Tarquinia lies about 100 km (60 miles) north of Rome and is an easy day trip by car, train, or bus. This classic Italian hill town sits perched near the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. From its highest points, there are sweeping vistas of green hills, the flat expanse of the coastline, and the island of Corsica as a rugged outline on the horizon.

Tarquinia’s medieval streets, historic churches, and quiet beaches are reasons enough to visit, but most compelling of all is the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of the ancient Etruscans. What makes Tarquinia unique in the world of Etruscan art is its remarkable surviving evidence of wall painting. Within Etruscan art, painting is a special topic. Etruscan tomb paintings survive in a very narrow geography and context.