Orvieto: the city built on tuff rock
Orvieto is one of the most striking, memorable, and enjoyable hill towns in central Italy. Less than 90 minutes from Rome, Orvieto sits majestically high above the valley floor atop a big chunk of tufo volcanic stone, overlooking cypress-dotted Umbrian plains. A visit here will reward you with a delightful, perfectly preserved, and virtually traffic-free world highlighted by a colorful-inside-and-out cathedral and some of Italy's best wine.
Orvieto has two distinct parts: the old-town hilltop and the dull new town below. All travelers start at the bottom, where train passengers disembark and drivers can leave their cars for free. Visitors can then drive or take an elevator or escalator to the medieval upper town. But the preferred mode is joining the locals to climb the town's natural fortress hill on the slick funicular, which deposits riders about a 10 minute walk from the heart of town.
Orvieto: the city built on tuff rock
Orvieto is one of the most striking, memorable, and enjoyable hill towns in central Italy. Less than 90 minutes from Rome, Orvieto sits majestically high above the valley floor atop a big chunk of tufo volcanic stone, overlooking cypress-dotted Umbrian plains. A visit here will reward you with a delightful, perfectly preserved, and virtually traffic-free world highlighted by a colorful-inside-and-out cathedral and some of Italy's best wine.
Orvieto has two distinct parts: the old-town hilltop and the dull new town below. All travelers start at the bottom, where train passengers disembark and drivers can leave their cars for free. Visitors can then drive or take an elevator or escalator to the medieval upper town. But the preferred mode is joining the locals to climb the town's natural fortress hill on the slick funicular, which deposits riders about a 10 minute walk from the heart of town.