What to see in Orvieto in a day
Discover what to see and visit in one day in Orvieto. With its magnificent Duomo, spectacular underground caves and beautiful medieval buildings, you will love this charming hill town in Umbria.
Orvieto is a magical city in the north of Umbria, Italy, and close to the border with Tuscany and Lazio. Originally an Etruscan settlement known as Velzna or Volsinii, it occupies a defensive position atop a volcanic plug of tufa rock, with steeps sides and excellent views over the Paglia valley.
The Etruscans built extensive underground tunnels and chambers in the soft tufa rock beneath the city, and some of these are still accessible today. In the Middle Ages, Orvieto became a powerful city-state thanks to its strategic position in a landscape rife with violence and rapidly changing alliances. It is also next to the main pilgrim route from Northern Europe to Rome, so benefited from the flow of pilgrims and merchants.
During the renaissance Orvieto had close ties to the papacy, serving as a refuge for popes during times of political unrest. Pope Urban IV established his residence in Orvieto in the 13th century and is credited with instituting the Feast of Corpus Christi, which originated from a Eucharistic miracle said to have occurred in the city.
Today, Orvieto is a popular tourist destination known for its stunning architecture, historical sites, and delicious cuisine, including its renowned Orvieto Classico wine. Orvieto's history is a fascinating tapestry woven with layers of Etruscan, medieval, and Renaissance influences, making it a captivating destination.
Orvieto's Cable Car
Whether you reach Orvieto by train or by car, it is best to start your visit from the Railway Station at the bottom of Orvieto's steep hill. You can park here for free if you come by car and then walk to the city's little telepherique which will carry up to the city itself in a charming and vintage carriage.
The ride costs 5 euro, takes 5 minutes and will bring you onto the city's plateau, from where you can easily walk around the city, or take a taxi if you prefer.
Tickets for Orvieto's attractions
It's a great idea to buy an Orvieto Carta Unica, a ticket that will allow you entrance to all of Orvieto's main sights. You can buy one online here: Orvieto Carta Unica.
1. Visit il Pozzo di San Patrizio (St. Patrick's Well)
From Piazza Cahen, the square where the cable car arrives, it's worth turning briefly away from the city in front of you and heading to visit the impressive Pozzo di San Patrizio, an impressive Renaissance well, designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. It has a double helix staircase designed to allow donkeys to travel in both directions, carrying water up and then re-descending to refill their containers.
2. Duomo di Orvieto
After your visit walk into town to Piazza del Duomo and visit the stunning Orvieto Cathedral, known for its striking facade, intricate frescoes, and beautiful interior.
Work on the Cathedral was started in 1290, reputedly by Arnolfo di Cambio, the very same fellow who built the base of the Duomo in Florence, then leaving the problem of the enormous dome needed to cover it to a later generation and the genius of Brunelleschi.
Several other architects (for want of a better word for this designer-craftsmen of the middle ages) were charged with carrying on the work on Orvieto's Cathedral. Lorenzo Maitani from Siena is responsible for much of the Cathedral's appearance today though the work was unfinished when he died in 1330. After this date a series of sculptors were charged with different parts of the facade which may well account for its intricate and interesting appearance - one can find endless humour in the faces and scenes depicted in the carved stone facade.
If you haven't bought a Carta Unica, you will need a ticket to visit the Cathedral, you can buy them in Piazza Duomo nº 25, opposite the Cathedral itself.
Make sure you see two chapels in the church, Cappella di San Brizio and Cappella del Corporale.
The Cappella di San Brizio is remarkable for the beautiful frescoes by Beato Angelico and by Luca Signorelli, who painted these scenes of the Last Judgement. The lower section of the chapel is Luca Signorelli's work and is said to have inpired Michelangelo in his work on the Sistine Chapel.
3. Stroll to Piazza della Repubblica
After your underground explorations, wander through the charming streets of Orvieto's historic center, taking in the picturesque architecture and lively atmosphere. You'll pass a number of places you might like to stop at along your way:
Torre del Maurizio
As you leave Piazza del Duomo, have a look at Torre del Maurizio, an interesting church tower, built between 1347 and 1348 to mark the daily work shifts of the cathedral workers. Today it is the oldest time-keeping automaton still existing and functioning today, a self-propelled work of extraordinary effect. The bronze automaton statue is connected to the chronometer below, at the stroke of every hour it strikes the bell with an iron hammer.
Impossible to see from the ground, an amusing exchange of words is engraved on the automaton and the bell. One, along the belt worn by the automaton, reads: "Da te a me, campana, furo i pati: tu per gridar et io per far i fati" which roughly translates as: From you to me, bell, was the agreement: for you to shout and I to do the deed; the other on the crown of the bell, warns him in response: "Se vuoi ch'attenga i pati, dammi piano. Se no io cassirò e darà invano" or If you want me to deliver what was agreed, strike me gently. Otherwise I will break and your work will be in vain.
Torre del Moro
This striking tower is at the heart of the city, on the crossroads between Corso Cavour, and Via del Duomo. Unlike the Torre del Maurizio which is rarely open to the public, this tower can be climbed to a spectacular terrace with beautiful views of the city and the surrounding landscape.
Next to the tower is the beautiful Palazzo dei Sette, named in medieval times because it housed the seven judges who represented the major corporations and trades of Orvieto.
By now it's probably time for lunch, so why not stop at a local restaurant?
Trattoria la Palomba, in Via Cipriano Manente, 16, a charming and typical Trattoria named after the 'Palomba', another name for dove, often eaten when the city was under siege. Today you'll find classic pasta dishes, including one with wild boar sauce which is delicious.
or in Giovanni's garden restaurant in Via di Piazza del Popolo, 9. Ristorante il Giardino da Giovanni has plenty of truffle based dishes and other local specialities.
4. Explore underground Orvieto
The inhabitants of this volcanic tufa plug have been digging tunnels in the soft rock for millennia and it's well worth visiting some of the network of tunnels, olive-oil mills wine cellars, shelters and even, more recently, WWII bomb shelters.
A section of these underground tunnels can be visited by going on a tour that starts from Piazza del Duomo, 23, close to the Cathedral, with a company called Orvieto Underground .
Website: orvietounderground.it
You can also visit Adrian's Labyrinth, a network of caves discovered by the owners of the restaurant above, and gradually explored and then opened to the public. The eponymous restaurant is in Via della Pace, 26.
Website: labirintodiadriano.com
Best villa near Orvieto, Umbria
The best way to explore Orvieto and the nearby area is to stay in a villa in the area. Villa Cervajola is a beautiful historic villa, once a hunting lodge, just a short distance outside Orvieto, with a private pool and wonderful gardens.
