VOLTERRA

Volterra is a walled mountaintop  town in Tuscany, about a 40 minute drive from San Gimignano. It has been continuously inhabited from the 8th century BCE, and its architecture has a combination of Etruscan, Roman and medieval influences.

 

It is a wonderful town to wander around, taking in its beauty and majestic views across the Tuscan hills. Parts of the town walls were built by the Etruscans in the 4th century BCE, while the Roman amphitheatre was built  in the 1st century CE. 

Throughout its long history, Volterra was an exporter of minerals, alabaster and iron across the Mediterranean.  Today it is one of the best places in Italy to purchase alabaster , with showrooms and shops offering a variety of beautiful objects.

 

It is a unique town not to be missed on a trip through this region of Tuscany.