Cover charges and tipping
by Bunsch
When you are seated at an Italian restaurant, you should anticipate paying "coperto" or a cover charge, assessed on a per person basis. This ranges from something minimal to several euros, presumably depending upon the restaurant although I never analyzed this during our trip. Since the cover charge is intended to compensate the restaurant for the cost of doing business, including the employment of the wait staff, I was told not to apply the American standard of tipping 15% or more of the bill. Rather, the tradition seemed to be to put one's excess change on top of the credit card slip or cash to cover the meal. That sometimes resulted in several euros' "tip" but it would still be a fraction of what I'd pay at home, even if one included the coperto.
Ancient Beauty
by cuckoo
The town of Tarquinia, set high upon a rocky platform, is a 70 minute train ride away from Rome.It was one of 3 major Etruscan cities, the others being present-day Vulci and Civeteri (great wine from here) It is famous for its Etruscan Burial Ground, set on the outskirts of the town. According to legend, the town was founded in the 12C or 13C BC.Standing on the banks of the Marta River, Tarquinia was a busy port and in the 6C BC ruled the coast of Etruria.The town was decimated by malaria in the 4C BC andwas sacked by the Lombards in the 7C AD. The inhabitants then moved to the present site, about a mile to the north east of its original position. The burial ground is set high on a windswept ridge, parrallel with that on which the former Etruscan city stood. I took this picture looking over to the site of the old city. You can still tell, by the lie of the land, how it would have been. There are many tombs at this site, but as they are opened in rotation to protect them, you may not see the same ones as us.
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The necropolis
The most famous sculpture in the museum
Frescoes from Tomb of the Leopard
Tarquinia
