Pitigliano and Sovana Tuscany excursion from Civitavecchia

highlights

• Private Shore Excursion from Civitavecchia to Tuscany’s region of Maremma
• Spend a day exploring the spellbinding medieval villages of Sovana and Pitigliano
• Travel in your private deluxe vehicle and English-speaking Driver at your service
• Ample visit time in Pitigliano, a remarkable ancient town that rises out of the rocky cliff upon which it was built
• Meander deep into Pitigliano’s history-steeped streets lined with medieval palazzi
• Browse inviting shops and artisan boutiques for a special souvenir or treasured gifts for loved ones
• Sample local delicacies such as the Sfratto di Pitigliano
• Visit the charming village of Sovana whose unique heritage traces back to pre-history eras
• Stroll the delightful village square and pedestrian-friendly lanes
• See ancient churches, browse local shops, and revel in the peaceful atmosphere
• Our Shore Excursions are private just for you and your party for optimal tour enjoyment, comfort, and privacy.
• We make our Civitavecchia excursions easy with convenient pick-up and drop-off on the pier next to your Ship
• Appreciate a higher level of personal attention and flexibility on our private Italy excursions by car
• Upon request, we can reserve a 2-hour in-depth guided tour of Pitigliano with a locally Licensed Tour Guide. Inquire within for Prices and Tour Guide information.

itinerary

• Pitigliano
• Sovana

description

Enjoy the unique experience of vising Tuscany from Civitavecchia exploring the unique region of Maremma, the rustic area of Tuscany that vaunts wide open spaces, gentle hills, fertile valleys, Italy's traditional cowboys (butteri), delicious food, excellent wines, and enchanting medieval towns.

Maremma sees fewer tourists than the rest of Tuscany, making it an ideal serene getaway from crowded tourist destinations. Since this region of southern Tuscany touches the border of Lazio, it offers the rare possibility to tour Tuscany on a shore excursion from Civitavecchia.

Your Stefano’s RomeCabs professional driver will pick you up on the Pier next to your cruise ship in Civitavecchia and take you on a leisurely drive through the rustic countryside into Tuscany towards  Sovana and Pitigliano, medieval hilltop towns abundant in history, beauty, and charm.

PITIGLIANO AND SOVANA FROM CIVITAVECCHIA Prices:

For up to 2 Persons from Rome Hotel: 490 EUROS
For up to 4 Persons from Rome Hotel: 550 EUROS
For up to 6 Persons from Rome Hotel: 600 EUROS
For up to 8 Persons from Rome Hotel: 650 EUROS

** You may also do a QUICK PRICE CHECK using the Price Check & Booking Form on the Right Side of this page.  Once you receive the PRICE QUOTE based on the information you input, you may proceed to SUBMIT your Tour Request.

*** Dates on the Booking Form Calendar that are NOT Selectable, are NOT AVAILABLE.

PITIGLIANO

Pitigliano is a spellbinding ancient town dramatically located on a promontory and comprised of irregular tuffaceous stone buildings stacked one on top of one another giving the appearance of rising from a rocky cliff.  Dominating the steep valleys grooved by three rivers, Pitigliano is truly a sight to behold.

Pitigliano’s extensive heritage is a source of pride for the locals. Remains of its prehistoric establishment are evident in the tombs and caves along its city wall. The town’s current name evolved from its Ancient Roman name, Petilia Gens, derived from the names of the settlement’s alleged founders:  Petilio and Celiano.

The centuries-old medieval stone houses, attractive small squares, and narrow pedestrian-friendly winding lanes wide enough for the passage of carts will carry you back into the fascinating medieval era of powerful lords, dukes, and counts who ruled this town and walked along these same streets. 

During your ample free time on your own to explore Pitigliano, you will find unique and inviting shops that sell jewelry, ceramics, delicatessens, olive oil, wine, and the local treat: Sfratto di Pitigliano. The wine of the region has few rivals, which you may enjoy a glass with your lunch of Tuscan specialties at an inviting local ristorante.

Discover the ancient Jewish ghetto on Via Zuccarelli and see why Pitigliano is referred to as "Little Jerusalem". During your free time exploring the town, you may visit the Jewish Ghetto and its synagogue that was built in 1598.  See centuries-old underground rooms carved from tuffa rock that served as an ancient wine cellar, an Azzime Bakery, and other aspects of the everyday life of Pitigliano’s Jewish community from the 15th century.

• Admission tickets to visit "La Piccola Gerusalemme" / Little Jerusalem cost approximately 5 Euros per person. The site is closed on Saturdays, Jewish holidays, and Christmas Day.
• Find out more about Pitigliano’s history, and learn why it’s referred to as Little Jerusalem at the bottom of this page.

You may also book a local English-speaking Licensed Tour Guide for a 2-hour private guided tour of Pitigliano, and discover this remarkable town's rich history and culture with a knowledgeable local guide that we can book for you. Let us know if you are interested in a Private Tour Guided Tour of Pitigliano, and we will gladly provide you with Guided Tour Fees and booking information.

Following your visit and lunch in Pitigliano, you will join your driver for a short drive to your next destination: Sovana.

SOVANA

Sovana is a delightful boutique tuffaceous village comprised of butterscotch medieval stone buildings and terracotta brick pavement laid out in the traditional herringbone pattern. Sovana’s charming Piazza del Pretorio is considered among Italy’s top 100 most beautiful squares boasting the 8th-century church of Santa Maria, the picturesque Palazzetto dell’Archivio, the Loggia del Capitano, and Palazzo del Pretorio.

On one farthest end of Sovana, you will discover the 11th-century Romanesque and Gothic Cathedral of St Peter, well regarded for its sculptural decoration and architecturally harmonious interior. The cathedral’s intricate marble doorway is adorned with mysteriously symbolic motifs associated with medieval spiritualism. 

On the other farthest end of the village, you will see the ruins of the Aldobrandesca Fortress which was part of the village’s defense walls.

• Learn more about Sovana by reading further below.

Following your visit in this charming village, you will once again join your driver at approximately 3:00 PM  for a relaxing drive through the Tuscan countryside back to your cruise ship in Civitavecchia, with an estimated arrival between 4:30 - 5 PM.

Thank you for booking our Pitigliano and Sovana Tuscany excursion from Civitavecchia and for choosing Stefano’s RomeCabs for your Italy private excursions.  We look forward to seeing you in Italy soon!

Important Information

PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION BELOW AND ACCEPT THE   TERMS OF SERVICE  AND PRIVACY POLICY BEFORE BOOKING.
 

PAYMENT OPTIONS

Payment for this Pitigliano and Sovana Shore Excursion can be made in EUROS directly to your driver on the Date of Tour, or prepaid in advance via PayPal or Credit Card online when you confirm your Tour.

If you wish to PREPAY you may do so online when CONFIRMING your BOOKING by SELECTING your preferred option of payment.

CANCELLATION POLICY

We kindly ask that cancellations be made at minimum 7 days prior to Date of Tour.

Cancellations must be made via email and confirmed by our office staff so we have your cancellation request on record. We do not accept cancellations by telephone, text message, or 3rd party.

** Cancelations for PREPAID SERVICES will be refunded the Net Rate we receive from your prepayment.  Net Rate: actual service price minus PayPal/Credit Card fees retained by PayPal/Credit Card as they do not reimburse us the fees they retain from your payment.

YOUR PITIGLIANO AND SOVANA TOUR DRIVER

This Pitigliano and Sovana Shore Excursion from Civitavecchia provides an English-speaking Private Driver who is not a Licensed Tour Guide.

Italy's laws prevent Drivers from acting as guides and accompanying guests away from the vehicle to sightsee. Only licensed tour guides are lawfully authorized to accompany guests to sightsee on foot.  Drivers can provide basic touristic information while at the vehicle, but drivers are obliged to remain with the vehicle while guests sightsee on foot.

On this tour, you will SELF-TOUR on your own while you visit the towns.

PRIVATE GUIDED TOUR OF PITIGLIANO

Upon request, we can reserve a local English-speaking Licensed Tour Guide for a 2-Hour informative private guided tour of Pitigliano. 

If interested in reserving a private tour guide for your Pitigliano visit please let us know via Email and we will gladly provide you with tour guide fees and information.

MEETING POINT AT CIVITAVECCHIA CRUISE PORT

For Shore Excursions from Civitavecchia, your private driver will meet you on the Pier next to your Ship at your scheduled pick-up time holding a sign with the NAME in your reservation.

Please do NOT leave the ship area, and do NOT take a shuttle bus outside the port.

Look for the driver in the same area as ALL private drivers will be waiting for their clients.

ADMISSION TICKETS to Places of Interest in Pitigliano and Sovana:

 Admission tickets to visit "La Piccola Gerusalemme" / Little Jerusalem: 5 EUROS per person. 
The site is closed on Saturdays, Jewish holidays, and Christmas Day.

 Museum of Orsini Palace in Pitigliano:  5 EUROS Per Person

Cathedral of St. Peter in Sovana - 2.50 EURO Per Person
(Or, Combo Ticket at 6 EUROS Per Person for both Orsini Palace in Pitigliano and St Peter in Sovana)

*** 1 TICKET for 2 ENTRANCES: 6 EUROS Per Person (Ask at the reception of the Orsini Palace Museum)

• Museum of Orsini Palace (Pitigliano)
• Cathedral of Saint Peter (Sovana)

St Peter Cathedral in Sovana: Openings Hour in the afternoon are 14:30 - 19:00 
In January & February, the Cathedral is open only on Saturday and Sunday

** TICKET PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE AND CANNOT BE GUARANTEED

A BRIEF HISTORY OF PITIGLIANO:

Pitigliano’s history is too vast to cover in a brief history description. It is notable to mention that Pitigliano was an important settlement since the Neolithic era 10,000 years ago and continued on through the Bronze age into the Etruscan civilization when it grew into a thriving Etruscan community around 500 BC before it fell under the rule of the Roman Empire.

The first mention of the town’s name was in the year 1061 during the Middle Ages. By the 13th century,  Pitigliano was ruled by the Aldobrandeschi family. The Renaissance era saw the town’s splendor grow under the governance of the noble Roman family Orsini and later the Medici dynasty leaving behind a legacy of impressive architecture.

The Orsini fortress that was erected to defend the town as well as Palazzo Orsini are now museums that can be visited. The grand Medici Aqueduct which was used to transport water into the center of town has become the symbol of Pitigliano.

PITIGLIANO: LITTLE JERUSALEM

 
Pitigliano is also regarded as Little Jerusalem (Piccola Gerusalemme) due to the large Jewish population that settled here during the 15th century to escape persecution in Rome during the Counter-reformation. They transformed one of the caves into a Passover matzoh bakery, the “forno delle azzime”, and transformed other caves into a wine cellar, a ritual bath for women, and a Kosher butcher shop. Their Christian neighbors also helped them escape the Nazis.

In Pitigliano, you will also find a traditional local sweet in the shape of a baton named “Sfratto di Pitigliano”, or the “Eviction of Pitigliano”. Although a delicious combination of walnuts, honey, nutmeg, orange peel, and anise inside a crisp doughy shell, its origin comes from a bitter history.  In the early 1600s, Cosimo II de Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, enacted an edict forcing the Jews of Sovana, Sorano, and Pitigliano to leave their homes and move into the ghetto of Pitigliano. A century later, the Jews of Pitigliano created this special delicacy to commemorate the eviction that was announced by messengers who knocked on their doors with sticks.

 BRIEF HISTORY OF SOVANA

Sovana’s unique heritage also traces back to pre-history when it was a simple settlement as far back as the Neolithic Age to the Bronze Age. Eventually, this area was settled by the ancient Etruscan civilization that once thrived in this region of Italy made evident by the distinct Etruscan Necropolis located nearby.  Later, when the ancient Romans conquered the Etruscans, the village became a Roman colony named Suana.

When you arrive in Sovana you’ll feel as if you’ve entered the pages of a fairy tale book set in the Middle Ages. Built on only a half a mile tuff spur, Sovana grew into an important center during the middle ages, became the local bishop’s seat, and over the centuries it was ruled by important lords of Tuscany from the Aldobrandeschi to Orsini and the Medici.

Sovana survived wars, sackings, and eventually, depopulation and abandonment due to pestilence. Today, this quiet and charming hamlet is an exceptional example of a well-preserved medieval village.