Strolling Through Volterra, Italy

In medieval times, Italian towns like Volterra were truly city-states — they were fiercely independent and relatively democratic. Then, for centuries, the rest of the world passed them by — in a sense, preserving them in amber. Visiting as a traveler today, there's so much to see and learn…if you know where to look.

Be there: Spend two nights in Volterra on a Rick Steves Heart of Italy tour