Volterra - Is it worth a stop?
 

Leaving for Tuscany next weeek, seems our schedule has a free afternoon after lunch in Monteriggioni, before heading to San G. to spend the night. Is Volterra a worthwhile stop for a few hours. Is it easy enough to get in and out of to make a few hours stop worth while? I was thinking that it may give the busloads of tourists more time to exit San G. before we arrive? Any advice is appreciated.
Ward

Oh yes! One of my favorite towns. Check out http://www.volterratur.it/welcome/homengl.htm to get an idea.

Thanks for the tip, What would you recommend we see if we only have 2-3 hours in Volterra, Also, is it easier to park outside city or can you drive in?

You need to park outside but there is a huge lot before entering that works well. Definately check out the Etruscan museum and go to the dig area. Enjoy!

Yes - Volterra is very nice...roman ruins, nice museum, perfect square for people watching, lots of alabaster to shop for...As you enter the town there is a large underground car park on your right and just walk up the (short-1 minute walk) hill to the pedestrian town. Enjoy!

we stopped there on a slight detour from siena to san gimignano. absolutely loved it. the ride there is amazing as well.

volterra was what I always imagined as Tuscany. thought we would spend an hour or two and ended up staying most of the day. much more "real" than san G.

Not only did we love Volterra -- not for specific sights but just for walking around -- but, like Eschule, we also loved the drive there, on a gently-curving ridgetop road with great views. It was my favorite drive in Tuscany.

Parking is very easy. As was mentioned, there is a large underground parking garage (not free, but very convenient) on your right as you arrive at the town.

Thanks for all the help. We will plan on stopping by.

we took 10 pictures from the moving car! many other cars were stopped at various spots along the route taking pictures as well.

and we were there in August when everything is relatively dry. can only imagine what it looks like in the spring.

Eschule, conversely, we were there in mid-April wondering what that countryside looks like in the summer. When we drove that road the countryside all around was gorgeously and richly green.

There's a park with wide-open green spaces in Volterra where we picknicked with our friends and ate fantastic cheese and drank some spectacular Chianti. We then walked the main drag of Volterra until we came to a road with a terrific view down on some 1BC Roman ruins. The drive to Volterra from San Gimignano was spectacular also.
((H))

I agree with all of the above. We missed the alabaster museum but heard it was a worthwile stop. If you shop for alabaster items, they are much cheaper here than in other towns. We particularly liked a store named Scali. The roman ruins were interesting and so were the cathedral and baptistry (free and open after 6:00 pm when other sites close).