The Etruscans built their houses of wood and mud brick, which is why so few survive, and they built their tombs of rock, which is why we know them best through their dead. The Banditaccia necropolis at Cerveteri, north-west of Rome, is a city of tombs: great round tumuli covered in grass, cut into the volcanic tufa and laid out along streets, with chambers inside carved to look like houses, with beds, chairs, columns and beams. The necropolis, together with the painted tombs of Tarquinia further north, was listed by UNESCO in 2004, and walking its lanes is one of the most atmospheric experiences in central Italy.
The Tomb of the Reliefs is the most famous, its walls decorated with carved and painted household objects, tools, weapons and animals, as if the family wanted to take their whole home into the next life. The ancient city of Caere, which these tombs served, was one of the most powerful Etruscan cities, trading across the Mediterranean, and the finds from its tombs fill museums in Rome and beyond.
The riding around Cerveteri is a mix of busy coast and quieter hills. The Via Aurelia runs along the coast, fast and busy, while inland roads climb into the Monti della Tolfa, with twisting lanes, oak woods, pastures and views over the sea. Lake Bracciano, a volcanic lake to the east, offers a lovely loop with good roads and fine views. Traffic near Rome can be heavy, and Italian driving styles call for alertness.
The modern town of Cerveteri sits right beside the site, with petrol, bars and trattorias a couple of minutes away. Ladispoli, on the coast, is bigger. The town has a small museum in its medieval castle and a pleasant historic centre, and the local wine, Cerveteri DOC, is a good match for the hearty cooking of northern Lazio: pasta with wild boar, roast meats and grilled vegetables.
April and October are the gentlest months, with fewer school groups among the tombs. Summer can be hot and dry, and the tombs offer welcome shade. Wander among the tumuli in the late afternoon, when the light softens and the cicadas sing, and step down into a tomb carved like a home, where an Etruscan family hoped to spend eternity together.