Italy Archeology

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Archeology

From early prehistoric settlements to medieval fortresses, Italy's archeology is an apparently inexhaustible source of wonder, with treasures spanning several millennia and dozens of cultures. Etruscan, Roman, and Greek towns, cities, and necropolises yield the richest treasure troves, but little known … more civilizations like the Nuragic people in Sardinia are no less intriguing. Needless to say, Pompeii and Hercolaneum are in a realm of their own, with life frozen (well, burnt, really!) in real time by the sudden eruption of the nearby Vesuvius.

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The Glory of Rome seems much more glorious when narrated by someone who can resurrect the city's scattered ruins with their informed descriptions. If you go it alone, keep in mind that the Forum is free, but you need a ticket for the Colosseum.

Rome; Rome; 011-39-06-488-991; www.romaturismo.it

Preserved for centuries under volcanic ash, Pompeii is still being excavated by archeologists. What’s already been unearthed, however, is impressive enough: an entire Roman-era city complete with villas, basilicas, “fast-food” joints, and even a brothel! Herculaneum, also buried under the lava of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D., is a smaller site, but better preserved than Pompeii.

Porta Marina; Pompeii; Pompeii, Campania; 011-39-081-857-5347; www.pompeiisites.org

If you don’t have time to visit Pompeii, why not visit the next best thing? The glorious ruins at Ostia Antica, just outside of Rome, are easily accessible by a local commuter train that costs 1 Euro.

15 miles south of Rome; www.ostia-antica.org

The hardy traveler can easily get down here and back in a day, though total travel time each way is about 3.5 hours. But the fantastic ruined city of Pompeii, unearthed from the volcanic ash of Mount Vesuvius is worth it. No other archeological site gives you as much of a feel of what it must have been like to live in the Roman empire. A world heritage site.

3.5 hours by train from Rome, about 160 miles southeast of Rome; www.pompeiisites.org

The pleasant bus ride to this ancient hilltop enclave offers charming views of Florence and the Arno Valley. Fiesole's most notable landmark is the 3,000-seat, 1st-century-BC Roman Theater, home to the Estate Fiesolana performing festival. Fiesole has a pleasant semi-rural village feel to it, and is a favorite spot with Florentines seeking respite from the city heat on a sultry summer night.

5 miles north of Florence; Fiesole, Tuscany; www.fiesolemusei.it

Turin's Museo Egizio is one of the earliest and most important collections of Egyptian antiquities outside of Egypt. The Rock Temple of Ellessiya was presented to the museum by the Egyptian government as a token of gratitude for Italian efforts to save monuments threatened by the construction of the Aswan Dam.

6 Via Accademia delle Scienze; Turin; Turin, Piedmont; 011-39-011-561-7776; www.museoegizio.it

One of the twelve cities of the Etruscan confederation, Volterra stands in a commanding position over the Cecina and Era valleys, surrounded by cyclopic walls incorporating the imposing Porta dell'Arco gateway. Don't miss the Vallebuona archaeological site with the Roman Theatre (still in use) and the famous “Evening Shadow” votive bronze statue in the Guarnacci Etruscan Museum.

20 Piazza dei Priori (Tourist Information Office); Volterra; Volterra, Tuscany; 011-39-058-887-257; www.volterratur.it

Magnificent ruins of the Greek city of Poseidonia, with three of the world's best preserved Doric temples dedicated to Hera, Neptune, and Athena and dating from the 6th and 5th centuries B.C., Paestum is the name of the later Roman colony, whose remains survive alongside the Greek ruins. Also worth a visit is the nearby archaeological museum.

887 Via Magna Grecia (Tourist Office); Paestum; Paestum, Campania; 011-39-0828-811-016; www.paestumtourism.it (Italian only)

The undisputed jewels in this museum's rich collection of archeological finds are the beautifully preserved bronze statues of two handsome, larger-than-life Greek warriors dating from the 5th century B.C. and discovered in August 1972 by an amateur scuba diver off the Calabrian coast at Riace Marina.

26 Piazza De Nava; Reggio Calabria; Reggio Calabria, Calabria; 011-39-0965-812-255; www.museonazionalerc.it (Italian only)

The Park of the Valley of the Temples near Agrigento combines a unique landscape of vineyards, almond trees, and olive groves with the stunning ruins of Akragas, an ancient city founded in 581 B.C. by colonists from Gela and Rhodes. The main attractions are the remains of as many as seven Doric temples and the tomb of Theron, a local tyrant. However, much of the area is still unexcavated and may lead to further discoveries.

Strada Panoramica dei Templi; Agrigento; Agrigento, Sicily; 011-39-092-262-1611; www.parcovalledeitempli.it

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