The walls
On the summit.
Chensiyuan — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Maarten Heerlien from Voorschoten, The Netherlands — CC BY 2.0 · Maarten Heerlien from Voorschoten, The Netherlands — CC BY 2.0 · Giorgio Galeotti — CC BY 4.0 · Mongolo1984 — CC BY-SA 4.0
Volterra is a walled mountaintop town in Tuscany, Italy, about 51 km southeast of Pisa and 52 km southwest of Florence in a straight line. Its history goes back before the 8th century BC, with major structures from the Etruscan, Roman and medieval periods. The Etruscans called it Velathri and the Romans Volaterrae, and it is thought to have been continuously inhabited since at least the end of the 8th century BC. It was a Bronze Age settlement, then one of the «twelve cities» of the Etruscan League, and allied with Rome at the end of the 3rd century BC. It is called «the alabaster city» for the alabaster craft practised here for about 2,500 years. The town's grey stone walls and towers crown a high hill, with old houses lining the edge of the ramparts. Inside are the medieval square of the Palazzo dei Priori and quiet stone lanes, with wide views over the rolling green and gold hills of Tuscany. Visitors wander the lanes, visit traditional alabaster workshops and see the remains of the Roman theatre and the old Etruscan gate. The town makes a day trip from Pisa or Florence, and the sunset view is lovely.
On the summit.
Medieval.
Ancient remains.
Volterra, Pisa, Tuscany, Italy
Yes, from Pisa or Florence.
Alabaster crafts.