In the outskirts of Pitigliano are numerous the so-called Vie Cave, deep roads obtained cutting the tufacean rocks. Some “Vie” exceed the length of one kilometer, with high walls until 20 meters. The main are that of the Gradone (where it's an interesting open air didactic-informative Museum), of S. Giuseppe, Fratenuti, S.Rocco and the Madonna delle Grazie. Deserves a visit also the archaeological Area of Poggio Buco that accommodates Etruscan tombs of 8th- 7th century BC.

The church and convent of San Francesco is located on the road that goes from Pitigliano to Sorano. Both the church and the convent were rebuilt by the Orsini counts who appointed Antonio da Sangallo the Younger to design the buildings. After the religious orders were suppressed in the nineteenth century the convent was transformed into a farmhouse. The church was destroyed by a fire in 1911, and only a few ruins remain allowing us to identify the outer walls and lateral chapels. Only a series of cloister arches next to the farmhouse are all that remain of the old convent.

Orsini Park. Outside of town on the road to Sorano, just pass a bridge, is the entrance to a park created at the end of the 16th century, in which on the north side you can see statues and stone seats carved from the tuff.

Ischia di Castro is located in the southern part of the fascinating territory of the Viterbo province, a short distance from the famous Bolsena Lake. Much of this town is in fact, part of the Riserva Naturale del Lamone (Natural Reserve of Lamone), one of most beautiful and interesting protected parks in Lazio.
Not to miss are the Church of St. Rocco, a Romanesque building splendidly made and custodian of wonderful works of art and frescoes; and the Chiesa di Sant'Ermete, dating back to the second half of the 18th century. The Palazzo Ducale is a historic building of Ischia di Castro, built by Antonio Sangallo as an impressive fortification that can only be accessed through a door and arch, next to the ancient Fortress and a grand bell tower.

The Santuario della Madonna del Giglio (Sanctuary of the Madonna del Giglio is located just outside the town, immersed in the countryside and home to some precious frescoes and extremely beautiful works of art, including two 14th century frescoes.

Lake Mezzano (Lago di Mezzano) is a small crater lake of volcanic origin. The emissary which leaves Lake Mezzano is river Olpeta, that is an affluent to Fiora.
In the 1980s an archaeologic campaign brought back to light a number of historical and prehistorical findings. Many of those are now exhibited in the Museo della Preistoria e della Rocca Farnese in Valentano.

The necropolis of Poggio Buco is located approximately 8 kilometers (5 miles) from Pitigliano heading towards Manciano. Its position made it inviolable: it was naturally protected by tufaceous cliffs on three sides and the one accessible side was protected by a moat. It has a considerable variety of tombs.
An Etruscan community reached its height in the VI century, because of the vicinity of Veio, substituting the nearby centre of Poggio Buco on the Fiora, where the ruins of necropolis and the remains of a temple were rediscovered: around 500 B.C., they were probably destroyed by Porsenna, the King of Chiusi. The Roman presence, with farms and villages on the main roads, show several attempts to build on the plateau in front of the cliff of Pitigliano.
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Necropoli di Poggio Buco

The road circles around Pitigliano's fortress and on to another Orsini fort, at Sorano. The route is lined with caves and tombs cut into the hillside. The medieval village, 379 meters high, is visible long before you reach it, dominated by the Fortezza Orsini and the Masso Leopaldino.
This attractive itinerary, starting from the village of Pitigliano and winding along a track through Etruscan vie cave and hilly sections, brings us to the center of Sovana. After following the road that descends through the centre of Pitigliano, we take Via Aldobrandeschi until, just before it ends, we reach Via Porta di Sovana. Going down, we walk beneath the gate and continue down a beautiful flight of steps, leaving the village behind us until we arrive at the beginning of the two parallel vie cave. We take the right one, via cava di Poggio Cani, that leads us as far as the provincial highway. Here we go on for a few meters and after crossing the bridge over the river Lente on the left we see the signs for a path that climbs up into the woods (signs Via Cava per Sovana and Le Strade del Tufo). This is the via cava dell'Annunziata that leads us as far as the top of the hill over Pitigliano.
Marked red white nr. 3.

Maps | GM, Topographic Map 1:25,000, sheet 333 TAB III – Pitigliano
Multigraphic – Tourist road map 1:50,000 - Maremma

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In the old town centre of Gradoli, there is the massive Farnese palace, designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger and ordered by cardinal Alessandro (later pope Paul III) to celebrate the wedding of his son, Pier Luigi, with Girolama, of the noble Orsini family.
The palace hosts the Town Hall as well as the Farnese Costume Museum and the municipal library.
The adjacent parish church of S.Maria Maddalena - a Baroque building with a nave and two aisles - houses a decorated marble baptismal font and a fresco portraying a Madonna and Child, both dating back to the XVI century. Among the thick woods that still surround the church of S.Magno, a few metres from the shore many brigandage events occurred, whose memory is still alive.

Walk around the magical Etruscan city and the Vie Cave and necropolis of San Giuseppe | 16,55 km | 3h 18m | gpx

Necropoli di Poggio Buco | 3,78 km | 45 min | gpx

Necropoli di Poggio Buco e Selva Miccia | 8,5 km | 1h 42m | gpx