Long before the days of Rome's greatness, Italy was the home of a people far advanced in civilization the Etruscans, or Tyrrhenians. These people rose to prosperity and power, then almost vanished from recorded history, leaving unsolved many questions about their origin and culture.
As early as 1000 BC they were living in Italy in an area that was roughly equivalent to modern Tuscany, from the Tiber River north almost to the Arno River. Later their rule embraced a large part of western Italy, including Rome that under the new domination became very important.
 

 Nevertheless, the Etruscans had established a thriving commercial and agricultural civilization. Characteristic of their artistic achievements are the wall frescoes and realistic terra-cotta portraits found in their tombs. Their religion employed elaborately organized cults and rituals, including the extensive practice of divination. 

 For tourists fond of Etruscan history, during his holidays in Maremma can not miss a visit to the "villages of tufo": Pitigliano, Sovana and Sorano. They are located in the heart of Maremma, outside the routes of mass tourism. 
In Pitigliano each lane of the city center shows clearly the structure of medieval streets and houses, but what is under the ground is the really interesting part. It is a second city with interconnected streets, multi-level wells and tombs. Pitigliano is also known as "Little Jerusalem", because since medieval times it hosted a large Jewish community (currently composed of a few people). It has always been an example of integration, which is still alive in the Ghetto with the Synagogue, where many couples come to get married from all over the world. 
A few kilometers from Pitigliano there is Sovana, a small architectural wonder. It seems impossible that such a small village, crossed by a single road, was once a town, headquarters of a large county, birthplace of a Pope. Nearby there are a famous necropolis and several Etruscan tombs, such as the Tomb of Ildebranda and the Tomb of the Siren. 
To close your Etruscan journey, visit Sorano, the oldest of the "villages of tufo". It looks like an eagle nest perched on a high spur of volcanic rock called Sasso Leopoldino, in precarious balance between rock and dense vegetation. 
All around, among Pitigliano, Sovana and Sorano, the "vie cave": a maze of walkways rock tracks dug into the rock by the Etruscans for about twenty meters. They are about three meters wide. What mystery is hidden in these colossal corridors? What has been achieved? What was their function? A sure answer hasn't been found yet. 
A trip to the "villages of tufo" will not only enable you to discover three beautiful and ancient little towns, but also to immerse yourselves in a sense of mystery that surrounds the entire area.