Again, like the rest of Tuscany, the town is perfectly preserved at its medieval peak. But the town is a bit depressing feeling, somewhat empty and dark. You can easily spend an hour walking around town, around the walls and gates and up through the narrow brick roads. It's also got a cathedral to go with its bishop, but it's not particularly interesting. It's brick and dark like the rest of the town. The other big strike against the town is alabaster. I didn't know what alabaster was before I came here, but I sure do now. It's a translucent white stone that Volterra made famous. It's a pretty stone, but the way to emphasize the translucence is to light it from inside and see the glow of the stone. This can easily become a very kitsch exercise, and as you pass the hundreds of alabaster workshops with displays lining the streets, you'll be amazed at the variety of tacky objects can be carved with alabaster and set alight.