Volterra
Volterra is a walled hilltop town in Tuscany, known for Etruscan remains, medieval squares and alabaster workshops.
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Volterra is a walled hilltop town in the province of Pisa, Tuscany, at about 530 metres above sea level. It was one of the twelve cities of the Etruscan League, known to the Etruscans as Velathri, and its alabaster trade goes back to Etruscan times. Today the town is best known for that stone, so the workshops and the Ecomuseo dell'Alabastro make a good stop beside the older sights.
Piazza dei Priori is the main square and the center of the old town. The Palazzo dei Priori on it, the town hall, was begun in 1208. The Guarnacci Etruscan Museum holds thousands of funerary urns, and the Roman theatre at Vallebuona, which dates to the late 1st century BC, sits in the same area as Etruscan tombs. The town suits travelers who care about early history and want a compact place that is easy to walk in a day. Plan one or two days for the main sights.
Volterra in five
- Plan the bus or car: there is no train in townVolterra has no train station in the old town. Buses link it with Colle di Val d'Elsa and Cecina, and a car is easier. Check the regional bus timetable.Where to stay in Tuscany
- Walk the walls and see the Etruscan museumThe Guarnacci Museum holds one of Italy's largest Etruscan collections. Check its opening hours and ticket rules on the official page.
- Buy alabaster from the workshopsVolterra is known for carved alabaster. Look for workshops that carve on site and ask about shipping.
- Stay the night for the quiet eveningsDay-trippers leave by late afternoon, and the lanes empty out. A night gives you the town at dusk and dawn.
Things to do in Volterra
See all attractions in Volterra
Need to know
- Airport
- Pisa (PSA), about 1–1.5 hours by car; Florence (FLR) about 1.5 hours
- Getting there
- Car, or bus from Colle di Val d'Elsa, Cecina or Siena; no town station
- Getting around
- On foot; the old town is hilly
- Best base
- Inside the walls
- Time needed
- 1 day; 2 for a quiet stay
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Days with storms
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- JanuaryPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh10°Low3°Cold, quietJanuaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 74 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- FebruaryPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh13°Low4°Cold, quietFebruaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 13°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 91 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- MarchPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh15°Low6°Cool, wetMarchPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 88 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, wet
- AprilPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh19°Low8°Spring greenAprilPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 19°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 81 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring green
- MayRain13 rainy daysHigh22°Low12°Warm, greenMayRain
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 98 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, green
- JuneClear7 rainy daysHigh29°Low17°Warm, long daysJuneClear
Best
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 60 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, long days
- JulyClear4 rainy daysHigh32°Low20°Hot, busyJulyClear
Best
- High
- 32°
- Low
- 20°
- Precipitation
- 28 mm
- Rainy days
- 4
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, busy
- AugustClear6 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh33°Low20°Hot, busyAugustClear
Good
- High
- 33°
- Low
- 20°
- Precipitation
- 47 mm
- Rainy days
- 6
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Hot, busy
- SeptemberClear9 rainy daysHigh27°Low16°Harvest, mildSeptemberClear
Best
- High
- 27°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 121 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Harvest, mild
- OctoberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh21°Low12°Autumn colorOctoberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 114 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Autumn color
- NovemberRain13 rainy daysHigh15°Low8°Rain, quietNovemberRain
Mixed
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 146 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rain, quiet
- DecemberPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh11°Low4°Cold, marketsDecemberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 101 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, markets
Average daily high and low in Volterra, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Volterra
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
13
- Feels like
- 9°
- Humidity
- 65%
- Wind
- 18 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Volterra
12:25 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today15°6°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 15°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed15°5°20%Wednesday: Rain. High 15°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 20%.
- Thu15°7°6%Thursday: Cloudy. High 15°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 6%.
- Fri15°8°20%Friday: Rain. High 15°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 20%.
- Sat14°8°20%Saturday: Rain. High 14°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 20%.
- Sun16°6°21%Sunday: Rain. High 16°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 21%.
Updated 11:55 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Every year
- Feb–MarCarnival of ViareggioLucca, a day trip
- Apr–JunMaggio Musicale FiorentinoFlorence, a day trip
- Jun–SepSaracen JoustArezzo, a day trip
- Jul–AugFestival PucciniPisa, a day trip
Before you go to Volterra
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Rules for Volterra, checked
- Many nationalities need no visa for short tourist stays in Italy, which is in the Schengen area. Check current entry rules on viaggiaresicuri.it before you book.Source
- Volterra's old center is a ZTL, a limited traffic zone watched by cameras. Park outside the walls and check with your hotel before you drive in.
- Travelers arriving from outside the EU cannot bring in certain meat, dairy and plant products. Check the rules on adm.gov.it before you pack food.Source
- Dial 112 for police, fire or an ambulance anywhere in Italy.
- Restaurants may add a cover charge (coperto) to the bill. Check the bill before you leave a tip, since service may already be included.
Plan around Volterra
Regions, cities and the rules every visitor needs
Read the guideTuscanyThe wider region and how to plan bases
Read the guideSan GimignanoAnother hill town, about 40 minutes by car
Read the guideSienaA medieval city, about 1.5 hours by road
Read the guidePisaThe Leaning Tower, about 1–1.5 hours by car
Read the guideWhere to stay in TuscanyFive bases, with and without a car
Read the guideVolterra FAQ
Is Volterra worth visiting?
Yes, for Etruscan history, a medieval center and fewer crowds than Florence or San Gimignano. It suits a day or one night.
How do you get to Volterra without a car?
By bus from Colle di Val d'Elsa, Cecina or Siena, often with a change. Check the schedule before you go.
How many days do you need in Volterra?
One day covers the center and the museum. Two days add a quiet evening and nearby villages.
What is Volterra famous for?
Etruscan remains, alabaster and its medieval walls. It also appears in a popular vampire novel and film series.
Is Volterra or San Gimignano better?
Volterra for quiet, Etruscan history and fewer crowds, San Gimignano for towers and views. Both are easy by car.