Saturnia

Saturnia is a tiny but pretty stone hilltop village in southern Tuscany, right along the Lazio border. It was an important merchant town on the ancient via Clodio trade route, that connected Rome with the colonies in Etruria, the Etruscan areas that the Roman Empire had conquered. There are still portions of the old protective walls that once encircled the town, along with four gateways, the best preserved of which is the Porta Romana.

The compact historic center is charming with stone buildings and a pretty piazza, with views looking out over the rolling countryside.

While Saturnia is a cute town, it's best known for its nearby hot springs and for the Etruscan necropoli found sprinkled abundantly throughout the region. The vie cave Etruscan pathway network is a fascinating outing in the area, too.