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Bucket list experience:

Last updated: 08 November, 2022
Expert travel writer: Nicky Swallow

The fortified hilltop town of Volterra boasts an impressive setting atop a 530-metre outcrop, set in an area rich in mineral and alabaster deposits. Steeped in history, it was a very wealthy Etruscan, then Roman settlement, but the town today dates mainly from the 12th and 13th centuries.

It’s ideal to gently explore on foot; combine dipping into the Roman remains and historic churches with a leisurely coffee or lunch on the impressive main square, Piazza Martiri della Liberta.

Close to Palazzo dei Priori (which looks like a miniature version of Florence’s Palazzo Vecchio) is the 13th-century Cathedral and its Baptistery.

While you’re there

Volterra is still known for its production of alabaster. Artisan studios and shops selling alabaster are to be found on every corner of the old town; you can wander into the studios and watch the craftsmen at work (most don’t mind, but it’s polite to ask first). The most skilled makers produce unique creations costing thousands, but there are also lots of shops selling cheap but attractive trinkets.

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Price: Free
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 18+
When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

Volterra lies 80km southwest of Florence, 50km southeast of Pisa and 50km west of Siena. There’s no train service right into the town, but there are buses from Florence, Pisa and Siena. It’s an easy town to visit independently, if you have a hire car. The best way to explore is on foot, and half a day is usually enough.

When to do it

As always, to avoid the crowds and heat, try and avoid mid-July to mid-August. In spring and autumn there are few visitors, and winter is empty.

Etruscan Guarnacci Museum
Experience

Etruscan Guarnacci Museum

Volterra, Tuscany, Italy

This museum houses an important collection of Etruscan and Roman artifacts – look out for the famous ‘evening shadow’ statuette.

Best for ages: 18+ | £7

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Volterra Cathedral
Experience

Volterra Cathedral

Volterra, Tuscany, Italy

Volterra’s Duomo may be rather dull-looking on the outside, but bypass it and you’ll miss Mina da Fiesole’s intricate Renaissance tabernacle over the high altar and some beautiful woodcarving. There’s also a marble pulpit by the Pisano family.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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Volterra Pinacoteca
Experience

Volterra Pinacoteca

Volterra, Tuscany, Italy

The star attraction in Volterra, in the Pinacoteca, is Rosso Fiorentino’s fabulous, seminal altarpiece Deposition, which demonstrates the artists’ astounding use of colour.

Best for ages: 18+ | £5

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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Borgo Pignano

Pignano, Tuscany, Italy[8.6 miles]

A beautifully-renovated 18th-century villa and its surrounding hamlet, set on a 750-acre estate in the middle of rural Tuscany.

Official star rating:

Belmond Castello di Casole

Casole D'Elsa SI, Tuscany, Italy[20 miles]

A luxurious country estate, complete with 10th-century castle, set in 4,200 acres of unspoilt Tuscan countryside and home to a world-class spa and fine dining restaurant.

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Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Tuscany

Tuscany, Italy

The astonishingly beautiful region of Tuscany has it all: art cities and ancient hill towns, high mountains and long sandy beaches, alongside luxurious hotels and some of Italy’s best food and wine.

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A day in San Gimignano

San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy[16.4 miles]

Sometimes dubbed ‘Tuscany’s Manhattan’ for its clutch of slim medieval towers (visible for miles around), iconic San Gimignano is the region’s most famous (and most visited) hill town.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..

Dish of home-made creamy Tuscan chicken
Experience

Cooking classes at Jul’s Kitchen

Colle di Val D'Elsa, Tuscany, Italy[19.3 miles]

Colle Val d’Elsa Food writer/blogger and photographer Giulia Scarpaleggia and her husband run the excellent ‘Jul’s Kitchen’ offering a range of hands-on cooking classes alongside courses in food writing and photography. Classes are held in their house in the countryside between Siena and Florence.

Best for ages: 13+ | £70 | 3 hours

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Cucina Giuseppina Cooking School
Experience

Cucina Giuseppina Cooking School

Certaldo, Tuscany, Italy[22.1 miles]

An excellent cooking school based in Certaldo (southwest of Florence) offering truffle-hunting experiences in the Chianti woods, followed by a truffle-based lunch or cooking lessons with truffles.

Best for ages: 13+ | £120 | 3-4 hours

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