Parco naturalistico archeologico di Vulci

About the museum

The park lies on the plateau and in the countryside around ancient Vulci, one of the main cities of Etruria, inhabited from the end of the Bronze Age and later a wealthy Etruscan centre, known for its trade with the Greek world and for the large quantity of Attic pottery found there. In 280 BC the city was conquered by Rome and continued to live on in the Roman period as a municipium, before being gradually abandoned in the early Middle Ages.

The archaeological and nature park was created in the early 1990s. Since 1998 its management has been entrusted to the municipalities of Canino and Montalto di Castro, while the State retains the excavations, restoration and protection; today the park is managed by the Fondazione Vulci. It covers about 120 hectares along the Fiora river, in a landscape of volcanic rock, Maremma pastures and riverside vegetation.

Self-guided routes lead among the remains of the Etruscan-Roman city: the West Gate, the Roman paving, the Great Temple, the Domus del Criptoportico, the Mithraeum and the Laghetto del Pellicone. On the other bank of the Fiora are the Ponte dell’Abbadia, the Castello dell’Abbadia with the Museo archeologico nazionale di Vulci, and the Eastern Necropolis with the famous Tomba François, the Tomba delle Iscrizioni and the Cuccumella tumulus, which can be visited with a guide.

Highlights

• Excavations of the Etruscan-Roman city with the West Gate, Roman paving and Great Temple
• Domus del Criptoportico and Mithraeum
• Laghetto del Pellicone and Valle delle Farfalle
• Northern Necropolis with the Tomb of the Sphinx
• Eastern Necropolis with the Tomba François
• Ponte and Castello dell’Abbadia with the archaeological museum

Founded

1998

Operated by

Fondazione Vulci

Admission & discounts

Free admission: First Sunday of the month (free admission to state museums and parks according to the Ministry of Culture; to be checked with the park).

Prices for 2024 published by the Fondazione Vulci. Free admission also for licensed guides and for teachers accompanying school groups. Payment is made at the meeting point in cash, or by invoice on request. Educational guiding has separate fees, which are not included in the ticket.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The Northern Necropolis route, with the Tomb of the Carved Ceilings (Tomba dei Soffitti Intagliati) and the Tomb of the Sphinx, can be walked by people with reduced mobility. Routes for wheelchair users exist on the top of the plateau, but the underground rooms of the Domus del Criptoportico are not accessible; the full route is therefore only partly accessible. The Tomba François and the Tomba delle Iscrizioni are not accessible to wheelchair users.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Playground / play area

The park offers educational workshops for schools of every level, the nature trail at the Laghetto del Pellicone and a play and activity area (“Giocaparco”). Children up to 6 years old enter free of charge.

Getting there & parking

To reach the Eastern Necropolis and the Castello dell’Abbadia, on the other bank of the Fiora, you need your own transport (the castle is about 1 km from the ticket office).

Amenities & dining

• Restaurant

Refreshment point “Locanda del Parco” inside the park (tel. +39 0766 870177) and the restaurant “Casale dell’Osteria” (tel. +39 0766 898247); the venues close for periods during the winter months.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit