Is Volterra worth it on a Sunday?

Ever since I did a week in Florence (and touring the area) a few years ago and saw Volterra sitting high on its perch while on a tour to Sienna, San Gemigniano and Pisa, I've wanted to go there.

BUT one of the main reasons is the cathedral. Which as I understand it is closed to tourists on Sundays. And from exploring other tour information sites a LOT of the stuff in Volterra is closed on Sunday.

And guess what day the Brilliance is in port at Livorno?

SUNDAY.

So what are your thoughts if you've been to Volterra - is it worth visiting on a Sunday even if you can't enter the cathedral? The tour that includes it also includes San Gemigniano and lunch at a winery - both of which were included on the tour I did a few years ago, so I'm not dying to go there (I would prefer to see new things rather than going over old ground).

I'm really at a loss as to what to do that day having hit everything in Florence, having done Pisa, and having done the general Tuscany area. There is a tour offered to Cirque Terre which sounds awesome except the afternoon spent at a mall. There's a beach day which sounds awesome for relaxing, especially since I leave the last day of the school year - but it's a couple of hours in Pisa. I'm pretty much down to a winery tour (meh) or this one that includes Volterra which seems to be boarded up on Sundays.

(And no, I've looked at private tours and they are all out of my budget. I'm solo and don't want to get stuck on a shared tour where I'd have zero say in anything.)

I've not been to Volterra on a Sunday. But I was curious (since most areas of Italy that are tourist destinations have quite a few things open on Sundays) and did a little research. So far I have not seen anything that would indicate the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is closed to visitors on Sundays. Now IF there were a service going on and a large group of tourists arrived, it's possible they would have to wait (or not go in), but I don't think it's closed....

Also, I did not find a lot of other things closed. Most museums appear to be open, including the terrific Etruscan Museum.

Maybe you can post where you saw the info about the Cathedral being closed?

Regarding private tours, it is entirely possible to be the "organizer" and set up your own private tour, then recruit others to join. I've done this several times (as a solo). As the organizer, you set the program with the operator, then it's up to you to accurately communicate to others. If it doesn't end up being a "go" you could always use this as a fallback option.

The RCCL description states that the cathedral is closed on Sundays and during other special services.

The RCCL description states that the cathedral is closed on Sundays and during other special services.

Ah, then perhaps it is closed to large tour groups. If you have any free time, you may be able to go in on your own.

Ah, then perhaps it is closed to large tour groups. If you have any free time, you may be able to go in on your own.

Churches do ban tourist groups and guiding during services. But it is perfectly ok for anyone to go in respectfully. The thing to do is sit on a pew for a bit and, then, at the end of the service quietly walk around and look at the cathedral. Keep the picture taking at a minimum.

Ever since I did a week in Florence (and touring the area) a few years ago and saw Volterra sitting high on its perch while on a tour to Sienna, San Gemigniano and Pisa, I've wanted to go there.

 

BUT one of the main reasons is the cathedral. Which as I understand it is closed to tourists on Sundays. And from exploring other tour information sites a LOT of the stuff in Volterra is closed on Sunday.

 

And guess what day the Brilliance is in port at Livorno?

 

SUNDAY.

 

So what are your thoughts if you've been to Volterra - is it worth visiting on a Sunday even if you can't enter the cathedral? The tour that includes it also includes San Gemigniano and lunch at a winery - both of which were included on the tour I did a few years ago, so I'm not dying to go there (I would prefer to see new things rather than going over old ground).

 

I'm really at a loss as to what to do that day having hit everything in Florence, having done Pisa, and having done the general Tuscany area. There is a tour offered to Cirque Terre which sounds awesome except the afternoon spent at a mall. There's a beach day which sounds awesome for relaxing, especially since I leave the last day of the school year - but it's a couple of hours in Pisa. I'm pretty much down to a winery tour (meh) or this one that includes Volterra which seems to be boarded up on Sundays.

 

(And no, I've looked at private tours and they are all out of my budget. I'm solo and don't want to get stuck on a shared tour where I'd have zero say in anything.)

This makes me laugh. You are worried about it having any say on a shared tour (presumably with ~ 8 people) but are okay with a huge ship tour (~50)????

This makes me laugh. You are worried about it having any say on a shared tour (presumably with ~ 8 people) but are okay with a huge ship tour (~50)????

Because the big draw people scream about being the advantage of private tours is that you can customize. You know going in that ship tours are set. I've had friends who did "shared" private tours and got outvoted on spur of the moment itinerary changes someone NOT the group organizer proposed. That is why I would never do a shared tour - too much chance of having others "pull rank". At least with a ship tour you know what you will do.

Because the big draw people scream about being the advantage of private tours is that you can customize. You know going in that ship tours are set. I've had friends who did "shared" private tours and got outvoted on spur of the moment itinerary changes someone NOT the group organizer proposed. That is why I would never do a shared tour - too much chance of having others "pull rank". At least with a ship tour you know what you will do.

Interesting. I've been on a number of shared excursions and I've never had anybody try to change the plan at the last minute, although I guess I can see how it could happen. And who knows, maybe the changes are for the better! I think there's just as much chance of that is having it be a negative

Interesting. I've been on a number of shared excursions and I've never had anybody try to change the plan at the last minute, although I guess I can see how it could happen. And who knows, maybe the changes are for the better! I think there's just as much chance of that is having it be a negative

In these cases my friends had selected that tour for what it did not include specifically but others signed onto the tour and convinced the organizer and others that the place excluded should be included. And because it was the day-of my friends were stuck going somewhere they had never wanted to go.

In these cases my friends had selected that tour for what it did not include specifically but others signed onto the tour and convinced the organizer and others that the place excluded should be included. And because it was the day-of my friends were stuck going somewhere they had never wanted to go.

That would be a disaster for me -- I carefully plan what I want to do in each port. Not cool.

However, if I had been the organizer, I probably would have stood up pretty vociferously for the fact that this is the tour I had organized, and if they had wanted a different tour then they should have arranged something else!

I do have to say that I think this kind of "hijacking" must be pretty rare. I've pretty much lived on these boards for the last decade (in the course of taking 8 Med cruises) and I've only heard one or two complaints about it.