Country House Nazzano scenic apartments are just 30 km from Volterra
Volterra is a beautiful city in the province of Pisa, not far from Florence, Siena and the coastal coast, particularly known for its Etruscan origins and for the numerous archaeological finds belonging to this era.
Velathri, Etruscan name of Volterra, was one of the 12 most important cities of the Etruscan confederation. After a period spent under the dominion of the Franks and, later, the Lombards, Volterra passed under Roman hegemony by changing its name to Volaterrae (from which the current one derives). Finally, it was subdued by the Florentine supremacy first, then followed the events of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and voted - almost unanimously - for the annexation to the Kingdom of Italy in 1860.
Today, Volterra is a well-known destination in Tuscany, both for its typical products, both for its urban layout that recalls its Etruscan origins.
There are also many traces of Roman domination that can still be visited, such as the fascinating Roman theater, built on a hill slope that naturally recalls the shape of an amphitheater; brought to light only recently, around the 50s, it is supposed to have been built around the first century BC.
Stroll through the streets of the historic center and let yourself be carried away by the timeless magic that surrounds the city; Taste the typical and curious products inside the characteristic artisan shops, where you will find many souvenir ideas of your trip to Tuscany, especially among the wonderful objects in alabaster, so we can say that Volterra is famous all over the world.
Palazzo dei Priori is the oldest town in all of Tuscany, although the tower was destroyed during an earthquake and rebuilt in the 19th century. On the other hand, the tower of Palazzo Pretorio is known as Torre del Porcellino due to the characteristic shape of the stone on the top
The baptistery, from the 13th century, is located on the opposite side of the cathedral and has an octagonal base, with a façade decorated in white and dark green marble. Inside there is a beautiful marble baptismal font with an octagonal plan, sculpted in 1502 by Andrea Sansovino.
The Guarnacci Etruscan Museum houses hundreds of funeral urns from the Hellenistic and Archaic period found in the area, many of which have been made from alabaster and tuff.
It is one of the oldest public museums in Europe, inaugurated in 1761 by the noble Mario
The Roman amphitheater and the archaeological area is located just outside the medieval walls near the Porta Fiorentina, there is the Roman theater, the first stop in which to stop if you park nearby.
Built in the 1st century AD, the amphitheater stands on an older Etruscan site and is one of the best preserved and most beautiful examples in all of Italy. It is open every day from March to November, while the rest of the year only the weekend.
Behind the theater, there are the remains of the Roman baths of the 4th century and the Roman forum; during the Middle Ages, the site was used as a landfill, so it was completely covered to be discovered only in 1951 following archaeological excavations.
