Cerveteri is a municipality in the metropolitan city of Rome overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is a tourist center of great importance, above all thanks to the Necropolis of Banditaccia, a precious testimony of the Etruscan passage through the territory. Cerveteri was in fact the famous Etruscan Kysry, in Roman Caere, the ancient city that stood at the foot of the Sabatino volcano. Caere, between the VII-VI BC, was one of the most important cities on the coast and had three ports: Alisium (Palo), Punicum (Santa Marinella) and Pyrgi (Santa Severa), which guaranteed trade with the Mediterranean area . Its history is deeply linked to that of Tarquinia: both in fact had political and commercial dominance over the coastal areas and inland territories during the period of Etruscan domination. Under the Roman Empire the city fell into ruin, and starting from the 13th century the problems caused by malaria and the incursions of pirates and Saracens began; the population left the city to move further inland, to Ceri. After a few decades some inhabitants decided to return to Cerveteri.
The city of Cerveteri hosts a rich historical and artistic heritage made up of ancient buildings and wonderful churches. Furthermore, there is the Cerite National Museum, which is located in the 16th century fortress donated by the Ruspoli family to the municipality of Cerveteri. It is spread over two levels and houses interesting collections of finds and funerary objects from the nearby Etruscan necropolises: funerary furnishings, vases, containers, buccheri, decorated jugs and various artefacts.