We'll start the day with breakfast in piazza, followed by a visit to what is considered to be the most important of all the Etruscan finds:  The Necropolis of Tarquinia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Tarquinia had been the chief of the Etruscan’s League of Twelve Cities.  Elaborate wall paintings in some of the 6,000+ tombs at Tarquinia are basis for the vast majority of what little information we have about this civilization.

After visiting the tombs at Tarquinia, we will have a quick panini lunch on the way to the ruins of Vulci, another city-state that belonged to the League of Twelve Cities:  Vulci (Known then as Velch) was among the richest of the twelve, and its ruins are still remarkably well-preserved with mosaic floors, tombs, streets, etc.

In the late afternoon we will have a few hours to rest and get cleaned up before having dinner together at the Due Camini trattoria in Soriano.

We'll start the day with breakfast in piazza, followed by a visit to another UNESCO a World Heritage Site: The Necropolis of Cerveteri.  Cerveteri, another of the ‘Etruscan League of 12 Cities’ is home to the largest ancient necropolis in the Mediterranean, and one of the oldest, dating back to the 9th century BC (Villanovan times).  The ‘modern’ tombs here are Etruscan, dating back to the 3rd century BC.  Cerveteri is considered to be one of the most important of the Etruscan cities.

After visiting Cerveteri, we will grab a bite to eat on the way back to Soriano before a few hours of rest in town.

In the late afternoon, we will head out again for a visit to Norchia, alittle-known Etruscan site unlike any other.  Norchia was an Etruscan city that created its necropolis on the side of cliffs in a ravine below the city.  The tombs here date back to pre-Etruscan times, as far back as the 600 BC.  These are possibly the most outwardly beautiful Etruscan tombs to have been discovered so far.  They appear more like Maya tombs than anything else from this area.  As we explore them during this light hike, we’ll also see the remains of the sarcophagi, and the ruins of an ancient church.

Dinner tonight will be back in town.

After our morning breakfast we will head out for a day in beautiful Southern Tuscany, with a few wineries along the way.

Known as Clevsin in Etruscan times, the modern-day Tuscan town of Chiusi was another of the Etruscan’s League of Twelve Cities.  In the 6th century BC, it was so powerful that Clevsin had successfully attacked and captured Rome at one point.  We’ll visit the Etruscan museum here and pay a visit to the ‘Tomb of the Monkey’.  We’ll grab some Panini for lunch as we leave Chiusi.

Next we will head to the Tuscan hilltown of Montepulciano, which dates back to Etruscan times, but is now world-famous for its Vino Nobile wine, considered among the best in Italy.  We’ll have lunch together, than take a little time to take a stroll through town.  Later in the afternoon, we will visit the Cantina del Redi wine cellar, which is arguably the most beautiful wine cellar in the world.  Parts of this cellar date back to Etruscan times.  We’ll tour the cellar before being treated to a full wine tasting before heading back toward home.

On the way home this evening, we will stop just outside the village of Castiglione in Teverina at a tiny private winery and antique olive mill.  We’ll be treated to a tour of the olive mill and wine cellars, followed by a buffet dinner (including tastings of all of their wines and olive oil) with the owners of this beautiful estate.

This morning we will all meet in a local coffee bar and pastry shop in Soriano’s main Piazza. Here we will have our traditional Italian breakfast of freshly baked pastries and cappuccino.

After breakfast we’ll visit The Marmore Falls, the tallest in Europe and the oldest man-made falls in the world (by the ancient Romans!).  In ancient times, the Romans created this site in order to save the city of Rieti.  What remains are some of the most beautiful waterfalls in Europe.  At the bottom of the falls, we’ll have traditional Umbrian Porchetta Panini.

After lunch we will proceed to the ruins of Carsulae, considered among the most important archeological sites in Italy. Carsulae was an ancient Roman city that dates back to 300BC.  While important, this is a little-visited site.  In its time, Carsulae was an important city along the ancient Via Flaminia road (220 BC, and still intact here with sidewalks and gutters!) with its own amphitheater, public baths, temples, and more.  This is a truly amazing site for those that want to experience ancient Roman ruins that have escaped the ravages of mass tourism.

After our light hike, we will head back to town for a couple hours to rest and get cleaned up. Tonight we will head out to a local pizzeria for dinner.

Today is market day in Soriano.  This is a true local market, not a tourist market.  Here you will find clothing, accessories, kitchen items, food, etc. You will have the early morning to enjoy the market at your leisure or sleep in a bit before we start our day.

We'll head out to the ruins of Falerii Novi, former home of the Faliscan civilization. The Faliscans were an ancient tribe in southern Tuscany and Northern Latium.  Their civilization was much smaller than the Etruscans, but were allied with them against Rome. In the 241 BC, the Romans conquered their largest city, Falerii Veteres, killng 15,000 Faliscans.  They resettled the survivors about 3 miles away, where a new city was built and named Falerii Novi (New Falerii).  The remains of the strongly fortified Falerii Novi are surprisingly well-preserved.

After our visit, we will have luinch at a local restauraunt in the town of Civita Castellana, which is the original site of Falerii Vetere.

We'll then head home, give you a couple hours to rest and clean up, then head back down to the villa for another cooking class.

Liuke our Sunday class, we will be choosing various Etruscan recipes, as well as recipes from Apicius (also known as De Re Coquinaria), the ancient 4th century Roman cookbook. We will choose strictly based on what was fresh in the local markets.

Unfortunately our week comes to a close this morning. The shuttle leaves town at 6:00 AM as most outbound flights require early morning airport arrivals. We will be at the Orte train station for a drop off by 6:20 AM, and at the Rome Fiumicino airport by 8:00 AM. This will be sufficient time for outbound flights leaving after 10:00 AM.