Roman Villa of the Grotte

The Roman Villa delle Grotte is one of the luxurious maritime villas that dotted all the islands of the Tuscan archipelago, built by noble members of Rome's aristocratic classes for rest and recreation from the political commitments of the capital. The building, on two levels and overlooking the splendid gulf of Portoferraio, was built by members of the powerful Valerii family at the end of the 1st century BC. The Villa delle Grotte was the subject of a lengthy research project conducted by the University of Siena in collaboration with the Archaeological Superintendency of Tuscany and the Municipality of Portoferraio that led to the genesis of one of the most significant and exciting archaeological areas in the Tuscan Archipelago.