On Tuesday September 28 (our thoughts drift home from time to time, as we remember this day is Peter's birthday!) Tricia, our guide, chooses to take us to her favorite hilltown.
That is Volterra, the setting of the popular "Twilight" book series. Volterra is less touristy than most of the other hilltowns. More than 2000 years ago, it was an important Etruscan city. The Etruscan culture was eventually absorbed into the Roman Empire.
As we enter the city, we notice that many of the buildings are made of tufi, soft light-colored rocks that are formed from volcanic ash.
A church built with tufi.
We watch an artisan creating a vase from alabaster in his chalk dust-covered workshop.
The ruins of this Roman theater, built in 10 B.C. is on the outskirts of town. It was discovered in the 1950's and its excavation continues today.
Harry and tour guide Tricia gaze up at Porto all'Arco, more commonly known as the Etruscan Arch. It is Volterra's most famous sight. During WWII the Nazis planned to blow up the arch to slow down the advance of the Allies, but the people of Volterra painstakingly filled in the arch, completely plugging the city gate, and thereby eliminating the Nazi's need to blow up the gate. Their efforts saved their town's historic landmark.
Leaving Volterra in the bus, we proceed toward Lucca and stop at Villa Oliva.
The bus is not able to enter the walled city of Lucca, so we walk like a thundering herd, with our wheeled suitcases on the stone streets, through this arch to enter the place where we will be staying for the next two nights. Our hotel, La Luna, is nothing fancy, but it is conveniently located near the center of town.
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