Tarquinia, Italy -- anyone visited there?
Jan 22nd, 2004, 06:46 AM
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Tarquinia, Italy -- anyone visited there?
Someone has suggested Tarquinia as an interesting day trip from Rome.
If you've been there, please share whether you found it interesting and if it's difficult/time-consuming to get there.
I understand it has lots of Etruscan ruins and an old castle, and is very near a dramatic piece of coastline; if you can correct or amplify this little bit I know, I'd be grateful.
If you've been there, please share whether you found it interesting and if it's difficult/time-consuming to get there.
I understand it has lots of Etruscan ruins and an old castle, and is very near a dramatic piece of coastline; if you can correct or amplify this little bit I know, I'd be grateful.
Jan 22nd, 2004, 07:44 AM
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If you're interested in Etruscan archeology, by all means, go (I did and enjoyed the trip). The tombs are fantastic. More than 20 are open. The "old castle" is the famous Archeological Museum. It's a very easy overnight or day trip from Rome.
Take one of the hourly trains: "Regionale" or "Diretto" to the Tarquinia Station. Travel time from Rome Termini Station is 1 hour 24 minutes. Fare is Euro 5.60 one way. Schedules at www.trenitalia.com
From the Tarquinia Station, hasten to take the local bus up the hill into Medieval Tarquinia. It's too far to walk. The bus leaves promptly from outside the train station. (Don't dilly dally). You pay the driver (80 cents, I believe). The bus terminus is 200 yards from the Archeological Museum, right outside the old city gate facing the sea.
To reach the tombs, you must walk about 1 kilometer (15 mins.) AVOID THE WALK DURING THE SUMMER between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Instead, take a taxi, if you can find one.
Behind the Archeological Museum is a fascinating maze of Medieval alleyways which are very picturesque.
Tarquinia is most certainly worth a short visit.
Take one of the hourly trains: "Regionale" or "Diretto" to the Tarquinia Station. Travel time from Rome Termini Station is 1 hour 24 minutes. Fare is Euro 5.60 one way. Schedules at www.trenitalia.com
From the Tarquinia Station, hasten to take the local bus up the hill into Medieval Tarquinia. It's too far to walk. The bus leaves promptly from outside the train station. (Don't dilly dally). You pay the driver (80 cents, I believe). The bus terminus is 200 yards from the Archeological Museum, right outside the old city gate facing the sea.
To reach the tombs, you must walk about 1 kilometer (15 mins.) AVOID THE WALK DURING THE SUMMER between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Instead, take a taxi, if you can find one.
Behind the Archeological Museum is a fascinating maze of Medieval alleyways which are very picturesque.
Tarquinia is most certainly worth a short visit.
Jan 22nd, 2004, 07:55 AM
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Since I didn't drive, I won't comment on how easy it is to get there...but you will need to get there by car.
We visited the ruins back in September, and I found it to be quite fascinating. It's a big piece of land with numerous hut-looking things all over the place. These "huts" lead to narrow stairs going down to the ruins below. The place is cool and dark, but at the 'viewing area' at the bottom of the stairs, you'll find a little light switch with a timer.
I thought I'd be all 'ruined' out after Rome, where we visited the catacombs, among other things. But, we had a guide so I found it more interesting than I would have if we went on our own since none of us were familiar with these particular ruins.
We only stopped for a couple of hours at this ancient site but didn't get a chance to visit a castle or the coastline. But, they did have a wonderful panoramic view of Italian landscape.
We visited the ruins back in September, and I found it to be quite fascinating. It's a big piece of land with numerous hut-looking things all over the place. These "huts" lead to narrow stairs going down to the ruins below. The place is cool and dark, but at the 'viewing area' at the bottom of the stairs, you'll find a little light switch with a timer.
I thought I'd be all 'ruined' out after Rome, where we visited the catacombs, among other things. But, we had a guide so I found it more interesting than I would have if we went on our own since none of us were familiar with these particular ruins.
We only stopped for a couple of hours at this ancient site but didn't get a chance to visit a castle or the coastline. But, they did have a wonderful panoramic view of Italian landscape.
Jan 22nd, 2004, 08:42 AM
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If you want to do an overnight in Tarquinia, I suggest the Hotel San Marco, opposite the Archeological Museum and 200 yards from the bus terminus which goes to the rail station and beyond to the seashore. Very clean, modernized rooms, but no air conditioning (request a floor fan). Very reasonable prices. Can be noisy on Friday and Saturday nights. The hotel restaurant is also good.
From the Archeological Museum to the necropolis where the underground tombs are located is an easy 15 minute walk in an north-easternly direction (but very unpleasant when it's hot) . You must go beyond the northeastern gate of the old town into a suburban area (but always following the main road going out of town) until you reach the necropolis gated area, directly on the road itself.
Allow at least 90 minutes to see the tombs. Allow another 90 minutes for the Archeological Musuem, and another 60 minutes to stroll around the lovely Medieval alleys behind the Museum.
I don't recommend walking to the tombs under the hot sun. Try to find a taxi from the Museum (not easy).
When flying into the Rome Fiumicino Airport from the northwest, sometimes you can see Tarquinia from the air. (I did last year in May).
From the Archeological Museum to the necropolis where the underground tombs are located is an easy 15 minute walk in an north-easternly direction (but very unpleasant when it's hot) . You must go beyond the northeastern gate of the old town into a suburban area (but always following the main road going out of town) until you reach the necropolis gated area, directly on the road itself.
Allow at least 90 minutes to see the tombs. Allow another 90 minutes for the Archeological Musuem, and another 60 minutes to stroll around the lovely Medieval alleys behind the Museum.
I don't recommend walking to the tombs under the hot sun. Try to find a taxi from the Museum (not easy).
When flying into the Rome Fiumicino Airport from the northwest, sometimes you can see Tarquinia from the air. (I did last year in May).
Jan 22nd, 2004, 11:31 AM
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My thanks to each of you for all the details...sounds worthwhile. Now if we can only figure out what to drop from the schedule so we can see it!
Which do you rate more interesting, Tarquinia or Ostia Antica?
Which do you rate more interesting, Tarquinia or Ostia Antica?
Jan 22nd, 2004, 01:51 PM
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Last year we stayed in Tarquinia for the week and made our day trips to Rome! Perhaps a little unusual but if I were to do it again (and I will) I would do the same. Accomodation and meals so much cheaper. Safe to walk around in the evening Museum and tombs, shopping in small shops in the evening. Hotel San Marcos is nice but noisy on weekends. They have the best ice cream anywhere and are very nice and helpful people. If the weather is really hot you can go to the beach. Trains run regularly from morning till night - we got to talk to lots of italians it takes just under an hour for the trip to termini. We enjoyed it. As a day trip the museum and tombs are great - but walking the town can't be beat take your time maybe an overnight at least if possible.
. Regards, Walter
Apr 28th, 2004, 05:37 PM
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I am a really rather poor single mother and will be saving for the next year+ to take my son to Italy for his tenth birthday. During my research I have become extremely interested in Tarquinia (we are both most interested in ancient history). The idea of staying in Tarquinia and taking day trips to Rome (as someone here suggested) is appealing, as I am sure Rome is very expensive. My question is, what would be the very cheapest and most sensible way to go about this? I am looking into staying at the monestary di Santa Lucia, but perhaps it would be even cheaper for us to simply go there and find a very cheap hotel or B&B? I traveled in Ireland that way once, and it was great, but now I have a little boy who might resent spending a night wandering the streets (or sleeping on our bags in a doorway) if we COULDN'T find a place we could afford. Any and all suggestions for doing Italy in general and Tarquinia and Rome in particular on a very very short shoe string would be most deeply appreciated!
Apr 29th, 2004, 03:14 AM
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Thanks all. I had Tarquinia on my must-see list, and reading all your postings has confirmed it for me. I'm interested in the Tarquinia/Ostia comparison that Robdaddy has raised. Any thought? Both? (Are they different?) Or just one? If so, which one?
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