How to get around Tarquinia

Tarquinia is straightforward to reach and requires a little planning once you are there, because its sights are on separate hills.

The town sits near the Via Aurelia, the coast road north from Rome, and has a railway station on the Rome–Grosseto line — though the station is down on the plain, not up in the town.

The modern town is a compact medieval hill town at 133 metres and is walked.

The Monterozzi necropolis is on the next plateau, a walk or a short drive from the centre, and the visit itself involves repeated descents by stairway into individual tombs.

The Civita, where the ancient city actually stood, is further north-east again, and is open archaeological ground rather than a visitor site in the same sense.

The coast — Gravisca and the Lido di Tarquinia — is several kilometres west, and effectively needs a car or a local bus.

Two Italian rules apply here as everywhere in the country. A ticket bought from a kiosk or machine must be validated on board before the journey starts, or an inspector will issue an on-the-spot fine. And driving into a historic centre usually needs a ZTL pass, with the boundary marked in black on a yellow sign.

By road. Tarquinia lies near the Via Aurelia, which runs up the coast from Rome towards Tuscany. It is a comfortable drive from Rome and a natural stop between Rome and the Tuscan Maremma.

By rail. The station is on the Rome–Grosseto coastal line, below the town on the plain; getting up to the historic centre from it is a climb or a short local connection.

Town to necropolis. The Monterozzi plateau lies between the modern town and the Civita. It is walkable from the centre, and signposted; most visitors drive the short distance.

Inside the necropolis. Each painted tomb is entered by its own stepped shaft down into the rock, with viewing through glass. The ground between them is open and exposed.

To the Civita. North-east of the town, this is where the ancient city stood, with the Ara della Regina sanctuary. Open ground; check access before setting out.

To the coast. Gravisca and the Lido are a few kilometres west on the Tyrrhenian; a car helps.

Mobility note. The necropolis is the hard part — individual tombs are reached by steep stairs with no alternative route. The national museum in town is the accessible way to see the paintings that were detached for conservation.

Validate your ticket. If you buy a ticket from a kiosk or machine, you must validate it on public transport before you start your journey. Officials patrol and issue an on-the-spot fine if your ticket is not validated.

ZTL. You need a pass to drive into the historic centre of many Italian towns in a private or hire car. The boundaries are marked with the letters ZTL in black on a yellow sign, and a camera reads your plate.

Strikes. Transport strikes in Italy are often called at short notice, which matters most if your visit depends on a single connection.

Taxis. Use only officially licensed taxis, which carry a taxi sign on the roof and a company name and number on the side.