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Exploring around Civitavecchia
For cruisers arriving in the port of Rome,
there are several inexpensive ways to spend a day ashore close
to where your ship is docked at Civitavecchia.
It has been estimated that 25% of the cruisers arriving in
Civitavecchia do not go into Rome, an hour away, since
they have already been to the Eternal City and prefer to explore
the area around the port of Civitavecchia.
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As a local resident who has lived in this magical corner of
Italy for almost half a century, I would recommend this
Etruscan Triangle itinerary as an ideal introduction to the
area. The itinerary includes the nearby towns of Tarquinia,
Tuscania, Viterbo, Vetralla and, if time permits, a visit to
Vulci.
Maximize your day in Civitavecchia by leaving the port area with
the free shuttle bus from your ship to the port entrance next to
the castle-fortress designed by Michelangelo in 1508. From here
you can either pick up your rental car, a taxi or one of the many
local drivers booked ahead of time by email. We can recommend
several trustworthy English speaking drivers who live in the area,
are licensed to do day trips. There are a limited number of taxis
available since the city of Civitavecchia only allows 20
licensed taxi drivers.
Rental cars can be booked through the Autoeurope link on this
site. Their pick-up spot is hidden close to the port entrance, so
be sure to ask for directions. This perhaps the most convenient
and inexpensive way to visit the area for four people sharing a
car. There are also several multilingual official guides who live
in the area and can be hired for the day. Email
macryan@alice.it for info.
For an unforgettable day try the
Cooking Class and trekking
offered at
Fontana del Papa in Tolfa which includes
transport to and from your docking.
Perfect for a
Pre
or Post cruise stay!
For those who prefer to use public transport a bit of planning
ahead is a must. Find the main square and catch a bus of the
local transport system that will bring you to nearby towns. Check
the timetables carefully on
www.cotralspa.it
and you can see many of the nearby towns for
just a few euro. Always remember to ask exactly where, when the
bus will return to the same spot and leave time (always double the
time it takes to go out, to arrive back to the dock).
Learn how to say the name – Civita- vecchia (means old
city)- not just “port”. Even better, have a post card of
your ship with you, and always carry along the information and
phone number of your ship’s port liaison. Some Rome taxi drivers
have taken cruise passengers to the air-port causing them
to miss the ship’s departure.
Tarquinia
–World Heritage Site
The first stop on the Etruscan Triangle Itinerary is Tarquinia,
20 minutes from Civitavecchia port, which was recently
added to the list of World Heritage sites .
Tarquinia is a stunning walled medieval hill town full of towers
not unlike the famous “Manhattan of the Middle Ages” , San
Gimignano in Tuscany . It is also unique for it was an important
Etruscan site as the many 6-8th centuries B.C. painted tombs in
its necropolis testify.
In the center of town, near the Barriera San Giusto bus depot and
parking lot the magnificent 16th century Palazzo
Vitelleschi houses the National Etruscan Museum. Its
three floors of vases, sarcophagi, and gold jewellery will
captivate but do keep some time to walk through the town and
explore Tarquinia’s narrow streets, lovely piazzas full of shops
and medieval buildings. Walk to the top of the town and along
the walls to S. Maria in Castello for magnificent views
over the surrounding countryside.
Take a quick break for a slice of pizza in the main piazza or a
snack at the necropolis site. A bit out of town is the Necropolis
with painted tombs dating from the 8-6th centuries B.C.
Bookshops are located at both the Museum and Necropolis where it
is likely that the only book in English will be “Travels
to Tuscany and Northern Lazio”, an historical “on the
road” with descriptions of what this area, Florence, Orvieto and
Viterbo were like in the 18th century .
Pre-publication orders are now being taken for “Etruria Past
and Present” travel, historical essays and itineraries. In
order to keep the price down to a reasonable 12 euro we need
to have an idea of the print run .
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Tuscania
is famous for its lovely historic center which has been
perfectly restored after the destruction by an earthquake in
1971. D.H. Lawrence claimed that the views from the hillside
of Tuscania over the Marta Valley were the most beautiful in
all of Italy.
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Vetralla
with its amazing English connections is the third side of the
triangle in this itinerary.
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Viterbo
is only 14 kms away and boasts Europe’s most perfectly
preserved medieval quarter, San Pellegrino and the Papal Palace
where the original Conclave was held in the 13th century.
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Vulci
is a Roman site with remains of roads, baths, nature reserve,
arched bridge and picturesque surroundings.
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