Tarquinia's Secret Gardens

A visit to Tarquinia begins at the Etruscan Museum 

 
  I  made  some wonderful discoveries  Yesterday in Tarquinia, the  Etruscan  town famous for its  painted Etruscan tombs is only a short  drive from my home in  Vetralla and even  closer to Civitavecchia’s port, making it  a perfect  trip  for cruise passengers  looking for an alternative  to  Rome  excursions.

 After  a visit to the Etruscan Museum and  a stop for pizza  we  went to visit  friends with beautiful gardens.

view of Tarquinia from the  garden 

 The first garden is that surrounding an elegant villa  estate  which once belonged to a 19th century Cardinal.  

rare breed  at home in Tarquinia

The  new owners Celeste and Franco have  transformed the villa into an  elegant B&B of only   three rooms.  Check out the  video. 

Across the valley, near Santa Maria del Castello,  is the other garden, studded with sculptures  and roaming peacocks.

Etruscan sphinx  by a local sculptor 

Maremma cowboy statue 

Owner Bruno  has dedicated  decades  of hard manual labor  to create this  magical   place  in an area previously  ignored by the people of Tarquinia, for it is adjacent to  the former slaughter house.

If you have  enjoyed   visiting  these unusual sites, why not share with your friends and leave a comment here below. 

For more information about this area  take a  look at my website. The only books in English   can be ordered directly  from  my  website www.elegantetruria.com  

Tuscania Lavender Festival

ribboned sachets  of lavender  

  
 The lavender fields that cover  large swaths of land in  Northern Lazio (Arlena, Tuscania ,Viterbo,Tarquinia, Montalto di Castro)  are just about to be harvested, thanks to the very hot weather these past few weeks. 

flower baskets at the Lavender Festival 

 The weekend of July 7-8 marks the local Lavender Festival  held in Tuscania's  "new"  historic center, rebuilt and restored  perfectly after  the earthquake of 1971.  

Tuscania's City Hall 

   The tiny streets and  squares  will be bustling  with stalls of  lavender-based products  for  the body and home.
Look for  dishes  prepared  using lavender, including risotto and  gelato.  

rebuilt homes are beautifully decorated  

The town of Tuscania is close to Civitavecchia, Viterbo and Tarquinia  in Northern Lazio, NOT in Tuscany, and makes a perfect  shore excursion, especially for those who dread going in to Rome at the height of summer heat. 

handicrafts filled with lavender 

medieval buildings and fountains in Tuscania 

Loggia on the Duomo square 

If you can't make  it to Tuscania  this weekend, there will be many more  happenings  during following summer weekends. Stay tuned for calendar updates . 

thanks to Christina Thompson for  this beautiful shot of Tuscania