Towns and cities in Tuscany
Volterra Travel Guide
Some of Tuscany’s most alluring cities and towns can get busy in the summer, but there are plenty of other less-visited wonders to explore, including the gorgeous mediaeval hill-top town of Volterra, located some 40km northwest of of Siena.
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About the town
Dating back to the 8th century BCE, Volterra surmounts a hill at some 500m above sea level and offers breathtaking, 360-degree panoramas over the surrounding landscape. Its magnificent, walled mediaeval centre is overflowing with architectural gems, which range from mediaeval masterpieces to Renaissance beauties. There's even an amazing 1st-century BCE Roman theatre that was only unearthed in the 1950s.
Things to do in Volterra
- Visit Palazzo dei Priori: located in its eponymous piazza, Palazzo dei Priori is reputed to be the oldest civic building in Tuscany. It's usually possible to climb the impressive bell tower, from where the views are sensational.
- Head back into antiquity: originally an Etruscan town, Volterra boasts one of Tuscany's oldest museums dedicated to the Etruscan civilisation. There are also the remains of an Etruscan acropolis and a Roman theatre, right in the centre of town.
- A castle and a cathedral: presiding over the town is the mighty 15th-century Fortezza Medicea. It's not open to the public, but you can admire its architectural magnificence from various points. The cathedral, meanwhile, is a venerable Romanesque beauty filled with art.
- Go truffle hunting: the wooded hills around Volterra come alive in the autumn when the truffle season is in full swing. You can join a guided truffle expedition or simply enjoy the fruits of others' labours at one of the town's many excellent trattorie.
- Eat cheese: Pecorino delle Balze Volterrane is a sheep's cheese that's unique to the terroir surrounding Volterra. It's produced in several levels of maturity and we recommend you try them all.
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