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The geographical area which currently includes the administrative borders of three regions – Umbria, Latium and Tuscany – was really a homogeneous area in ancient times, and the beating heart of Etruria. The trait d'union of these lands, besides the events that marked the history and the government affairs of this territory, is first and foremost their natural origin: the presence of Pliocene clay dating back to over two million years ago in the valleys and the low hills; the sandstone, going uphill, and the volcanic rocks further up, amongst which the tufa and basalt stones, whether crumbly or compact, the result of the many eruptions of the Vulsini volcanic apparatus, approximately 400 thousand years ago. The structure and chemical composition of those soils and the soft slope of the medium height hills, made cultivations easy and profitable over the centuries, especially grapes and olives. The landscape that resulted is pleasant, populated and... scented, depending on the season! This winding itinerary starting from Orvieto and going through cultivated fields and rural towns will lead you across the border between Umbria and Latium to reach Civita di Bagnoregio's Valley of Calanchi.
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