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Camping Village Tuscia Tirrenica - ITINERARIES
Face to face with Etruscans
Etruscan painting and ceramics workshop
The itinerary, ideal for small groups interested in ancient civilizations, allows in a few days to get to know some of the most important places where the Etruscan one developed and to discover the production techniques of the Villanovan era ceramics, whose etymology has its origins in the discovery that Prof. Gozzadini made in Villanova, in the province of Bologna. One of the main characteristics of this civilization (IX – VIII century BC) is the almost exclusive use of the incineration ritual, where the biconical vase used to contain the ashes of the deceased finds its use. During the workshop techniques for the decoration of a ceramic object will be put into practice.
RECOMMENDED DURATION
5 days – 4 nights
PROGRAMS
Tarquinia
Let’s start exploring together this small village of the Tuscia Viterbese, belonging to the UNESCO Heritage and known in the World for the its incredible Etruscan proofs. In the heart of the historical center you will find Vitelleschi Palace, ancient building of the Renaissance where the National Archeological Museum is located. Through a real trip back into the past, we will discover the Etruscans, starting from the first proofs of the Villanoviana era, arriving to its melting with the Roman Empire. Don’t miss the chance to visit the Monterozzi Necropolis, where you can admire beautiful frescos representing moments of daily life and religious celebrations in the underground tombs. You can also take a walk through the alleys of its suggestive historical centre, surrounded by the ancient wall that enclose high towers and beautiful palaces.
Cerveteri
Another UNESCO site is Cerveteri. You can start from the small archeological museum, located inside the suggestive Ruspoli Castle, where is housed one of the most precious piece coming from the area,the Eufronio Vase. You can continue with a visit to the “Banditaccia” Necropolis, typical for its mound tombs, like the Reliefs tomb, called like that because of the reliefs of tools and objects on the walls, that give us an idea of the etruscan houses, how they looked like. The big Necropolis area offers a really suggestive scenery, thanks to this overall view of all the mound tombs covered by vegetation.
Norchia - Blera
We suggest you to visit one of the most suggestive rocky Necropolis: the ancient Orclae (Norchia). This architectural complex features a single tuff block (like a dice), at the entrance you will find some stairs located on the side and a lower arcade sustained by columns. You continue towards Blera, a small village where the time seems to have stopped. Walking along a system of alleys surrounded by buildings made of local stones, in a grey-reddish color, you will lead to an ancient hollow etruscan street, an holy path, hidden into the forest, digged between high rocky walls. Along the way you will discover an ancient columbarium, funeral construction with a front opening, where the urns were located. The name comes from the similarity with the constructions for the doves stations.
Roma
We suggest you to dedicate a dayily trip to Rome, where you can complete your knowledge about the Etruscans, we recommend a visit to the Villa Giulia National Museum, where is located one of the most famous finds in the World. icon of the etruscan civilization, the sarcophagus of the bride and the groom from Cerveteri, (VI century b.C.), and also an Apollo statue from Veio, made of polichromatic terracotta. Worthy it is also the high-relief with the representation of the “Seven against Tebe” from Pyrgi, with golden layers written in etruscan and Phoenician languages. After the museum you can explore the Baroque Rome, you can take a walk starting Piazza di Spagna, famous for the stairs that lead you to the Trinità dei Monti Church and for the Barcaccia Fountain, realized by Bernini. From here you can continue to Trevi’s Fountain, famous for the legend of the three coins and the Pantheon, beautiful architecture example with its open dome, that works like a solar quadrant; inside are located the chapels of Vittorio Emanuele II and the painter Raffaello Sanzio from Urbino. You can now reach Piazza Navona that, with the Fountain of the four rivers by Bernini, closes the circle of the most representative Baroque Rome. Treat yourself with some shopping, in the central roman streets.
Viterbo
We suggest you to visit Viterbo, with a lovely historical centre that is a beautiful example of medieval architecture. You can walk through its alleys, between well refined palaces, beautiful piperino fountains, churches and cloisters, until you reach the medieval district of San Pellegrino. You can take a look from the outside to the Town Hall, Podestà Palace, Farnese Palace, the San Lorenzo Duomo and the namesake square, to the Popes Loggia and Palace. If you are interested in archeology, you can also visit the Albornoz Museum, that put on display a lot of etruscan finds, like acroterions, architectural details used to decor the pediment of the houses of Acquarossa. On the way back you can stop by Tuscania, city with etruscan origins, that together with the close Tarquinia, had a dominant role in the southern Etrurian area. The territory is developed on seven hills, like Rome, until the most extreme point where the Saint Peter Church is located, beautiful example of Lombard-Romanesque and the Santa Maria Maggiore Church. This one is supposed to be realized by the Comacini Masters in VIII century, defining the passage between the Paleochristian and the Romanesque style. The historical centre, rebuilt after a strong earthquake, has been partly changed comparing to its original aspect, but anyway it conserves several proofs like the ancient perimetral wall. Really suggestive is the Lavello Tower area, where the time seems to have stopped.
Vulci
You can spend a day in the ancient etruscan city of Vulci, between culture and relax. The Castle, current location of the archeological museum, belonging to the medieval age, is located next to the Abbey Bridge or Devil’s Bridge, that offers a stunning view on the Fiora river and the surrounding landscape. You can book ahead of time a tour to the archeological museum and the Tomb of François, typical for its articulate planimetry and for the richness of the mythological details represented on the panels, reproduction of the original frescos, properties of the Torlonia Princes. Your tour guide will suggest you to take a walk in etruscan-Roman ruins area, where you will discover the Criptoportico Villa and the Mitreo. Not far from this archeological site, you will find the namesake hot springs, with important healing properties, where you can relax and chill.