Planning a Trip

Getting There

By Train -- Volterra isn't very convenient by train, with a station only at Saline di Volterra (tel. 0588-86-150) 10km (6 1/4 miles) away, to which five daily trains run on a secondary line from Cécina (trip time: 30-40 min.) on the coast. You can transfer at Cécina from one of the coastal-line trains between Rome (17 trains daily; 3 hr.) and Pisa (26 daily; 40-75 min.). Buses meet the incoming trains for the 20-minute ride up to Volterra.

By Car -- Volterra is on the SS68 about 30km (19 miles) from where it branches off the Colle di Val d'Elsa exit on the Florence-Siena autostrada. From San Gimignano, head southwest on the secondary road to Castel di San Gimignano, which is on the SS68.

By Bus -- From Siena, there are 16 daily T.R.A.I.N. buses (www.trainspa.it) that make the 20- to 30-minute trip to Colle di Val d'Elsa, from which there are five daily buses to Volterra (50 min.). From San Gimignano, you have to first take a bus to Poggibonsi (20 min.), four of which daily link up with buses to Colle di Val d'Elsa for the final transfer. From Florence, T.R.A.I.N. has two midafternoon direct runs (2 1/2 hr.), or you can take one of five daily buses (three on Sun) to Colle di Val d'Elsa and transfer there (2 1/2-3 hr.). Six to 10 CPT buses run here Monday through Saturday from Pisa (change in Pontedera; 2-2 1/2 hr. total). Tickets and information in Volterra are available at the tourist office. Buses run to and from Piazza Martiri della Libertà.

Visitor Information

Volterra's helpful tourist office, Piazza dei Priori 19-20 (tel. 0588-87-257; fax 0588-86-099; www.volterratur.it), offers both tourist information and free hotel reservations. April through October, it's open daily from 10am to 1pm and 2 to 6pm; November through March, hours are Monday through Saturday from 10am to 1pm and 2 to 5pm and Sunday from 10am to 1pm only.

Festivals & Markets

Volterrateatro is a July theater festival. On the first Sunday of September, Volterrans dress up in medieval costume to engage in a bit of flag-tossing on Piazza dei Priori. On the last Saturday of September, the town hosts the International Festival of Choral Singing. The sizable weekly market is Saturday morning.