Rome Etruria

The rolling hills north of Rome were once home to the Etruscans, who ruled much of the Mediterranean prior to the rise of the Roman Empire. Though little is known about life under their rule, the Etruscans had a strong influence on early Roman art and culture. A necropolis with well-preserved wall paintings lies outside the medieval walls of Tarquinia. Many of the objects and statues originally found in the tombs are now in the Villa Giulia and the Vatican Museums. Bracciano, near Cerveteri, has no Etruscan sites but does boast a medieval castle and a large lake for swimming and boating.

Tarquinia

When Rome was little more than a mud hut shanty town clinging to the Palatine Hill, Tarquin kings held the fledgling metropolis under their sway. Their vibrantly decorated tombs make their hedonistic ...more

Bracciano

Lake Bracciano lies in the hills an hour north of Rome, surrounded by small beaches and wooded farms on the nearby slopes. Bracciano’s large and imposing medieval castle towers over the quiet town ...more