Italy 2006

Volterra, Tuscany: 26-27 June

Between Vezzano Ligure and Volterra, we travelled up into the Alpi Apuane, and then through the Garfagnana area and down the valley of the Serchio River to Lucca.
		The mountains of the Garfagnana.
		Ponte Madellena is an ancient bridge across the Serchio. Not entirely authentic: one arch was rebuilt around 100 years ago when the railway was constructed up the valley.
		Lucca is yet another walled town, but not on a hill top. Unusually, the area around the walls has been kept as open space, even though the town has expanded well beyond the walls.
Volterra was established by the Etruscans more than 2000 years ago and still has some remains of the Etruscan walls. It is another hill-top town, and it was a steep walk from our hotel just outside the walls to the town centre. We found it was better to take the longer, sloped path rather than the more direct steps.
		Porta all'Arco, originally built by the Etruscans, although considerably remodelled.
		We spent our day in Volterra just wandering around the town, enjoying the streetscapes.
		The Duomo.
		The Town Hall.

From Volterra, it was not far to get to Siena.