Explore Italy: Orvieto

Orvieto, the old city perched on a rocky hilltop with views of Umbria that make castles look like little specks. Orvieto is reached by funicular or car, either one good for a little thrill.

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Orvieto in a nutshell

Location: Umbria, Italy

Best known for: Being a city on a hill, once an almost impregnable establishment

Days needed to explore: 1+ - While Orvieto can be done in a day, say from Rome, I think it has enough to offer to warrant spending at least one night here.

What to see and do:

Duomo di Orvieto (The outside itself is stunning; paid entrance)
Pozzo di San Patrizio (Well of St. Patrick, 175ft / 53m deep; paid entrance)
Orvieto Underground (can only be seen by guided tour, there are 1200 tunnels carved into the tuff, or volcanic rock on which the city rests.)
Etruscan Necropolis (just a 2,500 year old cemetery; paid entrance)
Climb the Torre del Moro (paid entrance)
Ruins of Etruscan Temple of Belvedere

Established: Inhabited by the Etruscans and known as Velzna until the 3rd century BC when it was taken by the Romans. Orvieto became a full functioning city/state by 1200 AD.

Typical foods to try:

Look for dishes that include regional specialties, such as black truffle di Norcia, pork, pigeon, and pasta made in house.

Gallina ‘mbriacata (drunk chicken) - best if consumed with certain wines, such as Montefalco Rosso, Chianti, Sangiovese, and the like, since the chicken is often cooked in one of these wines
Frittata al tartufo bianco (white truffle frittata)
Lumachelle all’Orvietana (savory bread shaped like a snail)
Zuppa di ceci e castagne (chickpea and chestnut soup)
Umbrichelli (egg pasta made with wine in the shape of a thick spaghetti) - try it with a mushroom and boar ragù or a truffle Amatriciana
Wine: Try Orvieto Classico and Orvietano Rosso
L’Orvietan (local liquor made with more than 25 herbs including rhubarb!)

Why I like Orvieto

Orvieto made the itinerary when my family went on our first European adventure in 2014. Being on this large tuft of lava rock (called tuff), it offers delightful views of the surrounding region of Umbria, including other little towns and castles. While it is accessible by car, taking the funicular up is super fun! At the top near where you get off the funicular there is an area by the wall with lots of cats. A cat park. If you sit around long enough enjoying the views, you might see the old ladies come and feed the cats. Here, kitty kitty!

There is more to Orvieto than meets the eye. Underneath your feet as you walk around the city are more than 1,200 tunnels dug out of the tuff by the Etruscans. It makes you feel really secure that the city isn’t going to cave in or anything while you’re up there. The tunnels can only be seen by guided tour, and while I’m normally a see-but-don’t-pay-to-go-in type traveler, I’m really glad my dad convinced me to do the tour with him. My dad also decided to go to the barber while we were in Orvieto. He doesn’t speak Italian and I don’t recall the barber being able to speak English, but being my dad, he somehow not only went for it, but managed to come out with what my mom calls to this day “the best haircut he’s ever had.”

We spent 3 days/2 nights in Orvieto in a cute little hotel where the owner would make you a cappuccino or other coffee every morning. After visiting bustling London, Paris, Florence, and Rome being next on the agenda, Orvieto was a breath of fresh air and nice to see a bit of a smaller Italian city.

I also got my first taste of Italian customer service while here. One of the days I decided on a sandwich for lunch, and since I seemed to be the only hungry one in my family got to pick out this little butcher/lunch place. There was only one man behind the counter and he was on the phone the entire time. I somehow managed to order a dry pork sandwich (no menu, I don’t even know how I arrived at that) and we split a bottle of Orvieto Classico. While the man was inattentive and the sandwich nothing I’d recommend, that was our first experience with Orvieto Classico, a lovely white wine that we still buy regularly. It’s not expensive, even in the States.

If you’re looking for a break from the big cities but still want a city big enough to explore, Orvieto comes highly recommended!