Day in Tarquinia

[LoveItaly]

We'll be embarking at Civitavecchia for our Med cruise with an overnight at the port before we depart in the evening. We decided not to go into Rome for the day and instead will visit Tarqunia. I was able to book a driver to take us there in the morning but would rather not commit to a return pick-up time so planning on taking the bus back which seems pretty straightforward. It looks like there's some interesting sites to visit and was wondering how much time we should allow to visit them and also have lunch?

 

[Pauline]

We had a day in Tarquinia years ago. The museum is very good. Outside the town are the Etruscan tombs - fabulous. Check how far out of town they are. A field full of them. You can’t go in them but you walk down steps and look in. I would say an hour for the museum, an hour for the tombs, two hours for lunch!

 

[Galgano]

https://civitavecchia.portmobility.it/en/10-things-see-tarquinia

We also spent part of a day there, many years ago. I have only just organised for my cousin to visit when they are there in July. It is around .6 of a mile (800 meters) from the museum in town to the Necropolis.

It looks as though there is a new museum near the necropolis as well:
https://civitavecchia.portmobility.it/en/10-things-see-tarquinia

I remember a national geographic article in the mid 1960's when they first bored holes into the tombs and inserted cameras to photograph the interiors. I kept that article for 30 years and it fired my youthful passion for history.

 

[LoveItaly]

Pauline and Galgano, thanks for the info. I read there's a free town bus that shuttles between the Necropolis and the town.

Carole

 

[SuzanneT]

Thank you for this thread! like Giagano, I heard about the revolutionary discovery of the Etruscans in the 1960's. My then husband and I were both teaching Western Civ and the Etruscan orange and black pots blew the lid off our history that says everything starts with the Greeks!

So we got a map and details booklet from the gov't of Italy, rented a car and visited every Etruscan tomb in Italy! we camped in those days so we slept in farm yards etc. in little towns with no hotels or hostals.

What continues to amaze me is the almost complete lack of rewriting our Western Civ to start with the Etruscans. Same when we study the Italian Renaissance... it's common to say they were taking inspiration from the Greeks but what about inspiration from the Etruscans?

Anyway, I'm now 72 and returning to Italy for 3 months starting about 10 March 2018 in Florence. I'm going to revisit Tarquinia. And am rereading D. H. Lawrence's Etruscan Places.
I travel solo and would love to meet up with anyone for lunch or coffee or a day trip.
Grazie mille
Suzanne

 

[SuzanneT]

PS: my personal favorite Etruscan museum is Villa Guila in Rome
villagiulia.beniculturali.it
Do any of you have a favorite place?

 

[Wendy&Rob]

If you are going to Tarquinia to see all things Eutruscan please don’t forget about Mary Jane Crayan, whose specialty is and she has written books on the subject, and lives in Vetralla. And Assuntina Antonacci who also has written books on the area and owns Fontana del Papa in Tolfa, close to Civitivecchia.
BTW, both Mary Jane and Assuntina are professors

 

[LoveItaly]

W&R, have you been to Tarquinia?

Carole

 

[Wendy&Rob]

Hi Carole, yes, years ago Rob and I had a day in port and decided to rent a car and drive up to Tarquinia. Definitely a well worth choice out of Civitivecchia, but you might want to connect with Assuntina or Mary Jane to see if they could be hired for the day to take you around the site.
Also, Mary Jane has a new audio guide of Viterbo, here is the link (costs $4.99) -
https://voicemap.me/tour/viterbo/stories-and-secrets-of-viterbo
And she (Mary Jane) has a book called “Affreschi, Exploring Etruria”
Also, if you do rent a car for the day don’t forget about the porchetta truck!!!
I can have Rob fill in more information if you need.
Also, let’s gtg for a drink, or something, in those 4 days you have in Rome. We are in our regular apartment on the other side of the Pantheon from Alberto Del Sonata

 

[LoveItaly]

W&R, thanks for the info. We would rather not commit to a guide in Tarquinia and will just do it leisurely on our own. We'll be traveling with two other couples who are my cousins so need to consider what they prefer.

We'll be in Rome three nights and I'll e-mail you so we can workout a GTG. I was in contact with Tony and he won't be in Rome on our days - May 8, 9 and 10. Will Heidi be in Rome at that time?

Carole

 

[italian excursion]

Thank you for this thread! like Giagano, I heard about the revolutionary discovery of the Etruscans in the 1960's. My then husband and I were both teaching Western Civ and the Etruscan orange and black pots blew the lid off our history that says everything starts with the Greeks!

So we got a map and details booklet from the gov't of Italy, rented a car and visited every Etruscan tomb in Italy! we camped in those days so we slept in farm yards etc. in little towns with no hotels or hostals.

What continues to amaze me is the almost complete lack of rewriting our Western Civ to start with the Etruscans. Same when we study the Italian Renaissance... it's common to say they were taking inspiration from the Greeks but what about inspiration from the Etruscans?

Anyway, I'm now 72 and returning to Italy for 3 months starting about 10 March 2018 in Florence. I'm going to revisit Tarquinia. And am rereading D. H. Lawrence's Etruscan Places.
I travel solo and would love to meet up with anyone for lunch or coffee or a day trip.
Grazie mille
Suzanne

 

[italian excursion]

Hello Suzanne,

By now you are in Italy for your three month adventure. I'll be taking my annual May trip in May, staying near Orvieto. I love all things Etruscan!!! Let me know if you'd like to meet up one day as I'll be traveling solo as well. Have you visited Orvieto? It's a 2 hour train ride from Florence and quite charming. I'll be in the area May 8-22. Give me a jingle here or at my home email: aparnaca@gmail.com

Ciao,
Cheryl
www.italianexcursion.com