TURRETS AND TOMBS

As you disembark your cruise ship in Civitavecchia, meet your private driver and venture into the gentle, rolling countryside of Latium. Among the surprises that await you on this full day excursion are a cache of riveting stories – about this world and the next.

A 45-minute drive will bring you to the charming town of Bracciano, huddled around an imposing hilltop castle, commanding splendid views of the lake below. Originally built in the 15th century at the behest of the Orsini rulers, the building is still owned by the aristocratic Odescalchi family who took over the lordship of Bracciano in 1696. Occupying a strategic, dominant position, the castle is one of Italy’s most noteworthy examples of Renaissance military architecture and perfectly combines the functions of a defence fortress and a stately mansion for prestigious feudal families. Today the Castello di Bracciano is a setting for movies and TV programmes, an atmospheric venue for high profile events – including Hollywood celebrity weddings – and an intriguing museum, housing a precious collection of ancient weapons, period furniture, frescoes and paintings.

Your guide will lead you through the rooms that were once the private quarters of popes and Renaissance lords, past towers and courtyards, inside age-old kitchens and paint a vivid picture of courtly life back in Bracciano’s olden days. These mighty walls, still miraculously intact, have witnessed some six centuries of Italian history. You will hear stories of sieges, learn of the disputes that inflamed rival dynasties and conjure up scenes of sumptuous marriages, while tales of a ruthless dame who is said to have employed a curious method for disposing of her lovers may well send shivers down your spine.

Climb to the top of the battlements to enjoy sweeping panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and the gleaming waters of Lake Bracciano. A favourite summer retreat for city dwellers, this volcanic lake is renowned for being one of Italy’s cleanest and serves as a drinking water reservoir for the capital as well as being an ideal location for swimming, sailing and water sports.

After a leisurely stroll through the narrow, winding streets of Bracciano’s historic centre and some free time for lunch set off for the next stop on your tour.

In the afternoon you will have the exciting opportunity to explore Cerveteri’s famous Etruscan necropolis and step into the intimate underworld of a mysterious and fascinating civilization. The ingenuity and artistry of the Etruscans together with the story of their rise and fall will be unveiled here. The Etruscans ruled central Italy for centuries and were one of the West’s most technologically and culturally advanced populations until overtaken by the powerful Romans. The Etruscans are known for being valorous warriors, clever engineers, artistically refined and fond of a luxurious lifestyle. Although their cities are long gone, their cemetery still allows us to gain a vivid impression of how they lived thousands of years ago.

Spanning over six centuries and stretching for more than two kilometres, the UNESCO-listed Necropoli della Banditaccia is among the largest cities of the dead in the Mediterranean area. Hundreds of monumental tombs, arranged according to an urban-like design, composed of streets, small squares and neighbourhoods, are the only surviving traces of Etruscan city planning and residential architecture and thus offer priceless information about how a pre-Roman settlement might have looked between the 9th and 3rd centuries BC. These burial chambers, considered permanent dwellings for the deceased, were carved to simulate the interior of residential homes, with several rooms, pillars, gabled roofs, stone couches and furnishings. The profusion of goods originally found inside, such as tableware, vases, bronze artefacts, weapons and jewellery, makes an unmistakable statement about their wealth and desire to preserve a lifestyle of the highest quality when they reached the next world.

After the tour your private chauffeur will drive you back to your cruise ship in Civitavecchia.