etruscan necropolis just outside of town. It’s an easy walk from there and the artwork in the tombs is well worth the visit. The tombs are empty, so what you will be viewing is the frescoes on the walls. Not all of the tombs are open at any given time, however, so count on seeing maybe eight or nine.

More Etruscan art (and much more) can be seen in the fabulous museum in the Palazzo Ducale in town, including many sarcophagi removed from the necropolis.

The town proper is worth a stroll while you’re here. Tarquinia sits close enough to the sea to catch a glimpse here and there. The main square, Piazza Cavour, features a lovely large fountain. There are several small churches worth at glance, at least from the outside (good luck finding them open to see the interiors). The main baroque church, however, is less than spectacular.

1 The Hotel San Marco in the Piazza Cavour is the only one in the old city.

2. The necropolis is only open in the morning during winter months.

3. If you want to go by bus to Cerveteri, it’s easier than the timetables show – and the TIC doesn’t know this’ although they tried very hard for me. You have to change at Civitavecchia anyway but from there any bus to Rome will drop you at a fork, where you can get a local bus into Cerveteri. [There are a very few buses that go right in.]

It’s not far from Rome and you can go down into tombs and see Etruscan tomb-painting. It’s amazing and a little bit off the beaten path. Definitely worth it!