Vulci is an ancient Etruscan city located near the modern town Canino, which is in the northern part of Tuscia known as Viterbo.

Sure it’s not technically in the Maremma or even Tuscany, but it’s a very short drive from Manciano and I really couldn’t justify leaving it out. Most of the locals can’t really agree on where Tuscany ends and Lazio begins anyway!

Amazingly, Vulci has been abandoned since the Etruscans and Romans left it in around the 8th century BC. Now a very protected piece of Italian history, the land is a open-air museum that stretches across acres and acres of lush green fields.

When you visit Vulci you are visiting an Etruscan city, complete with houses, monuments, statues, meeting halls, public bathes and necropolises. There are few places in the world where you can visit an almost entirely intact ancient city like Vulci. Think of it as the Machu Picchu of Italy.

And it isn’t just a bunch of rubble either. Italian archeologists have spent the last decades restoring this breathtakingly ancient city and many of its buildings are beautifully conserved right down to their still visible and vibrantly coloured terracotta tiles.

During the age of the Etruscans and Romans, Vulci was essentially a city for the rich and famous. It was a cultural hub  and a place for commerce and trade, thanks to its vicinity to the sea and easily defensible position in the hills.

This means that the houses were bigger and better built. They were covered in stunning frescoes and some even had their own inner courtyards. The burial tombs are also bigger and more elaborate, divided into a series of rooms.

Just so you know, Vulci isn’t your typical museum. You need an entire day to explore every nook and crany of this gorgeous and ancient city and you really don’t want to miss a thing.

Luckily you don’t have to be a history buff to known what each building or ruin is as kind local historians have provided maps and informational panels that not only explain what you’re looking at, but also the history and importance of the city as a whole.

If you do visit Vulci, and you really should, make sure you wear comfortable shoes, bring a bottle of water and pray for good weather. You really can’t appreciate an open-air museum in the rain, and Vulci is too important and beautiful to miss.

Address: Via Volta Buia, 2, Montalto di Castro

Opening hours:

From 1 January to 31 March: 9am-5pm From 01 April to 30 June: 9am-6pm

From 01 July to 31 August: 9am-7pm

From 01 September to 30 September: 9am-6pm

From 1 October to 31 December: 9am-7pm

April, May, June, July, August, September: every day: 10am-6pm

Entry Price: €8 for adults, €5 for children aged 6-13 and adults older than 65, and free for children younger than 6

For more info: Visit the official Vulci website.