Orvieto

Sitting high on a volcanic tuff butte, visits to Orvieto are seldom forgotten.

As you travel to Orvieto in the distance you will see the town perched high on the tuff butte, the spires of the catherdal will stand out. This walled town is a scenic town with a great vibe. The cathedral is stunning, the town is full of 13th century buildings, small streets are great to explore and the food in the town is great. On our stays in Umbria we enjoy going into the town for lunch. On previous trips we had a complete set of dishes created for us so we remember Orvieto when we use the dishes for dinners. (Yes the shipping is expensive, but complete place settings for 12 are not going to fit in your luggage!)

You can travel to Orvieto by train and then take the funicular up to the top of the town, or you can drive, and there is a very large parkade with an extensive set up esculators, through the hill, where you emerge out in the upper town.

Like so many of the ancient towns of Umbria, Orvieto's roots go back to Etrucian time as far back as 9 BC. In Roman times, the town was called Urbs Vetus. In Medieval times, the impressive cathedral was built in 1290 to commemorate the miracle at Bolsena, where drops of blood appeared on a consecrated Host. The rich marbel exterior of the cathedral is considered a polychrome masterpiece. The town was able to withstand attacks because of such structures as the Pozzo di San Patrizio, a well built between 1527 and 1530 that provided access to water. It has a unique double-helis staircase you can see.