Volterra, a walled hill town in Tuscany, has remains of its Etruscan, Roman, and medieval roots. As you walk through the medieval town, it’s easy to get a feel for its past. A visit to Volterra makes a good addition to, or alternative to, the more popular and crowded hill town of San Gimignano.
Volterra’s historic center, enclosed by its 13th century walls, is entered through one of 6 gates, built in the 13th to 16th centuries. Porta San Francesco still has traces of its original frescoes. There are also two medieval fonts: Fonte di Docciola was used to provide water for mills and the wool industry and San Felice font dates from 1319. Near it are remains of the ancient Etruscan wall.
