I’m back! It’s been a long delay in posting the second half of our trip. I’ll try to finish up soon!
Viking Ocean’s Mediterranean Odyssey Day 6 of 13
Weather Report
The weather seems to be on repeat – 72 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny. We will take it for as long as we can!
Today’s Plan
Today’s Viking excursions (except one) go to Rome to see various sites which are over an hour away from the port of Civitavecchia at best and with traffic can take up to 2 hours. All the tours range from 8.5-10.5 hours long, and we decided we didn’t want to spend that much time on a bus to see so little of Rome when it really needs multiple days. Then, a couple of months ago, we got the opportunity to book a trip next year which has multiple days in Rome, so the decision to forego Viking excursions into Rome made even more sense.
Instead, Dave and I booked a 6-7-hour private excursion through Tours By Locals with Susanna to see some Etruscan sites. This evening, we are participating in Viking’s “onboard excursion” Cooking Class at The Kitchen Table with Keith and Paula.
Viking Daily
Visit the green and relaxing heartland of the Etruscans close to Civitavecchia
We were able to book this private tour for two for about the same as the Viking group tours from Civitavecchia per person costs. If I have a choice between paying $$$ for a group vs a private tour, the private tour wins hands-down!
The suggested itinerary for this tour is as follows:
Starting point: Civitavecchia or Viterbo or Orte train station
Visit to Viterbo, Tuscania and Tarquinia’s Etruscan Necropoli
Driving through the Tuscan-like countryside we stop in Viterbo and stroll through the medieval part taking unique photos, we are going inside the City Council and Town Hall, stop at a local restaurant in one of the many small hilltop towns. A quick stop at one of the oldest churches in Italy in Tuscania and enjoying the wonderful Etruscan landscape. Visit to the Necropoli of painted tombs in Tarquinia.
This tour as a whole or partially can be customized to fit your preferences – please inquire! I will do my best to accommodate your wishes.
We became aware of the Etruscans when the Baylor Archaeological dig there was featured on a 2022 episode of Discovery Channel’s Expedition Unknown (Season 10, Episode 14). Then, earlier this year, the Baylor team discovered a rare intact tomb from 2600 years ago! The Etruscans lived in central Italy between the 8th and 3rd centuries BCE before being conquered and absorbed into Roman culture.
Since the well-known Tarquinia Etruscan museum and similar sites closest to the port of Civitavecchia are closed today (Monday), our guide, Susanna, adjusted our tour to other sites. Here’s a rough approximation of our route.
Tomb of the Bulls
Civitavecchia has a shuttle bus from the ships to a drop-off location outside the port, which is where we met Susanna and began our journey in search of the Etruscans! Our first stop was about 15 minutes away at the Tomba dei Tori or Tomb of the Bulls, so named for several bull depictions on the chamber walls. We could not enter, but the sign outside was a good introduction showing the structure of the tomb and some of the paintings found inside. The site also demonstrated the views which the Etruscans sought out for their tombs. The concrete building over the tomb entrance is of course not original and helps to protect it both from the elements and vandals.
Town of Blera
From there, Susanna drove about 25 minutes to the town of Blera (population 3000). We passed on old aqueduct from the 1700s, not ancient Roman, but still cool to see! As we approached the town, the rocky hillside along the road contained former homes built inside the rock (tuff).
We got coffee and a bathroom break at a small café, then wandered the quaint town, which had also been the site of an Etruscan town.
Rock Necropolis of San Giuliano
Next, we parked along the side of the road by a trail leading to many tombs in the area known as “Necropoli Rupestre S. Giuliano” which translates to “Rock Necropolis of San Giuliano”.
The necropolis is inside the boundaries of the Marturanum Regional Nature Park which is almost 5 square miles (1240 hectares) in size. There are more than 600 known tombs in the area.
Cima Tomb
One of the most important tombs here is the Cima Tomb – a 25-meter-diameter, 7th-Century BC, aristocratic family tomb created in the rock which is a form of volcanic rock called “tuff”.
As can be seen in the adjacent diagram, it contains 7 chambers with a grand entrance.
It was intricately carved on the exterior as well as the interiors. There are also multiple smaller tombs dating to 6th-Century BC around the main tomb structure. We had to use the flashlights on our phones to see the interiors.
Entry to side tomb at Cima Tomb 
Hole where graverobbers broke through to adjacent tomb 
Tuff Ceiling and Walls of Cima side Tomb 
Inside side tomb at Cima Tomb 
Entrance to the main Cima Tomb 
Ceiling is more intricately carved in main Cima Tomb 
Large funeral bed in main Cima Tomb 
Likely where cremated remains were put
Adjacent to the circular tomb is an area thought to have contained cippus-monuments and used as an open cultic ritual area.
(Per Google AI: Cippus monuments are low stone pillars, often inscribed, used in ancient Greece and Rome as boundary markers, milestones, and funerary monuments. Etruscans also created them, and they served as tombstones and markers with religious significance, with styles ranging from cubic blocks to columns or sculptures.)
“Dice” Tombs
We walked down the trail to some lower elevation tombs which means they were created in a later period, maybe 5th to 4th Century BC? Susanna called them “dice” tombs based on their cubed shapes, so that’s what I’m going with!
There were more tombs in the area to explore, but the trail looked rather washed out and too dangerous (dicey? LOL!) without appropriate hiking shoes and hiking sticks, so we headed back to the car to move to the next site on Susanna’s plan.
More San Giuliano Tombs
We could have walked the trails from where we were to this next site, but as noted, it seemed a little precarious and we only had a few hours before needing to get back to the ship. The next location had a big parking lot and picnic area.
Cuccumella del Caiolo
This tomb sits on the plateau of the Caiolo hill. It is noted to be one of the oldest Etruscan tombs found so far. It was determined to be from the 7th Century BC.
While standing inside the ruins, Susanna noted that some people experience “emotions” when standing there and asked if we did. I couldn’t say that I did other than amazement at where I was standing in general and contemplating how people 2600-2700 years ago lived and died. But what happened next gave me goosebumps!
As we were walking away from the tomb site, a truck was driving up the road from the interior of the park. It was the park security guard making rounds. He stopped and Susanna started talking to him. Although they were speaking Italian, I could understand that she was telling him that we were from Texas. He got excited and started pointing across the field to the edge of the trees – and that was when I got the goosebumps because I knew he was pointing to the Baylor dig site! Although we knew it was in the vicinity, we had no idea we were standing less than 100 yards away! He motioned for us to follow him, and he’d show it to us!
Serendipity – San Giuliano Archaeological Research Project (SGARP) Dig Site
There are actually two tombs that have been discovered on this spot by the Baylor-led team. The first was found 2-3 years ago but had been looted like all the other nearly 600 tombs that the team has documented over the past 10 years.
The new dig site is currently inactive, so it is mostly covered until the teams return next year. As previously mentioned, it was discovered intact earlier this year (2025). Its entrance is almost directly across from the entrance of the other tomb.
The security guard excitedly showed us photos on his phone of the many contents found inside which helped them to date it to the 7th Century BC.
The contents have been removed for preservation, cleaning, and study. The nearby small town of Barbarano Romano hopes to update its museum to house all the artifacts from the area. They don’t want them to go to Rome because they aren’t “Roman”!
The security guard then led us down the hill to see the entrances of the two tombs.
This link contains pictures of the team removing the tombstone and the contents discovered inside: https://www.finestresullarte.info/en/archaeology/tuscia-archaeologists-discover-untouched-etruscan-tomb-in-barbarano-romano
It was an amazing day already and it wasn’t even Noon yet!
Tomba Margareth
Although we could have spent more time hiking to the tombs near the Baylor dig, Susanna had another exquisite site to show us before heading to lunch. This tomb was discovered by archeologists supported by King Gustav VI of Sweden and named for his granddaughter. It is dated towards the end of the 7th century BC to the early 6th century BC. The workmanship in the carving of this tomb was fantastic to see.
More Serendipity
When communicating with Susanna before our trip, I’d asked her for reading recommendations on the Etruscans. Among others, she recommended a book by her friend and neighbor, Mary Jane Cryan. Although I was unable to obtain a copy of the book, I found her website a great source of information. As we were driving towards the small town of Vetralla (population 13,500), where Susanna lives, she asked if we’d like to meet Mary Jane. Of course, I said “yes!”. Luckily, she was home and greeted us like old friends. She’s an engaging, energetic 80-something Irish-American who has lived in Italy the past 60 years. Mary Jane had an author friend arriving that she had been corresponding with online but not yet met in person – we were still there when Marilyn arrived and joined our little party like it was a reunion of old friends. Mary Jane gave us a tour of her house, and we bought her Etruria book as well as a cookbook written by her friend Fulvio who was there.
Mary Jane’s house (villa) is on the hill directly above Susanna’s house. Her patio overlooks the roof of Susanna’s house. Apparently, there are stairs between, but it is steep, so we all drove around and down to see Susanna’s “garden venue” below her house which she and her husband transformed into a performance venue during COVID.
The building housing the stage and equipment (such as a grand piano) used to be something like a chicken coop or barn. It was an amazing transformation with outdoor seating for 250! Oh, I guess I forgot to mention that Susanna, originally from Finland, came to Italy (Rome) to study opera and stayed. She founded Opera Extravaganza to make classical music and opera more accessible and she also teaches and performs and occasionally serves as a wonderful tour guide! I’m so glad we found her available to show us around today!
We only got to spend a few minutes with Mary Jane, and I wish we could have visited longer, but it was time to leave for our next destination – lunch!
Views and Lunch in Tuscania
Not to be confused with the Italian region of Tuscany, Tuscania is a town of approximately 8400 in the province of Viterbo, where we have been all day, which is in the region of Lazio whose capital is Rome. It was about a 25-minute drive to the northwest from Vertralla, so we got to see more of the countryside.
We had a wonderful 3-course lunch at Osteria da Alfreda.
Then walked across the parking lot to the Torre di Lavello Park for more beautiful views and a unique sundial.
We had about a 45-minute drive back to the port shuttle to enjoy more of the beautiful countryside and quiet roads. This was definitely a better day than sitting in Rome traffic and fighting crowded venues. Susanna was a wonderful guide and a joy to be with all day. I’d love to come back here some day and explore more of this part of Italy!
Cooking Class at The Kitchen Table
Cost/person: $69
Viking Difficulty Rating: Easy
Duration: 3 Hours
Join one of our talented chefs for a cookery masterclass featuring dishes inspired by cuisine from around the world.
Head to The Kitchen Table, our purpose-built facility that provides you with access to witness the creative flare of Viking’s onboard chefs. You will be greeted by Viking’s Executive Chef who will introduce you to the evening ahead; a culinary masterclass where you will discover the tips and techniques on preparing a meal, carefully curated by Viking’s talented chefs. At your own poste de travail, you will learn to skillfully prepare a three-course menu, incorporating flavors and cooking practices from around the world. No previous culinary expertise is required. We will teach you how to create dishes from scratch and elegantly present your meal before you sit to enjoy the fruits of your labor. This is a unique chance to engage and dine with the masters.
The theme for tonight’s class was “Hot Pot”. The group made noodles, spring rolls, dumplings, and a tapioca dish for dessert. A variety of proteins were provided along with “hot pots” using conduction burners for cooking in real time at the tables. I should have taken pictures of the final products, but I guess we were too busy eating! We got to keep the aprons and they handed out the recipes for the dishes, too. It was a fun session to do with our friends Keith and Paula, but I doubt we will do it again.
With the serendipitous discovery of the Baylor dig site, meeting Mary Jane, and exploring with Susanna, this has been my favorite day of the trip and I can’t imagine anything topping it!
Notes By Nancy 
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