Parco urbano dell'antichissima Citta' di Sutri, Regional park in Sutri, Italy
The Parco urbano dell'antichissima Città di Sutri is a protected area on the edge of Sutri, a small town in the province of Viterbo in central Italy, combining volcanic tufa rock, gardens, and woodland. The park runs along a natural ravine that exposes the rock and links several archaeological sites along a single route.
Sutri was an important settlement along the Via Cassia in ancient times, used first by the Etruscans and later by the Romans, both of whom left marks carved into the tufa rock. The park was set up in 1988 to protect these remains and make them accessible to visitors.
The park sits next to the ancient amphitheater of Sutri, carved directly into the rock and still open to visit today. Walking through, you pass caves, tombs, and niches cut into the soft tufa stone that show traces of the people who lived here long before.
The park is within easy walking distance of Sutri's town center, making it simple to combine with a visit to the town itself. Sturdy footwear is a good idea, as some sections of the path run over uneven tufa rock and dip into shaded, sometimes slippery stretches.
Inside the park stands a small early Christian church, the Madonna del Parto, built inside an Etruscan tomb chamber carved into the tufa rock around the 8th or 9th century. It is one of the few churches in Italy that sits entirely below the level of the surrounding ground.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
