Le Balze – Volterra’s dramatic crags

The countryside around Volterra is one of gentle, undulating hills, interrupted in the west by the wild and awe-inspiring spectacle of abrupt crevasses known as Le Balze, “the Crags”. Over the centuries, these deep gullies, created by the continual erosion of layers of sand and clay, have swallowed up fortifications, churches and settlements. The Etruscan walls that once stood here were casualties of a landslide, as were early Christian tombs. Today an 11th-century abbey, the Badia, sits on a precipice, awaiting its inevitable fate. For the perfect view of this dramatic landscape, exit through the western San Francesco Gate, passing the Borgo San Giusto until you reach Le Balze (a 20-minute walk).

Web: www.volterratur.it