Lazio has so much to offer the tourist with an abundance of things to see and do that are too numerous to cover all of them here. In this first of a series of articles we look at the area surrounding the picturesque and historic town of Tarquinia in northern Lazio. Tarquinia, just one hour from Rome by train with excellent road and public transport connections is perfect as a relaxing base from which to explore Lazio and Tuscany . Here we will start with 5 things to see and do in Tarquinia.

1) Relax by the sea and revitalize your body and soul. Just five kilometres from the town, the unspoilt beach at Tarquinia Lido is ideal for a relaxing walk and taking in the sea air. There are plenty of leisure resorts and facilities many offering entertainment for children in the summer months as well as a variety of beach and water sports. There are also some excellent restaurants with great views looking onto the waterfront where one can enjoy a mouth-watering dish of freshly caught seafood. The food, wine, comfortable surroundings and excellent service at Il Tirreno make it one of the many restaurants worth visiting.

2) Explore the world of the mysterious Etruscans by visiting the necropolis and museum. Tarquinia was one of the principal cities of ancient Etruria, home to the Etruscan civilization that occupied this part of Italy from around 900 BC. Today an air of mystery surrounds the Etruscans. While we know they were highly advanced both technically and culturally, there are many gaps in our knowledge as to their origins and the language they spoke. The cemetery just outside the town of Tarquinia with its 6000 graves some 200 of which contain remarkable wall paintings and the museum in the town centre house some of the finest examples of Etruscan art in the world today and present a unique insight into the fascinating world of this people.

3) For those of us accustomed to hurrying to the supermarket before it closes after a long day at work, it is a refreshing change to go directly to a producer and buy high quality fresh produce. Instead of checking labels for expiry dates and “unwanted additives” with who knows what adverse affects, visiting a farm, chatting with the producer and seeing food cultivated naturally is the best measure of quality available. Agriculture is as important to Tarquinia as tourism and many local producers welcome visitors who wish to sample and/or purchase their produce. Olive oil, local cheeses and of course wine are all to be sampled. One such producer is Sant Isidoro.

4) Tarquinia has long been a home to artists, a tradition which continues to thrive today. Almost every street in the old town has a workshop or artist studio. Visitors are often welcome so if you would like to see an artist at work, pick up a few pointers or share experiences look out for these studio with the sign ‘ingresso libero’. Of the many artists with studios in the historic centre, the English born Brian Mobbs is one of the best known. His studio is on Via di Porta Castello.

5) For nature lovers the wildlife reserve at Tarquinia Le Saline offers a rare opportunity to view several species of migratory birds not often seen in Europe. Just as interesting and varied is the long history of this area from busy port to the Greeks, Etruscans and Romans to salt extraction. The 170 hectares is today a peaceful paradise, protected by the National Forestry and whose winding pathways are ideal for a relaxing walk or bicycle ride.

Tarquinia, at just over one hour from Rome with good rail and road connections, is a great base from which to explore Lazio. Low cost flights are available to Ciampino airport which is around 90 minutes drive from Tarquinia. A regular train service connects Tarquinia to Rome and the city of Pisa.