A Complete Guide to Orvieto: The Hidden Gem of Italy

Orvieto, Italy

Have you ever visited a place so striking it it stays firmly rooted in your memory long after your travels? A place so full of happy memories you find yourself daydreaming about it once you’re back home? For me, that is Orvieto, Italy. This enchanting Italian town conjures up everything I imagine Italy to be from it’s cobbled winding streets and towering cathedral to it’s quaint coffee shops and it’s local wine.

Orvieto was never a town that I had planned to visit. I never heard mention of it. All the credit in Italy goes to Rome, Venice, the Amalfi Coast and so on. But perhaps that is part of it’s charm. The day we stumbled upon this gem, there were hardly any other tourists. (Although I hear on summer afternoons, it can be quite busy!)

After spending the last few days in Rome where we were constantly being swarmed by mobs of tourists and aggressive vendors urging you to buy their selfie sticks, this quiet town rich with history was a welcome surprise. We quickly fell in love with Orvieto.

So in short: what makes Orvieto hold such a special place in my heart?

The nearly 3,000 years of history, the beautifully preserved medieval architecture, the famous wine, the striking cathedral and the fact that while it sits high above the valley it is also simultaneously built on a system of underground tunnels. Over 1,200 to be exact. For such a small place, there is so much to take in. It truly is a place to marvel at history, beauty and European culture at it’s finest.

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Visit Orvieto to escape the hustle & bustle of Rome

While Rome can be historically fascinating and a vibrant city to explore, it can also get quite exhausting with the number of tourists in the summer.

My tip: head to the hot spots first thing in the morning. We loved watching the sunrise over the Spanish Steps and it was a relief to have them to ourselves. But during the day when Rome gets hot and crowded, hop on a train and escape to the medieval town of Orvieto just 60 miles away.

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How To Get To Orvieto From Rome?

Of course you could always rent a car and drive to Orvieto but if you’re staying in Rome or Florence, it’s very easily accessible by train.

Orvieto is conveniently located on the Rome-Florence-Milan line which is the main train route connecting the major Italian cities. From Rome it is just over 1 hour and approximately two hours from Florence. Tickets cost anywhere from €7.90 to  €11.92 depending on when you buy. It’s cheaper to purchase them in advance but you can also buy tickets the day of your trip!

Once the train arrives at Piazzale Matteotti in Orvieto Scalo (this is the modern, lower half of town) you can take the cable car up to the medieval city high above you.

Perched High Above On A Tufa Rock

Orvieto sits high above the Italian landscape, perfectly situated on a tufa rock. And what is a tufa rock exactly? It’s a variety of limestone that has formed into a large butte of volcanic tuff.

The city dramatically rises up the steep facade of the rocks giving it the enchanting feel of a fairytale kingdom from a childhood story. Surrounding the city is the defense wall, entirely built from the same stone.

The Orvieto Cable Car 

Just getting up to the rocky medieval hilltop is half the fun! And once you arrive, the old town is free from modern day traffic. So climb aboard the cable car and enjoy the view as you ride this funicular through the tunnel of trees and quickly arrive at the fortress. It’s just a short 2 minute ride and less than €2 for a ticket.

Even the Orvieto transport system is historic, dating back to 1888. But don’t let that discourage you, it really is the best way to get from the modern train station up to the hilltop.

If you ride the cable car back down in the evening, the single track will be lit by side lanterns for an enchanting, ethereal effect.

You will arrive in Piazza Cahen near St. Patrick’s Well and the Ruins of the Etruscan Temple of Belvedere.

What To Do In Orvieto?

• Take in the views overlooking the Umbrian hills
• Visit the main cathedral, Duomo di Orvieto
• Have lunch or a coffee at Enoteca Al Duomo with great views of the main square
• Climb Torre del Moro for the best views of the city
• Explore the Etruscan Orvieto Underground
• Climb down to the bottom of St. Patrick’s Well
• See a show or take a self guided tour at Teatro Mancinelli
• Explore Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo
• Wine Tastings at Cantina Custodi or Cantine Neri
• Take a guided tour
• Explore the artisan shops
• Have a picnic on the fortress wall

Scenic views overlooking the Umbrian hills

Simply wandering the streets of Orvieto will provide a variety beautiful vantage points over the Umbrian hills. With every twist and turn around the city, a new view opens before you to appreciate the gorgeous Italian landscape.

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The Strikingly Impressive Duomo di Orvieto

The highlight of Orvieto is certainly it’s central cathedral, the Duomo di Orvieto. Towering over the medieval square, this impressive building looms over passerbys.

But don’t just observe the outside, for a small fee you can also observe the beautiful (but also strange and unsettlingly) art inside the cathedral.

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Unbeatable views over the city at the Torre del Moro

Built in the late 1200’s to defend the town, this historic tower now provides a beautiful, unobstructed panorama of the winding, medieval streets below, the Duomo di Orvieto and the hills beyond.

Take the small elevator then climb the 236 steps to the top to reward yourself with the best view of the city! The bell tolls every 30 minutes. The climb is easy enough and the sweeping views are not to be missed.

There is a small fee to climb the tower. It’s open daily but closes briefly at lunchtime in winter.

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Explore the Orvieto Underground: Over 1,200 tunnels

Many people are shocked and fascinated to find that Orvieto is built entirely on a complicated (and messy!) cave and tunnel system dating back at least 2,500 years. An entire underground historical labyrinth exists right below the surface of this incredible city.

In fact, due to the sheer volume of underground dwellings, if you are a homeowner in Orvieto, it is likely you have your own private cave.

While most of the Orvieto caves are privately owned, two are open to the public for tours. An intriguing guided tour will lead you through the caves and even into the columbarium rooms which were used for breeding pigeons underground.

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Climb down St. Patrick’s Well

Even today, St. Patrick’s Well impresses modern engineers. Climb the 496 steps down to the bottom and take in the shocking size of this well! 45 feet wide and an impressive 175 feet deep, it was used in the 16th century as a place of refuge for the pope.

With a double winding staircase into the well, the pope could ensure easy access to water high on his hilltop fortress if ever there was a siege. You can see why the phrase “it’s like digging St. Patrick’s Well” is commonly muttered by Italians when asked to complete a challenging task. Building this well was no easy feat!

One of my favorite memories in Orvieto consists of having St. Patrick’s Well to ourselves. We climbed to the bottom and sat far below ground gazing up to the sky in the distance. Since no one else was around, we sat for over an hour talking about life, listening to music and soaking up the atmosphere of this gigantic medieval well.

See a show at Teatro Mancinelli

This stunning historic theater only costs €2 to self tour and will instantly transport you back in time. Best of all? The theater itself is still putting on productions. If you can, pair your visit to Orvieto with a night at the theater.

Self Guided Visits to Teatro Mancinelli

Tour the main floor, orchestra, boxes and private events rooms.

Every day from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm
Ticket entrance: €2 per person

Explore Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo

This beautiful palazzo and adjoining historic square is used by locals and buskers alike. Wander the square or take in the view while you have a coffee

On Thursdays and Saturdays there is a local market that assembles here.

Go Wine Tasting To Try The Famous Classico Wine

Orvieto’s wine region predates Roman times and is still revered around the world today. Primarily known for their white wines, a trip to Orvieto would not be complete without sampling some of the local wines.

An excellent stop for all your wine tasting needs: Cantina Custodi. They offer tours to the cellars and vineyards all year round. Check out their site here. Another great option is Cantine Neri which also offers wine tastings for small or large groups year round. Book a tasting here.

Visit Local Artisan Shops

Aside from their famous cathedral and wine, Orvieto is also known for it’s ceramics. But along the narrow streets of the city, there is no shortage of artisan shops.

Be sure to check out these local ceramic shops:

• La Corte dei Miracoli
• Ceramiche Fusari
• Ceramiche Bellocci

For leather and shoes:

• Federico Badia

For woodworking:

• Bottega Michelangeli

For gifts and art:

• Il Mago di Oz

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How much does a trip to Orvieto cost?

Expect to spend around €15- €20 for round trip train tickets from Rome.

Then depending on your budget, you could splash out and spend a lot on artisan gifts, theater tickets, wine tastings and an expensive dinner. But you could also do a trip to Orvieto for almost nothing. If you’re backpacking Europe, stay at this hostel in Rome and come for just the day!

There is a very small fee (only a few euros) for the following activities:

• The cable car to reach the hilltop
• To climb up Torre Del Moro
• To go inside St. Patrick’s Well
• Entrance inside the cathedral
• Underground cave tour
• Self guided tour of the theater

How much you choose to spend after that is up to you! For dinner, we opted to grab local wine, crackers and cheese at a grocery story (totaling no more than  €10) and had a picnic in the main ruins, Rocca Albornoziana.

Here you can sit on the ledge of the ruins overlooking the hillside. Orvieto is especially quiet (and extra magical!) at night when the tours leave for the day. (It can be a popular day trip in the summer but most miss out by not staying late!) We sat on the cliffside watching the stars come out as we ate cheese and drank wine. It was better than any restaurant!

A quick guide for your trip to Orvieto:

(Screenshot & save!)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BpckeD4FodL/

Shop My Look From Orvieto:

More on Italy: HOW TO VISIT ORVIETO, ITALY ON A BUDGET & HOW TO GET FREE GUIDED TOURS ALL OVER EUROPE

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@thewanderlustrose

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