Sleeping in Civita or Bagnoregio
Eating in Civita or Bagnoregio
While Tuscany is justifiably famous for its many fine hill towns, Umbria, just to the south, has some stellar offerings of its own. Assisi (covered in its own chapter) is a must for nature lovers and Franciscan pilgrims. But if you’re after views, wine, and charming villages, you’ll find Umbria’s best in Orvieto and in Civita di Bagnoregio (which is technically just across the border in Lazio, the same region as Rome). About a 30-minute drive apart, these hill towns—one big, one small—perch high above scenic plains. Pleasant Orvieto is best known for its colorful-inside-and-out cathedral and its fine Orvieto Classico wine. Tiny Civita di Bagnoregio, once my favorite hill town, is now a “dead city”: It’s effectively a museum with a couple of places in which to eat and sleep, perched precariously on a hill pinnacle that you pay to enter. Taken together, Orvieto and Civita make a perfect duet for experiencing what all the hill-town fuss is about.
Orvieto and Civita deserve at least an overnight, although even a few hours in each is enough to sample what they have to offer. Both are also great places to slow down and relax. Stay in one and side-trip to the other (Orvieto has more restaurants and other amenities and is easier to reach, while Civita really lets you get away from it all). The two are connected by a 30-minute drive or a 60-minute bus ride, and Orvieto is conveniently close to Rome (about an hour away by train or expressway).
Just off the freeway and the main train line, Umbria’s grand hill town entices those heading to and from Rome. While no secret, it’s well worth a visit. The town sits majestically on its tufo throne a thousand feet above the valley floor (for more on volcanic tuff, see the sidebar on here).
A few centuries before Christ, Orvieto—then called Velzna—was one of a dozen major Etruscan cities. Some historians believe it may have been a religious center—a kind of Etruscan Mecca (locals are looking for archaeological proof—the town and surrounding countryside are dotted with Etruscan ruins).
Imagine the history: From 900 B.C. to 264 B.C., the town was Etruscan Velzna. After a two-year Roman siege, it was destroyed and the ruins left abandoned for six centuries. Rome fell in A.D. 476, and in the chaos of that power vacuum, with invaders from the north terrorizing the peninsula, people in the valley headed back into the hills in search of safety. They rebuilt over the old Etrusan foundations, and named the settlement Urbs Vetus, meaning “old town” in Latin. Over time, Urbs Vetus became Orvieto.
Orvieto flourished as a Middle Ages regional power. During Orvieto’s glory days—from the 11th to 13th centuries—it was a city-state of about 30,000 people, like Perugia, Assisi, and Siena, and an occasional home to the pope. Today it’s again a small town, with only 5,000 people living in less than a square mile atop its hill, and only half of its 50 churches still active.
Orvieto has three claims to fame: cathedral, Classico wine, and ceramics. Drinking a shot of the local white wine in a ceramic cup as you gaze up at the cathedral lets you experience Orvieto’s three C’s all at once. (Is the cathedral best in the afternoon, when the facade basks in golden light, or early in the morning, when it rises above the hilltop mist? You decide.) Though loaded with tourists by day, Orvieto is quiet by night, and a visit here comes with a wonderful bonus: close proximity to the unforgettable Civita di Bagnoregio (covered later in this chapter).
Orvieto has two distinct parts: the old-town hilltop and the dreary new town below (called Orvieto Scalo). Whether coming by train or car, you first arrive in the nondescript, modern lower part of town. From there you can drive or take the funicular, elevator, or escalator up to the medieval upper town, an atmospheric labyrinth of streets and squares where all the sightseeing action is.
The well-organized TI is on the cathedral square at Piazza del Duomo 24 (Mon-Fri 8:15-13:50 & 16:00-19:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-13:00 & 15:00-18:00, tel. 0763-341-772). The ticket office next door sells combo-tickets and books reservations for Underground Orvieto Tours (tel. 0763-340-688). The TI has several excellent maps: a general city map with current hours for sights, the Anello della Rupe map for a hike around the base of the city, and maps for longer hikes into the countryside.
Combo-Ticket: The €20 Carta Unica combo-ticket covers Orvieto’s top sights (virtually every sight recommended here, including the underground tours) and includes one round-trip on the bus and/or funicular. This is a good value only if you plan to do everything covered. To use the combo-ticket for your funicular ride, buy it on arrival in the lower town—either at the bar or newsstand at the train station, or at a seasonal ticket office in the parking lot (below the station, daily 9:00-16:00, closed Oct-Easter, tel. 0763-302-378). The combo-ticket is also available at the ticket office next to the TI on Piazza del Duomo, as well as at most of the sights it covers.
By Train: The train station is at the foot of the hill the old town sits on. There’s a convenient baggage-check service below and behind the station at the bus parking lot (described later, under “Helpful Hints”). Check at the station for the train schedule to your next destination (schedule also available at the TI or online at www.trenitalia.com).
The easiest way to the top of town is by funicular (runs about every 10 minutes Mon-Sat 7:15-20:30, Sun 8:00-20:30). Exiting the train station, you’ll find the funicular building across the square to the left under the Funicolare sign. Tickets (€1.30, good for 90 minutes, sold inside funicular station) include the minibus from Piazza Cahen at the top of the funicular to Piazza del Duomo. Or buy a Carta Unica combo-ticket (described earlier), which includes the funicular ride.
As you exit the funicular at the top, you’re in Piazza Cahen, located at the east end of the upper town. To your left is a ruined fortress with a garden and a commanding view. Beyond that is a war memorial with more fine views. To your right, down a steep path, is St. Patrick’s Well. Farther to the right is a park with the ruins of an Etruscan temple and another sweeping view.
Just in front of you is the small shuttle bus (usually white or orange) waiting to take you to Piazza del Duomo (included in your funicular ticket; 3-6/hour). The bus fills up fast, but the views from the ruined fortress are worth pausing for—if you miss the bus, you can wait for the next one, or just walk to the cathedral (head uphill on Corso Cavour; after about 10 minutes, take a left at the clock tower onto Via del Duomo). The bus drops you in Piazza del Duomo, just steps from the TI and within easy walking distance of most of my recommended sights and hotels.
If you arrive outside the funicular’s operating hours, you can reach the upper part of town by taxi (see later) or bus to Piazza della Repubblica (buses run roughly 2/hour until midnight, buy €1.30 ticket at bar inside station).
By Car: The huge free parking lot below the train station is by far your best bet for short- and long-term parking (5 minutes off the autostrada; turn right immediately after the autostrada underpass and follow Tour Bus Parking signs). From the parking lot, walk through the station and ride the funicular up the hill (see “By Train,” earlier).
There are several pay options for short-term parking in the center of the hilltop old town (about €1/hour): blue-lined spots on Piazza Cahen; a parking lot on Via Roma northwest of Piazza Cahen; and the Campo della Fiera lot just below the west end of town (from the lot’s top level, walk up into town or ride the escalator—7:00-21:00—or elevator—7:00-24:00; both are free). The private, tree-lined lot with an attendant just beyond Piazza Marconi, next to the cathedral, is best for overnight stays (€12/day). While white lines generally indicate free parking, much of it is marked for residents only. Blue lines require you to buy a “pay and display” slip from a nearby machine.
While you can drive up Via Postierla and Via Roma to reach central parking lots, Corso Cavour and other streets in the old center are closed to traffic and monitored by cameras (look for red lights, and avoid streets marked by a red circle).
By Taxi: Taxis line up in front of the train station and charge about €15 for a ride to the cathedral (a ridiculous price considering the ease and pleasure of the €1.30 funicular/shuttle-bus ride; tel. 0763-301-903).
Info Point Bike Rental and Bag Check: The bright and helpful Info Point, run by Valerio, welcomes visitors just below and behind the train station at the tour bus depot/big free parking lot. They offer free Wi-Fi and some tourist information, rent electronic bikes (€10/half-day, €15/day), and have a secure bag check—the only one in town (9:00-18:00 daily).
Market Days and Festivals: On Thursday and Saturday mornings, Piazza del Popolo becomes a busy farmers’ market. The city’s biggest event is Corpus Domini (June 18 in 2017), a medieval procession and festival celebrating a miraculous relic (described in the Duomo tour on here). Corpus Domini events include flag tossing, concerts, and a giant chess game with costumed people as pieces. Orvieto is also busy during the Umbria Jazz festival (late each December, www.umbriajazz.com).
Bookstore: Mondadori Libreria dei Sette has a small selection of English-language books (daily 9:30-13:00 & 16:00-20:00, next to Torre del Moro at Corso Cavour 85, tel. 0763-344-436).
Laundry: There’s a coin launderette in the lower town, a 10-minute walk from the train station. It’s a long haul from central hotels, and instructions are in Italian only, but workable if desperate (daily 7:00-22:00, Piazza del Commercio, off via Monte Nibbio, mobile 393-758-6120).
Taxi Excursions: Giuliotaxi, run by English-speaking Giulio and his sister, Maria Serena, offers two Civita excursions from Orvieto for Rick Steves readers: to and from Civita with a one-hour wait (€90/car for up to 4 people, €120/minibus for up to 8), or a two-hour visit to Civita and Lake Bolsena (5 hours total, €160/car, €200/minibus, mobile 349-690-6547, giuliotaxi@libero.it). Taxis hang around the Orvieto train station ready to negotiate a little excursion to Civita, likely for a better price than Giuliotaxi.
Car Rental: Hertz has an office 100 yards to the left of the lower funicular station (Via Sette Martiri 32f, tel. 0763-301-303).
Local Guide: Manuela del Turco is good (€120/2.5-hour tour, mobile 333-221-9879, manueladel@virgilio.it). David Tordi organizes custom tours focused on food and culture (€250/half-day, €350/day, tel. 0763-300-491, www.teseotur.com, info@teseotur.com).
Guided Tours: David Tordi and his colleagues offer walking tours of the city center (€12 each; March-Oct Mon, Tue, Fri, and Sat; city center tour at 14:00; buy ticket in advance or just show up, meet at Underground Orvieto ticket office at Piazza Duomo 23, contact information above).
After Dark: In the evening, there’s little going on other than strolling and eating. The big passeggiata scene is down Via del Duomo and Corso Cavour. See here for good places to enjoy the show. Bar Duomo on Largo Barzini off of Via del Duomo is lively late. For chic nightlife, try Mille300 Music&Drinks, a stylish hangout with fancy cocktails and occasional live music. Their mod interior is fitted into an old church (Via dei Gualtieri 2, tel. 0763-340-439).
(See “Orvieto Walk” map, here.)
This quickie L-shaped self-guided walk takes you from the Duomo through Orvieto’s historic center to the ramparts above the original Etruscan part of town, with vast Umbrian views. Each evening, this route is the scene of the local passeggiata.
1 Piazza del Duomo: Start at the cathedral and admire its attention-grabbing facade (see the “Duomo” listing under “Sights in Orvieto” for a full explanation). Imagine how, as World War II raged around Orvieto, the fine reliefs gracing the front of the cathedral were encased in protective tufa walls. (Orvieto and its cathedral were spared destruction, perhaps thanks to a “safe cities” designation by a Nazi general who appreciated the town—or one of its women). As you face the cathedral, the papal palace (now hosting various museums) is to your right, and the TI and shuttle bus to the funicular are over your right shoulder. A nice gelato shop is around the church to the left.
• Head left a few steps to the...
2 Clock Tower and Via del Duomo: Also known as the Maurizio Tower, this was built in the 14th century and equipped with an early mechanized clock, originally used to keep track of workers’ time while building the cathedral. Step into the lobby to see a video and check whether the tower is open to climb.
The tower marks the start of Via del Duomo, lined with shops selling ceramics. The tradition of fine ceramics in Orvieto goes way back—the clay from the banks of the nearby Tiber is ideal for pottery. During the Renaissance, the town’s pottery was brightly painted and highly prized.
• Stroll down Via del Duomo.
At the second left, The Wizard of Oz (Il Mago di Oz) awaits a few steps down Via dei Magoni (at #3). The shop is a wondrous toy land created by eccentric Giuseppe Rosella. Have Giuseppe push a few buttons, and you’re far from Kansas.
Back on Via del Duomo, about 30 yards before the next tower is Emilio’s meat-and-cheese shop (at #11). Pop in for a fragrant reminder that wild boar is an Umbrian specialty—and they love their other meats and cheeses too.
• Follow Via del Duomo to Orvieto’s main intersection, where it meets Corso Cavour. Here you’ll find the tall, stark, 11th-century...
3 Tower of the Moor (Torre del Moro): Eighty such towers, each the pride and security of a powerful noble family, once decorated the town’s skyline. Today only a few survive. This tower marks the center of town, serves as a handy orientation tool, and is decorated by the coats of arms of past governors. An elevator leaves you with 173 steps still to go to earn a commanding view (€3, daily March-Oct 10:00-19:00, May-Aug until 20:00, shorter hours off-season).
This crossroads divides the town into four quarters (notice the Quartiere signs on the corners). In the past, residents of the four districts competed in a lively equestrian competition, parading all over town during the annual Corpus Domini celebration. Historically, the four streets led from here to four landmarks: Piazza del Popolo with its market and fine palazzo, St. Patrick’s Well, the Duomo, and the City Hall.
• Before heading left down Corso Cavour, side-trip a block farther ahead, behind the tower, for a look at the striking...
4 Palazzo del Popolo: Built of local tufo, this is a textbook example of a fortified medieval public palace: a fortress designed to house the city’s leadership and military (built atop an Etruscan temple), with a market at its base, fancy meeting rooms upstairs, and aristocratic living quarters on the top level. A lively market still bustles here Thursday and Saturday mornings, selling food, clothes, and household goods.
• Return to the tower, turn right, and head down Corso Cavour past classic storefronts to...
5 Piazza della Repubblica and Church of Sant’Andrea: The original vision—though it never came to fruition—was for the City Hall to have five arches flanking the central arch (marked by the flags today). The Church of Sant’Andrea (left of City Hall) sits atop an Etruscan temple that was likely the birthplace of Orvieto, centuries before Christ. Inside is an interesting architectural progression: 11th-century Romanesque (with few frescoes surviving), Gothic (the pointy vaults over the altar), and a Renaissance barrel vault in the apse (behind the altar)—all dimly lit by alabaster windows.
On this spot, visitors can track a layer cake of history: Under the Christian church lie the remains of the Etruscan city, destroyed by the Romans. The ruins, currently accessible only with a tour, give you a sense of the history stacked beneath your feet throughout Orvieto (€5/person, call archaeologist Francesco Pascelli to book, tel. 328-191-1316).
• From Piazza Repubblica, continue straight downhill for 100 yards on Via Filippeschi until you reach a fork. Check out the friendly, traditional bakery on the right (at Via Malabranca 6; we’ll return to this intersection after a short detour). Walk downhill along Via della Cava about 50 yards to a restaurant with a green sign to find the...
6 Well of the Quarry (Pozzo della Cava): While renovating their trattoria here in the oldest part of town, an Orvieto family discovered a vast underground network of Etruscan-era caves, wells, and tunnels. The excavation started in 1984 and continues to this day. A visit to the well makes for a fun subterranean wander (see here for details), keeping in mind that the whole city sits on top of a honeycomb of tunnels like these.
Outside, Via della Cava, meaning “Quarry Street,” was a main source for building material for Orvieto’s predecessor, Etruscan Velzna. The street kept getting lower and lower as more and more stones were cut out of it. Downhill is the site of the town’s original gate.
• Climb back up to the fork (with the bakery), then take a hard left up Via Malabranca. After about 80 yards, at #22, you’ll reach...
7 Palazzo Filippeschi and Viewpoint: The friendly, noble Filippeschi family leaves their big, green door open so visitors can peek into their classic medieval courtyard, with black travertine columns scavenged from nearby ancient Roman villas. Enjoy a moment of exquisite medieval tranquility.
Immediately across from the palazzo, belly up to the viewpoint overlooking a commotion of red-tile roofs. This tradition goes back to Etruscan times, when such tiles were molded on a seated tile-maker’s thigh—wide to narrow. They nest so that water flows without leaking—handy for both rooftops and plumbing.
• Continue on, downhill now, as the street crests.
Over the next 200 yards notice faded frescoes on stucco walls, arches from previous iterations of buildings (left for structural and nostalgic reasons), built-in letterboxes, and the three local building stones—basalt white, black travertine, and brown tufa. You’ll pass an innovative-in-1991 green defibrillator station (one of 15 in town, the first such project in Europe) before reaching a square with the Church of Sant’Agostino, which hosts a museum (part of the MoDo City Museum, described below). Then you’ll pass the Church of San Giovenale, the oldest in town, with 11th-century frescoes, finally reaching a commanding...
8 Rampart View: You’re at the end of Orvieto. The fertility of the land (with its olives, vines, and fruit orchards) is clear. The manicured little forest of cypress trees straight ahead marks the Orvieto cemetery. In the distance to the right is Mount Cetona, guarding the south end of Tuscany.
Go 50 yards along the rampart to the left for the best view of the natural fortification that made this town the choice of Etruscans before the rise of ancient Rome, of stability-starved peasants after the fall of Rome, and of several popes in the high Middle Ages. From this perch you can understand why the city was never taken by force.
• The walk is over. From here, you can retrace your steps or follow the rampart farther left, down and up, over the original Etruscan town gate and circle back to the center from there.
▲▲▲Duomo
▲▲MoDo City Museum (Museo dell’Opera del Duomo)
National Archaeological Museum of Orvieto (Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Orvieto)
▲Etruscan Museum (Museo Claudio Faina e Museo Civico)
▲▲St. Patrick’s Well (Pozzo di San Patrizio)
▲Well of the Quarry (Pozzo della Cava)
Orvieto Underground Tours (Parco delle Grotte)
Etruscan Necropolis (Necropoli Etrusca di Crocifisso del Tufo)
▲Hike Around the City on the Rupe
▲Shorter Romantic Rampart Stroll
(See “Orvieto’s Duomo” map, here.)
Orvieto’s cathedral has Italy’s liveliest facade. This colorful, prickly Gothic facade, divided by four pillars, has been compared to a medieval altarpiece. The optical-illusion interior features some fine art, including Luca Signorelli’s lavishly frescoed Chapel of San Brizio.
Cost and Hours: €4; April-Sept Mon-Sat 9:30-19:00, Sun 13:00-17:30 or until 18:30 July-Sept; March and Oct Mon-Sat 9:30-18:00, Sun 13:00-17:30; shorter hours Nov-Feb; sometimes closes for religious services. A €5 combo-ticket includes the Duomo, the Signorelli chapel, and the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, called the “MoDo” (available at the chapel; MoDo alone costs €4). Admission is also covered by the Carta Unica combo-ticket.
Self-Guided Tour• Begin by viewing the…
Exterior Facade: Study this gleaming mass of mosaics, stained glass, and sculpture (c. 1300, by Lorenzo Maitani and others). Note how it’s literally just a facade, ornamenting an otherwise very plain, mostly Romanesque exterior.
At the base of the cathedral, the four broad marble pillars carved with biblical scenes tell the history of the world in four acts, from left to right. The relief on the far left shows the 1 Creation (see God creating Eve from Adam’s rib, Cane clubbing Abel, the snake tempting Eve, and a dramatic expulsion). Next is the 2 Tree of Jesse (Jesus’ family tree—with Mary, then Jesus, on top) flanked by Old Testament stories). Look up at the roaring lion of St. Mark and the grand facade filling your view—awe-inspiring as intended. In the third panel, with scenes from the 3 New Testament, look for the unique manger scene, and other events from the life of Christ. On the far right is the 4 Last Judgment; see Christ judging on top, with a commotion of sarcophagi popping open and all hell breaking loose at the bottom.
Each pillar is topped by a bronze symbol of one of the Evangelists (left to right): angel (Matthew), lion (Mark), eagle (John), and ox (Luke). The bronze doors are modern, by the Sicilian sculptor Emilio Greco. (A gallery devoted to Greco’s work is to the immediate right of the church; see here.)
Stand back and survey the facade, looking for the central theme—it’s clear the church is dedicated to the ascension of Mary. In the mosaic below the rose window, Mary is transported to heaven. In the uppermost mosaic, Mary is crowned.
• Now step inside.
Nave: The nave feels spacious and less cluttered than most Italian churches. Until 1877, it was much busier, with statues of the apostles at each column and fancy chapels. Then the people decided they wanted to “un-Baroque” their church. (The original statues are now on display in the Church of Sant’Agostino, at the west end of town.) Bits of medieval fresco survive in the niches—once covered by altars and confessionals. From the back of the nave you can appreciate the fine stained glass above the altar—it’s original from the 14th century and some of the oldest in Italy. The stripes of the church are purely decorative, made of locally quarried basalt and black travertine.
The interior is warmly lit by alabaster windows, highlighting the black-and-white striped stonework. Why such a big and impressive church in such a little town? First of all, it’s not as big as it looks. By lining the nave with striped columns and opening up the side aisles with arcaded chapels, the architect made the space seem longer and bigger than it is. Still, it’s a big and rich cathedral—the seat of a bishop.
The cathedral’s historic importance and wealth is thanks to a miracle that happened nearby in 1263. According to the story, a skeptical priest named Peter of Prague passed through the town of Bolsena (12 miles from Orvieto) while on a pilgrimage to Rome. He had doubts that the bread used in communion could really be transformed into the body of Christ. But during Mass, as he held the host aloft and blessed it, the bread began to bleed, running down his arms and dripping onto a linen cloth (a “corporal”) on the altar. That miraculously blood-stained cloth is now kept here, in the Chapel of the Corporal.
• We’ll tour the church’s interior. First, find the chapel in the north transept, left of the altar.
Chapel of the Corporal: The 5 bloody cloth from the miracle is displayed in the turquoise frame atop the chapel’s altar. It was brought from Bolsena to Orvieto, where Pope Urban IV happened to be visiting. The amazed pope proclaimed a new holiday, Corpus Domini (Body of Christ), and the Orvieto cathedral was built (begun in 1290) to display the miraculous relic. For centuries, the precious linen was paraded through the streets of Orvieto in an ornate reliquary (now in the MoDo City Museum).
The room was frescoed in the 14th century with scenes attesting to Christ’s presence in the communion wafer and offering a vivid peek at life here at that time. The 6 miracle of Bolsena (here set in 13th-century Orvieto) is depicted on the chapel’s right wall.
• Now walk to the middle front of the church, where you’ll see a decorative area in the floor the size of a Turkish carpet.
7 Marble Floor Patch: This patch in the marble floor marks where the altar stood before the Counter-Reformation. It’s a reminder that as the Roman Catholic Church countered the Reformation, it made reforms of its own. For instance, altars were moved back so that the congregation could sit closer to the spectacular frescoes and stained glass. (These decorations were designed to impress commoners by illustrating the glory of heaven—and the Catholic Church needed that propaganda more than ever during the Counter-Reformation.)
Enjoy the richness that surrounds you. This cathedral put Orvieto on the map, and with lots of pilgrims came lots of wealth. The town—perched on its easy-to-defend hilltop—was used off and on for a couple centuries as a papal refuge, whenever the current pope’s enemies forced him to flee Rome. The brilliant stained glass is the painstakingly restored original, from the 14th century. The fine organ, high on the left, has more than 5,000 pipes. Look high up in the right transept at the alabaster rose window. Then turn and face down the nave, the way you came in. Note how the architect’s trick—making the church look bigger from the rear—works in reverse from here. From this angle, the church appears stubbier than it actually is.
Tuff (tufo in Italian) is a light-colored volcanic rock that is common in Italy. A part of Tuscany is even called the “Tuff Area.” The seven hills of Rome are made of tuff, and quarried blocks of this stone can be seen in the Colosseum, Pantheon, and Castel Sant’Angelo. Just outside of Rome, the catacombs were carved from tuff. Sorrento rises above the sea on a tuff outcrop. Orvieto, Civita di Bagnoregio (pictured), and many other hill towns perch on bluffs of tuff.
Italy’s early inhabitants, including the Etruscans and Romans, carved caves, tunnels, burial niches, and even roads out of tuff. Blocks of this rock were quarried to make houses and walls. Tuff is soft and easy to carve when it’s first exposed to air, but hardens later, which makes it a good building stone.
Italy’s tuff-producing volcanoes resulted from a lot of tectonic-plate bumping and grinding. This violent geologic history is reflected in Italy’s volcanoes, like Vesuvius and Etna, and earthquakes such as the 2009 quake in the L’Aquila area northeast of Rome.
Tuff is actually just a big hardened pile of old volcanic ash. When volcanoes hold magma that contains a lot of water, they erupt explosively (think heat + water = steam = POW!). The exploded rock material gets blasted out as hot volcanic ash, which settles on the surrounding landscape, piles up, and over time welds together into the rock called tuff.
So when you’re visiting an area in Italy of ancient caves or catacombs built out of this material, you’ll know that at least once (and maybe more) upon a time, it was a site of a lot of volcanic activity.
• A few steps to your left as you face the altar, near the first pillar, is a beautiful white-marble statue.
8 Pietà: The marble pietà (statue of Mary holding Jesus’ just-crucified body) was carved in 1579 by local artist Ippolito Scalza. Clearly inspired by Michelangelo’s Pietà, this exceptional work, with four figures, was sculpted from one piece of marble. Walk around it to notice the texture that Scalza achieved, and how the light plays on the sculpture from every angle.
• Now face the main altar. To the right is Orvieto’s one must-see artistic sight, the...
Chapel of San Brizio: This chapel features Luca Signorelli’s brilliantly lit frescoes of the Day of Judgment and Life after Death (painted 1499-1504). Step into the chapel and you’re surrounded by vivid scenes crammed with figures. Although the frescoes refer to themes of resurrection and salvation, they also reflect the turbulent political and religious atmosphere of late 15th-century Italy.
The chapel is decorated in one big and cohesive story. Start with the panel on your left as you enter, and do a quick counterclockwise spin to get oriented to the basic plot: Antichrist (a false prophet), end of the world (above the arch leading to the nave), Resurrection of the Bodies, hell, Judgment Day (Fra Angelico—who worked on the chapel 50 years before Signorelli—painted Jesus above the window), and finally heaven.
Now do a slower turn to take in the full story: In the 9 Sermon of the Antichrist (left wall), a crowd gathers around a man preaching from a pedestal. It’s the Antichrist, who comes posing as Jesus to mislead the faithful. This befuddled Antichrist forgets his lines midspeech, but the Devil is on hand to whisper what to say next. Notice how the arm in front of the Antichrist is attached to both figures, suggesting they are joined as one. His words sow wickedness through the world, including executions (upper right). The worried woman in red and white (foreground, left of pedestal) gets money from a man for something she’s not proud of (perhaps receiving funds from a Jewish moneylender—notice the Stars of David on his purse). Many of the faces in the crowd are probably actual portraits.
Most likely, the Antichrist himself is a veiled reference to Savonarola (1452-1498), the charismatic Florentine monk who defied the pope, drove the Medici family from power, and riled the populace with apocalyptic sermons. Many Italians—including the painter Signorelli—viewed Savonarola as a tyrant and heretic, the Antichrist who was ushering in the Last Days.
In the upper left, notice the hardworking angel. He looks as if he’s at batting practice, hitting followers of the Antichrist back to earth as they try to get through the pearly gates. In the bottom left is a self-portrait of the artist, Luca Signorelli (c. 1450-1523), well-dressed in black with long golden hair. Signorelli, from nearby Cortona, was at the peak of his powers, and this chapel was his masterpiece. He looks out proudly as if to say, “I did all this in just three years, on time and on budget,” confirming his reputation as a speedy, businesslike painter. Next to him (also in black) is the artist Fra Angelico, who started the chapel decoration five decades earlier but completed only a small part of it: the Last Judgment over the window and the angels around it.
Compare the style of painting between these two masters—Angelico’s angels stacked like little wooden dolls next to Signorelli’s intertwined naked bodies. You can clearly see the huge effect the Renaissance had on painting in just a few decades.
Around the arch, opposite the windows, are signs of the 10 end of the world: eclipse, tsunami, falling stars, earthquakes, violence in the streets, and a laser-wielding gray angel.
On the right wall (opposite the Antichrist) is the 11 Resurrection of the Bodies. Trumpeting angels blow a wake-up call, and the dead climb dreamily out of the earth to be clothed with new bodies, some of the randy skeletons finding time for flirting. On the same wall (below the action, at eye level) is a gripping pietà. Also by Signorelli, this pietà gives insight into the artist’s genius and personality. Look at the emotion in the faces of the two Marys and consider that Signorelli’s son had just died. The small black-and-white Deposition scene (behind Jesus’ leg) seems inspired by ancient Greek scenes of a pre-Christian hero’s death. In the confident spirit of the Renaissance, the artist incorporates a pagan scene to support a Christian story. This 3-D realism in a 2-D sketch shows the work of a talented master.
The altar wall (with the windows) features the 12 Last Judgment. To the left of the altar (and continuing around the corner, filling half the left wall) are the 13 Elect in Heaven. They spend eternity posing like bodybuilders while listening to celestial Muzak. To the right (and continuing around the corner on the right wall) are the 14 Damned in Hell, in the scariest mosh pit ever. Devils torment sinners in graphic detail, while winged demons control the airspace overhead. In the center, one lusty demon turns to tell the frightened woman on his back exactly what he’s got planned for their date. (According to legend, this was Signorelli’s lover, who betrayed him...and ended up here.) Signorelli’s ability to tell a story through human actions and gestures, rather than symbols, inspired his younger contemporary, Michelangelo, who meticulously studied the elder artist’s nudes.
In this chapel, Christian theology sits physically and figuratively upon a foundation of classical logic. Below everything are Greek and Latin philosophers, plus Dante, struggling to reconcile Classical truth with Church doctrine. You can see the intellectual challenge on their faces as they ponder the puzzle of theology that survives the test of reason.
The figures are immersed in fanciful Grotesque (i.e., grotto-esque) decor. Dating from 1499, this is one of the first uses of the frilly, nubile, and even sexy “wallpaper pattern” so popular in the Renaissance. (It was inspired by the decorations found in Nero’s Golden House in Rome, which had been discovered under street level just a few years earlier and was mistaken for an underground grotto.)
During the Renaissance, nakedness symbolized purity. When attitudes changed during the Counter-Reformation, the male figures in Signorelli’s frescoes were given penis-covering sashes. In a 1982 restoration, most—but not all—of the sashes were removed. A little of that prudishness survives to this day, as those in heaven were left with their sashes modestly in place.
• Our tour is finished. Leaving the church, turn left (passing a small parking lot and WC) to reach a park that affords a fine Umbrian view. Turn left twice, and you’ll circle behind the church to reach the cathedral’s art collections (part of MoDo, described next). Or take a right out of the church for a gelato break at the recommended Pasqualetti.
This museum is an ensemble of three different sights scattered around town: the cathedral art collection behind the cathedral; the Emilio Greco collection (next to the cathedral, in Palazzo Soliano); and, at the far end of town, the Church of Sant’Agostino, which has statues of the 12 apostles that were added to the Duomo in the Baroque Age (c. 1700) and removed in the late 1800s.
Cost and Hours: €4 MoDo ticket covers all MoDo sights (or get the €5 combo-ticket that includes the Duomo); April-Sept daily 9:30-19:00; March and Oct Wed-Mon 10:00-17:00, closed Tue; midday closure Nov-Feb; Piazza Duomo, tel. 0763-343-592, www.opsm.it.
Cathedral Art Collections: Behind the Duomo, a complex of medieval palaces called Palazzi Papali shows off the city’s best devotional art. It comes in two parts: the skippable collection of frescoes on the ground floor, and a delightful collection up the metal staircase. The highlight is just inside the upstairs entrance: a marble Mary and Child who sit beneath a bronze canopy, attended by exquisite angels. This proto-Renaissance ensemble, dating from around 1300, once filled the niche in the center of the cathedral’s facade (where a replica sits today). In several art-filled rooms on this floor, you’ll find Baroque paintings from the late 1500s that decorated the side chapels with a harsh Counter-Reformation message; a Madonna and Child from 1322 by the Sienese great Simone Martini, who worked in Orvieto; saintly wooden statues and fine inlaid woodwork from the original choir; a carved 14th-century Crucifixion that shows the dead Christ in gripping detail; Luca Signorelli’s Mary Magdalene (1504); and more church art surrounded by sinopias (preliminary drawings for the frescoes decorating the cathedral’s Chapel of the Corporal, with a roughed-up surface so the wet plaster would stick).
Museo Emilio Greco: This fresh little collection shows off the work of Emilio Greco (1913-1995), a Sicilian artist who designed the modern doors of Orvieto’s cathedral. His sketches and about 30 of his bronze statues are on display here, showing his absorption with gently twisting and turning nudes. Greco’s sketchy outlines of women are simply beautiful. The artful installation of his work in this palazzo, with walkways and a spiral staircase up to the ceiling, is designed to let you view his sculptures from different angles.
This small five-room collection, immediately behind the cathedral in the ground floor of Palazzi Papali (under MoDo), beautifully shows off a trove of well-preserved Etruscan bronzes, terra-cotta objects, and ceramics—many from the necropolis at the base of Orvieto, and some with painted colors surviving from 500 B.C. To see the treasure of this museum, ask an attendant for the Golini tombs (named after the man who discovered them in 1836). She’ll escort you to the reconstructed, fourth-century B.C. tombs, frescoed with scenes from an Etruscan banquet in the afterlife.
Cost and Hours: €4, €5 combo-ticket with Etruscan Necropolis, daily 8:30-19:30, tel. 0763-341-039, www.archeopg.arti.beniculturali.it. For background on the Etruscans, see here.
This 19th-century, Neoclassical nobleman’s palace stands on the main square facing the cathedral. Its elegantly frescoed rooms hold an impressive Etruscan collection. The ground floor features the “Museo Civico,” with fragments of Etruscan sculpture. On the first floor is the “Collezione Conti Faina,” with Etruscan jewelry and an extensive array of Roman coins (push the brass buttons and the coins rotate so you can see both sides). The top floor features the best of the Etruscan and proto-Etruscan (from the ninth century B.C.) vases and bronzes, lots of votives found buried in nearby tombs, and fine views of the Duomo.
Cost and Hours: €4.50; April-Sept daily 9:30-18:00; Oct-March Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon; tel. 0763-341-511, www.museofaina.it.
Teatro Mancinelli is a fine 19th-century Italian theater (from 1866) with 500 seats, elegant boxes, and frilly Romantic ceiling paintings—all well-described in English. Visitors are welcome to climb upstairs to the foyer for a chance to peek into a private box. The theater hosts the recommended Café del Teatro—buy a drink and you can wander the theater without paying the €2 entry fee.
Modern engineers are impressed by this deep well—175 feet deep and 45 feet wide—designed in the 16th century with a double-helix pattern. The two spiral stairways allow an efficient one-way traffic flow: intriguing now, but critical then. Imagine if donkeys and people, balancing jugs of water, had to go up and down the same stairway. At the bottom is a bridge that people could walk on to scoop up water.
The well was built because a pope got nervous. After Rome was sacked in 1527 by renegade troops of the Holy Roman Empire, the pope fled to Orvieto. He feared that even this little town (with no water source on top) would be besieged. He commissioned a well, which was started in 1527 and finished 10 years later. It was a huge project. (As it turns out, the town was never besieged, but supporters believe that the well was worth the cost and labor because of its deterrence value—attackers would think twice about besieging a town with a reliable water source.) Even today, when a local is faced with a difficult task, people say, “It’s like digging St. Patrick’s Well.” It’s a total of 496 steps up and down—lots of exercise and not much to see other than some amazing 16th-century engineering.
Cost and Hours: €5, interesting €1 audioguide, daily May-Aug 9:00-19:00, shorter hours off-season, to your right as you exit the funicular, Viale Sangallo, tel. 0763-343-768. Bring a sweater if you plan to descend to the chilly depths, and allow at least 20 minutes to go down and up.
This complex of Etruscan-era caves, wells, and tunnels leads down to a fat, cylindrical, beautifully carved 2,500-year-old well. Go ahead, spit (or drop a coin 100 feet down—coins are collected each Christmas for a local charity). Your visit is capped with a review of local pottery-making (€3, €2 with this book, Tue-Sun 9:00-20:00, closed Mon, Via della Cava 28).
Guides weave archaeological history into a good look at about 100 yards of Etruscan and medieval caves. You’ll see the remains of an old olive press, an impressive 130-foot-deep Etruscan well shaft, what’s left of a primitive cement quarry, and an extensive dovecote (pigeon coop) where the birds were reared for roasting (pigeon dishes are still featured on many Orvieto menus; look for—or avoid—piccione).
Cost and Hours: €6; one-hour English tours depart at 11:00, 12:15, 16:00, and 17:15; more often with demand, walk-up reservations OK but better to book in advance for English guide, book tour and depart from ticket office at Piazza Duomo 23 (next to TI); confirm times at TI or by calling 0763-340-688, www.orvietounderground.it.
Below town, at the base of the cliff, is a remarkable “city of the dead” that dates back to the sixth to third century B.C. The tombs, which are laid out in a kind of street grid, are empty, and there’s precious little to see here other than the basic stony construction. But it is both eerie and fascinating to wander the streets of an Etruscan cemetery.
Cost and Hours: €3, €5 combo-ticket with National Archaeological Museum, daily 10:00-19:00, Oct-March until 18:00; drivers will find it on the ring road below town, hikers can reach it via the Rupe path (see next); tel. 0763-343-611, www.archeopg.arti.beniculturali.it.
Orvieto’s Rupe is a peaceful path that completely circles the town at the base of the cliff upon which it sits. With the help of the TI’s Anello della Rupe map, you’ll see there are five access points from the town for the three-mile walk, which includes a series of sightseeing stops along the way (allow about two hours round-trip). From the access points, you’ll walk or take stairs down, down, down to the trail that hugs the cliff. The easy-to-follow path is wide and partially paved, though it has some steep, gravelly descents—wear good shoes and be prepared for a climb. On one side you have the cliff, with the town high above. On the other side you have Umbrian views stretching into the distance. The path is peaceful, with few other people and only the sound of the wind and birds to accompany you. It makes for a delightful evening walk (not lit after dark).
I’d leave Orvieto at Piazza Marconi and walk left (counterclockwise) three-quarters of the way around the town (there’s a fine view down onto the Etruscan Necropolis midway), and ride the escalator and elevator back up to the town from the big Campo della Fiera parking lot. If you’re ever confused about the path, follow signs for Anello della Rupe.
Thanks to its dramatic hilltop setting, several fine little walks wind around the edges of Orvieto. My favorite after dark, when it’s lamp-lit and romantic, is along the ramparts at the far west end of town. Start at the Church of Sant’Agostino (near the end of my self-guided Orvieto Walk). With your back to the church, go a block to the right to the end of town. Then head left along the ramparts, with cypress-dotted Umbria to your right, and follow Vicolo Volsinia to the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista, where you can reenter the old-town center near several recommended restaurants.
Orvieto Classico wine is justly famous. Two inviting wineries sit just outside Orvieto on the scenic Canale route to Bagnoregio; if you’re side-tripping to Civita, it’s easy to stop at either or both for a tasting (call ahead for a reservation). Two more wineries lie to the north where the soil changes from tufo to clay, which changes the character of the wines.
Between Orvieto and Bagnoregio: For a short tour of a historic winery with Etruscan cellars, make an appointment to visit Tenuta Le Velette, where English-speaking Corrado and Cecilia (cheh-CHEEL-yah) Bottai offer a warm welcome. Their wines are considered to be some of the best in the region (€8-24 for tour and tasting, price varies depending on wines, number of people, and if food is requested, Mon-Fri 8:30-12:00 & 14:00-17:00, Sat 8:30-12:00, closed Sun, also has accommodations—see listing on here, tel. 0763-29090, mobile 348-300-2002, www.levelette.it). From their sign (5-minute drive past Orvieto at top of switchbacks just before Canale, on road to Bagnoregio), cruise down a long tree-lined drive, then park at the striped gate (must call ahead; no drop-ins).
Custodi is another respected family-run winery that produces Orvieto Classico, grappa, and olive oil on a modern 140-acre estate. Helpful Chiara and Laura Custodi speak English. Reserve ahead for a tour of their cantina, an explanation of the winemaking process, and a tasting of four wines. An assortment of salumi and local cheeses to go with your wine tasting is available on request (€10/person for wines only, €20/person with light lunch, daily 8:30-12:30 & 15:30-18:30 except closed Sun afternoon, Viale Venere S.N.C. Loc. Canale; on the road from Orvieto to Civita, a half-mile after Le Velette, it’s the first building before Canale; tel. 0763-29053, mobile 338-316-0405, www.cantinacustodi.com).
To the North: Neri lies just to the north, in rolling hills. The estate grounds are postcard-pretty, with an ancient manor house and grand views of Orvieto and the countryside. Their wines are simple and traditional (tour and tastings from €10, reservations preferred, daily 9:30-17:00; just down the road from recommended Agriturismo Cioccoleta at Località Bardano 28—head north from Orvieto following signs to Sferracavallo and Bardano; tel. 0763-316-196, mobile 393-331-3844, www.neri-vini.it, visite@neri-vini.it, Enrico).
Argillae is farther out in the clay hills north of Orvieto. Their modern cantina is surrounded by dramatic hills and valleys, and if you ask, they will take you out in a truck to see the vineyard up close (tastings from €10, by reservation only, Vocabolo Pomarro in Allerona, 20 minutes north of Orvieto, tel. 0763-624-604, www.argillae.eu).
Orvieto’s high season (with higher hotel prices) is roughly May to early July, September, and October. You’ll save a little money off-season.
$$$ Hotel Duomo is centrally located and modern, with splashy art in 17 rooms and a friendly welcome. Double-paned windows keep the sound of the church bells well-muffled (RS%, family rooms, air-con, elevator, private pay parking, sunny terrace, a block from the Duomo at Vicolo di Maurizio 7, tel. 0763-341-887, www.orvietohotelduomo.com, info@orvietohotelduomo.com, Gianni and Maura Massaccesi don’t speak English, daughter Elisa and son-in-law Diego do). They also own a three-room B&B 50 yards from the hotel (lower prices, breakfast at the main hotel).
$$$ Grand Hotel Italia is impersonal and businesslike, bringing predictable modern amenities to this small town. The 46 rooms are well-located in the heart of Orvieto, near the market square (RS%, air-con, elevator, stay-awhile lobby and terrace, pay parking—reserve ahead, Via di Piazza del Popolo 13, tel. 0763-342-065, www.grandhotelitalia.it, hotelita@libero.it).
$$ Hotel Corso is friendly, with 18 frilly and flowery rooms—a few with balconies and views. Their sunlit little terrace is enjoyable, but the location—halfway between the center of town and the funicular—is less convenient than others (RS%, family rooms, ask for quieter room off street, air-con, elevator, reserved pay parking, Corso Cavour 339, tel. 0763-342-020, www.hotelcorso.net, info@hotelcorso.net, Carla).
$ La Magnolia B&B has lots of fancy terra-cotta tiles, a couple of rooms with frescoed ceilings, terraces, and other welcoming touches. Its seven unique rooms, some like mini-apartments with kitchens, are cheerfully decorated and on the town’s main drag. The three units facing the busy street are air-conditioned and have double-paned windows (RS%, family rooms, no elevator, washing machine; Via Duomo 29, tel. 0763-342-808, mobile 349-462-0733, www.bblamagnolia.it, info@bblamagnolia.it, Serena and Loredana).
$ B&B Michelangeli offers two comfortable and well-appointed apartments hiding along a residential lane a few blocks from the tourist scene. It’s run by eager-to-please Francesca, who speaks limited English but provides homey touches and free tea, coffee, and breakfast supplies. From the Corso, follow Via Michelangeli, a street full of wood sculptures made by her famous artistic family (family rooms, fully equipped kitchen, washing machine, private pay parking, Via dei Saracinelli 20—ring bell labeled M. Michelangeli, tel. 0763-393-862, mobile 347-089-0349, www.bbmichelangeli.com).
$$ Affittacamere Valentina rents six clean, airy, well-appointed rooms, all with big beds and antique furniture. Her place is located in the heart of Orvieto, on a quiet street behind the palace on Piazza del Popolo (RS%, family rooms, pay parking, Via Vivaria 7, tel. 0763-341-607, mobile 393-970-5868, www.bandbvalentina.com, camerevalentina@gmail.com). Welcoming Valentina also rents three lower-priced rooms across the square (shared bath and kitchen, no air-con) and three offsite apartments.
$ Hotel Posta is a centrally located, long-ago-elegant palazzo renting 20 quirky, clean rooms with chipped plaster and vintage furniture. It feels a little institutional, but the rooms without private bath are among the cheapest in town (breakfast extra, elevator, Via Luca Signorelli 18, tel. 0763-341-909, www.orvietohotels.it, hotelposta@orvietohotels.it, Alessia).
$ Villa Mercede, a good value and excellent location, is owned by a religious institution and offers 23 cheap, simple, mostly twin-bedded rooms, each with a big modern bathroom and many with glorious Umbrian views (elevator, free parking, a half-block from Duomo at Via Soliana 2, reception upstairs, tel. 0763-341-766, www.villamercede.it, info@villamercede.it).
$ Istituto S.S. Salvatore rents nine spotless twin rooms and five singles in their convent, which comes with a peaceful terrace and garden, great views, and a 23:00 curfew. Though the nuns don’t speak English, they have mastered Google Translate, and will happily use it to answer your questions (cash only, no breakfast, elevator, Wi-Fi in common areas only, free parking, just off Piazza del Popolo at Via del Popolo 1, tel. 0763-342-910, istitutosansalvatore@tiscali.it).
Just Outside the Town Center: $ Casa Sèlita B&B, a peaceful country house, offers easy access to Orvieto (best for drivers, but workable for adventurous train travelers who want an agriturismo-style experience). It’s nestled in an orchard just below the town cliffs; to get to town, you’ll climb an uphill path through their olive orchard (with a view terrace along the way) to reach the Campo della Fiera parking lot, with its handy escalator taking you the rest of the way up into Orvieto. Its five rooms with terraces are airy and fresh, with dark hardwood floors, fluffy down comforters, and modern baths. Enjoy the views from the relaxing garden. Conscientious Sèlita, her husband, Ennio, and daughter Elena are gracious hosts (RS%, cash preferred, extra fee for air-con or heat, free parking, closed Nov-Easter, Strada di Porta Romana 8, ask for directions—GPS or Google will send you to the wrong location, mobile 339-225-4000 or 328-611-2052, www.casaselita.com, info@casaselita.com).
All of these (except the last one) are within a 20-minute drive of Orvieto, in different directions, and require a car—see the map on here.
$$$ Alta Rocca Wine Resort, run by Emiliano and Sabrina, is a fancy “country resort” and spa, located 15 minutes north of Orvieto. They produce their own olive oil and wine, and rent 30 modern and air-conditioned rooms and a few apartments. Popular on weekends as a wedding location, this place has luna di miele (honeymoon) written all over it (2 pools, panoramic view restaurant, wellness center with Jacuzzi and steam room, massages and spa treatments available, visit to winery and wine tasting upon request, gym, mountain bikes, bocce court, hiking paths to private lake, tel. 0763-344-210 or 0763-393-437, www.altaroccawineresort.com, info@altaroccawineresort.com).
$$$ Agriturismo Locanda Rosati, where you’ll be greeted by friendly host Giampiero Rosati, rents 10 tastefully decorated rooms in a pleasant, homey atmosphere. The peaceful, flower-lined grounds are perfect for a retreat (RS%, family rooms, full traditional dinners for €40 on request, air-con, swimming pool, 5 miles from Orvieto on the road to Viterbo, tel. 0763-217-314, www.locandarosati.it, info@locandarosati.it).
$$ Agriturismo Poggio della Volara, located between Todi and Orvieto (12 miles from either), has seven apartments (sleeping from two to five people) and five rooms in two buildings overlooking a swimming pool. Along with keeping rabbits, geese, dogs, and ducks, Marco produces wine, olive oil, and salami made from wild boar that he hunts. If you’re looking for a real farmhouse experience far out in the countryside, this is it (air-con, €30-35 dinners on request, mobile 347-335-2523, www.poggiodellavolara.it, info@poggiodellavolara.it).
$$ Tenuta le Velette is a sprawling, historic, family-run estate and winery. Cecilia and Corrado Bottai rent six fully furnished apartments and villas scattered over their family’s expansive and scenic grounds. Rooms range wildly in size—accommodating from 2 to 14 people—but they all nestle in perfect Umbrian rural peace and tranquility. See the website for details on their various villas (2-night minimum, discount for weekly stay, pool, bocce court, 10 minutes from Orvieto—drive toward Bagnoregio-Canale and follow Tenuta le Velette signs, tel. 0763-29090, mobile 348-300-2002, www.levelette.it, cecilialevelette@libero.it). They also offer wine tastings (see here).
$$ Agriturismo Cioccoleta (“Little Stone”) has eight rooms with cozy country decor, each named after one of the grapes grown in the agriturismo’s vineyards. It’s family-run and offers sweeping views of Orvieto and the pastoral countryside (RS%, fans, 3 miles north of Orvieto at Località Bardano 34 in Bardano, tel. 0763-316-011, mobile 349-860-9780, www.cioccoleta.it, info@cioccoleta.it, Angela Zucconi).
Farther Out, Northwest of Todi: $$$$ Agriturismo Fattoria di Vibio produces olive oil and honey, sells organic products, and offers classes and spa services. In August, its 14 rooms rent at peak prices and have a minimum-stay requirement. The rest of the year, no minimum stay is required, although rates drop dramatically for longer visits. Its two cottages sleep from four to six people and rent only by the week (panoramic pool, expensive restaurant, farthest cottage is 20 miles northeast of Orvieto, tel. 075-874-9607, www.fattoriadivibio.com, info@fattoriadivibio.com).
(See “Orvieto” map, here.)
$$$ Trattoria La Palomba features excellent game and truffle specialties in a wood-paneled dining room. Giampiero, Enrica, and the Cinti family enthusiastically take care of their diners, offering a fine value, high quality, and classy conviviality. Truffles are shaved right at your table—try the umbricelli al tartufo (homemade pasta with truffles) or spaghetti dell’Ascaro (with truffles). Their filetto alla cardinale and mixed-cheese plates are popular. As slow-foodies, they use organic and locally sourced ingredients (Thu-Tue 12:30-14:15 & 19:30-22:00, closed Wed and July, reservations smart, off Piazza della Repubblica at Via Cipriano Manente 16, tel. 0763-343-395).
$$$ L’Antica Trattoria dell’Orso offers well-prepared Umbrian cuisine paired with fine wines in a homey, bohemian-chic, peaceful atmosphere. Owner Stefano and chef Hania offer a good deal for my readers: €30 for two people, including their house wine and water—my vote for the best dining value in town (Wed-Mon 12:00-14:30 & 19:30-22:00, closed Tue and Feb, just off Piazza della Repubblica at Via della Misericordia 18, tel. 0763-341-642).
$$$ Trattoria La Pergola, run by chef Enrico and family, with a serious kitchen in back next to a covered patio, offers a small, accessible menu of seasonal Umbrian specialties. Closer to the center, this spot is pretty touristy, but the food is tasty and lovingly presented (reservations smart, air-con, closed Wed, Via dei Magoni 9, tel. 0763-343-065).
$$ Trattoria del Moro Aronne is a long-established family bistro run by Cristian and his mother, Rolanda, who lovingly prepare homemade pasta and market-fresh Umbrian specialties. Consider their nidi—folds of fresh pasta enveloping warm, gooey pecorino cheese sweetened with honey. Three small and separate dining areas make the interior feel intimate. While touristy and not particularly atmospheric, this place is known locally as an excellent value (Wed-Mon 12:30-14:30 & 19:30-22:00, closed Tue, Via San Leonardo 7, tel. 0763-342-763).
$$$ Trattoria la Grotta prides itself on serving only the freshest food and finest wine. The decor is Signorelli-mod, and the ambience is quiet, with courteous service. Owner-chef Franco has been at it for 52 years, and promises diners a free coffee, grappa, limoncello, or vin santo with this book (Wed-Mon opens at 12:00 for lunch and at 19:00 for dinner, closed Tue, Via Luca Signorelli 5, tel. 0763-341-348).
$$ Trattoria da Carlo, hiding on its own little piazzetta between Via Corso Cavour and Piazza del Popolo, is a cozy spot with a bright, white-tiled interior and inviting tables outside. Animated and opinionated Carlo—a young, likeable loudmouth—holds court, chatting up his diners as much as he cooks, while his mama scuttles about taking orders, bussing dishes, and lovingly rolling her eyes at her son’s big personality. His slogan is “simple food for simple people.” He puts an unpretentious modern twist on traditional dishes such as pasta with guanciale (pork cheeks—like bacon), fennel fronds, and pecorino cheese (daily 12:00-15:00 & 19:00-24:00, Vicolo del Popolo 1, tel. 0763-343-916).
$$$ Trattoria Antico Bucchero, elegant under a big, white vault, makes for a nice memory with its candlelit ambience and delicious food—especially game and wild boar (daily 12:00-15:00 & 19:00-23:00 except closed Wed Nov-March, seating indoors and on a peaceful square in summer, air-con, a half-block south of Corso Cavour, between Torre del Moro and Piazza della Repubblica at Via de Cartari 4, tel. 0763-341-725; Piero and Silvana, plus sons Fabio and Pericle).
$$ Pizzeria Charlie is a local favorite. Its noisy dining room and stony courtyard are reminiscent of a beer hall, and popular with families and students for casual dinners of wood-fired gourmet pizzas. They also have a small menu of big salads. In a quiet courtyard guarded by a medieval tower, it’s a block southwest of Piazza della Repubblica (Wed-Mon 12:30-14:30 & 19:00-23:00, no midday closure in summer, closed Tue year-round, Via Loggia dei Mercanti 14, tel. 0763-344-766).
$$ Enoteca al Duomo is to the left of the Duomo and has pleasant outdoor seating with a cathedral view. They serve a small variety of rustic panini (cheaper to go), wines by the glass and a vast selection of Italian wines by the bottle, and a full menu of local dishes in a wine-bar atmosphere (daily 10:00-24:00, closed Feb, Piazza del Duomo 13, tel. 0763-344-607).
(See “Orvieto” map, here.)
$ L’Oste del Re is a simple osteria on Corso Cavour, where Maria Grazia and Claudio offer pasta, bruschetta, enticing meat-and-cheese plates, and hearty, made-to-order sandwiches to eat in or take out (good gluten-free options, daily 11:00-15:30 & 19:00-22:00, Corso Cavour 58, tel. 0763-343-846).
$ Caffè Montanucci, the dominant hangout on the main street—for good reason—lays out an appetizing display of pastas and main courses behind the counter. Choose one (or two—called a bis), find a seat in the modern interior or sunny courtyard, and they’ll bring it out on a tray. You’ll eat among newspaper-reading locals on lunch break. They also serve dinner with regular table service, as well as good caffè, simple sandwiches, and tasty sweets all day (good Wi-Fi, daily 7:00-24:00, Corso Cavour 21, tel. 0763-341-261).
Panini and a Picnic: Scattered around town you’ll find many alimentari (grocers) selling cured meats, cheese, and other staples. If you’re feeling gamey, order prosciutto or salami made from cinghiale (cheen-gee-AH-lay; wild boar), a surprisingly mild-tasting local favorite. They’re usually willing to make you a simple sandwich of bread, cold cuts, and/or cheese for a few euros.
Elsewhere along the Corso Cavour, you’ll find places selling fruit, vegetables, and other picnic items. The fortress/garden, to the right as you face the funicular, is a great spot to enjoy it.
Groceries: While a small alimentari might have what you need for a picnic, two slightly larger markets are tucked away two minutes from the Duomo: Meta (daily 8:30-20:00, Corso Cavour 100, opposite Piazza Cesare Fracassini) and Sigma (Mon-Sat 8:30-20:00, Sun 9:00-13:00, just past recommended Trattoria la Grotta at Via Luca Signorelli 23).
Gelato: For dessert, gelateria Pasqualetti, next to the cathedral, is a favorite (daily 12:00-21:00, stays open later June-Aug, closed Dec-Feb, next to left transept of church, Piazza del Duomo 14; another branch is at Via Duomo 10, both close earlier in winter or in cold weather).
(See “Orvieto” map, here.)
Orvieto has a charming, traffic-free, pedestrian-friendly vibe. To enjoy it, be sure to spend a little time savoring la dolce far niente while sitting at a café. There are inviting places all over town. The first three listed below are along Corso Cavour, the main strolling drag, and offer the very best people-watching.
Caffè Montanucci is the town’s venerable place for a coffee and pastry, but has no on-street seating (Corso Cavour 21, described earlier). Caffè ClanDestino is well-located, with plenty of streetside seating and endless little bites served with your drink (Corso Cavour 40). Café Barrique is less crowded, less trendy, and quieter, with nice outdoor tables and good free snacks with your drink (Corso Cavour 111). Bar Palace, on Piazza del Popolo, is a sunny, relaxed perch facing a big square that’s generally quiet (except on market day), with free Wi-Fi and quality coffee and pastries.
Café del Teatro, at Teatro Mancinelli (see here), can be a fun experience. While entry to the historic theater is normally €2, if you buy a drink, you’re free to wander around on your own. Drink streetside, at the bar, or in the theater lobby (daily 8:00-21:00, happy hour from 18:00 means free nibbles with your drink, Corso Cavour 122, tel. 0763-531-502).
Cafés Facing the Cathedral: Several cafés on Piazza del Duomo invite you to linger over a drink with a view of Orvieto’s amazing cathedral.
From Orvieto by Train to: Rome (every 1-2 hours, 1-1.5 hours), Florence (6/day, 2.5 hours, use Firenze S.M.N. train station), Siena (12/day, 2.5 hours, change in Chiusi, all Florence-bound trains stop in Chiusi), Assisi (roughly hourly, 2-3 hours, 1 or 2 transfers), Milan (2/day direct, 5.5 hours; otherwise about hourly with a transfer in Florence, Bologna, or Rome, 4.5-5 hours). The train station’s Buffet della Stazione is surprisingly good if you need a quick focaccia sandwich or pizza picnic for the train ride.
Tip for Drivers: If you’re thinking of driving to Rome, consider stashing your car in Orvieto instead. You can easily park the car, safe and free, in the big lot below the Orvieto train station (for up to a week or more), and zip effortlessly into Rome by train (roughly hourly, 1-1.5 hours).
Perched on a pinnacle in a grand canyon, the 2,500-year-old, traffic-free village of Civita di Bagnoregio is Italy’s ultimate hill town. Civita’s only connection to the town of Bagnoregio—and the world—is a long pedestrian bridge. In the last decade, the old, self-sufficient Civita (chee-VEE-tah) has died—the last of its lifelong residents have passed on, and the only employment here is in serving gawking sightseers. But Civita remains an amazing place to visit. (It’s even become popular as a backdrop for movies, soap operas, and advertising campaigns.)
Civita’s history goes back to Etruscan and ancient Roman times. In the early Middle Ages, Bagnoregio was a suburb of Civita, which had a population of about 4,000. Later, Bagnoregio surpassed Civita in size—especially following a 1695 earthquake, after which many residents fled Civita to live in Bagnoregio, fearing their houses would be shaken off the edge into the valley below. Bagnoregio is dominated by Renaissance-style buildings while, architecturally, Civita remains stuck in the Middle Ages.
Civita can be very crowded, especially on the weekends and at lunchtime. The best way to enjoy Civita is early or late in the day, when you have the village to yourself. While Bagnoregio lacks the pinnacle-town romance of Civita, it’s actually a healthy, vibrant community (unlike Civita, now nicknamed “the dead city”). In Bagnoregio, get a haircut, sip a coffee on the square, and walk down to the old laundry (ask, “Dov’è la lavanderia vecchia?”).
To reach Civita from Orvieto, you’ll first head for the adjacent town of Bagnoregio. From there, it’s a 30-minute walk or 5-minute drive to the base of Civita’s pedestrian bridge, followed by a fairly steep 10-minute walk up to the town’s main square.
By Bus to Bagnoregio: The trip from Orvieto to Bagnoregio takes about 45 minutes (€2.20 one-way if bought in advance at a bar or tobacco shop, €7 one-way if purchased from driver—this includes a fine for not buying your ticket in advance).
Here are likely departure times (confirm at the TI) from Orvieto, Monday to Saturday only (no buses on Sundays or holidays): 6:20, 7:25, 7:50, 12:45, 13:55, 14:00, 15:45, 17:40, and 18:20. It’s nice to get up early, take the 7:50 bus, and see Civita in the cool morning calm. If you take the 12:45 bus, you can make the last (17:20) bus back, but your time in Civita may feel a little rushed.
From the upper town, buy your ticket from Silvia at the tobacco shop at Corso Cavour 306, a block up from the funicular (daily 7:00-13:00 & 16:00-20:00)—otherwise you’ll pay the premium ticket price on board the bus. If you’ll be returning to Orvieto by bus, it’s simpler to get a return ticket now rather than in Bagnoregio.
The blue Cotral bus to Bagnoregio departs from a courtyard within the former military barracks, marked Ex Caserma Piave on maps. With your back to the funicular, walk to the right. At the end of Piazza Cahen, you’ll see a large building across the street on the left. Follow Parking signs to find the buses waiting between yellow lines in the parking lot at the center of the building—look for the A.co.tra.l. Capolinea sign. The bus you want says Bagnoregio in the window. (Lots of buses marked Umbria Mobilità stop in front of the funicular; but Civita is served by a different bus company—Cotral.)
Buses departing the barracks stop five minutes later at Orvieto’s train station—to catch the bus there, wait to the left of the funicular station (as you’re facing it); schedule and tickets are available in the tobacco shop/bar in the train station.
For information on buses returning to Orvieto, see “Bagnoregio Connections,” later.
Getting from Bagnoregio Bus Stop to Civita: The simplest way to get from the Bagnoregio bus stop in Piazzale Battaglini to the base of Civita’s pedestrian bridge is to walk (20-30 minutes, slightly uphill at first, but downhill overall). The walk through Bagnoregio also offers a delightful look at a workaday Italian town. Take the road going uphill, Via Garibaldi (overlooking the big parking lot). Once on the road, take the first right, and then an immediate left, to cut over onto the main drag, Via Roma. Follow this straight out to the belvedere for a superb viewpoint. From there, backtrack a few steps (staircase at end of viewpoint is a dead end) and take the stairs down to the road leading to the bridge.
A shuttle bus runs to the belvedere from a stop just 20 yards from the Piazzale Battaglini bus stop. Look for white minibuses labeled EPF Tours. Skip the shuttle bus unless it’s pouring rain, but take it on the uphill return; it will drop you at the Orvieto-bound bus stop. Note the return times on the schedule posted by the belvedere or ask at the recommended Trattoria Antico Forno in Civita (usually 1-2/hour, 5 minutes, 7:30-18:15 but few buses 13:15-15:30 or on Sun Oct-March, €0.70 one-way, €1 round-trip, pay driver).
By Shuttle to Bagnoregio and Civita: The Teseotur travel agency in Orvieto offers a shuttle to Civita on Saturdays and Sundays during the summer (€15, includes onboard audiotour of region, tel. 0763-300-491, www.teseotur.com, info@teseotur.com).
By Taxi or Shared Taxi to Civita: If you can share cost, a 30-minute taxi ride from Orvieto to Civita is a good deal (basic rate: €50 one-way, €80 round-trip with an hour wait). Giuliotaxi can take groups by car or minibus (see here for details).
By Car to Bagnoregio and Civita: Driving from Orvieto to Civita takes about 30 minutes. Orvieto overlooks the autostrada (and has its own exit). From the Orvieto exit, the shortest way to Civita is to turn left (below Orvieto), and then simply follow the signs to Lubriano and Bagnoregio.
A more winding and scenic route takes about 10-15 minutes longer: From the Orvieto exit on the autostrada, go right (toward Orvieto), then at the first big roundabout, follow signs to Bolsena (passing under hill-capping Orvieto on your right). Take the first left (direction: Bagnoregio), winding up past great Orvieto views and the recommended Tenuta Le Velette and Custodi wineries (reservations required) en route to Canale, and through farms and fields of giant shredded wheat to Bagnoregio.
Whichever route you take, for a breathaking view of Civita, just before Bagnoregio follow signs left to Lubriano, head into that village, turn right as you enter town, and pull into the first little square by the yellow church (on the left). You’ll find an even better view farther into the town, from the tiny square at the next church (San Giovanni Battista). Then return to the Bagnoregio road.
Drive through the town of Bagnoregio (following yellow civita signs), park in the pay-and-display lot just before the belvedere, and take the stairs down to the bridge. If that small lot is full, there are often spots along the road leading up to it.
Civita charges a €1.50 admission fee to enter the old town (waived for overnight guests). The revenue helps with its extensive maintenance expenses. Buy your ticket from the brown kiosk, just before the bridge, on the left. On summer weekends, tours may be offered from here—ask.
Market Day: A lively market fills the Bagnoregio bus-station parking lot each Monday.
Baggage Storage: While there’s no official baggage-check service in Bagnoregio, I’ve arranged with Mauro Laurenti, who runs the Bar/Enoteca/Caffè Gianfu and Cinema Alberto Sordi, to let you leave bags for a small fee (Thu-Tue 6:00-13:00 & 13:30-24:00, closed Wed, tel. 0761-792-580). As you get off the bus, backtrack about 50 yards in the direction that the Orvieto bus just came from, and go right around corner.
Food near Bagnoregio Bus Stop: Across the street from Mauro’s bar/cinema and baggage storage is L’Arte del Pane, with fresh pastries (Via Matteotti 5). Thirty yards down the road, Mauro runs a small eatery, Il Ripi&Go (Via Giacomo Matteotti 35). On the other side of the old-town gate (Porta Albana), in the roundabout, is a small grocery store.
Orvieto Bus Tickets: To save money on bus fare back to Orvieto, buy a ticket before boarding from the newsstand (named Edicola 76), across from the gas station near the Bagnoregio bus stop—look for the white awning at #47 (Sat-Thu 7:00-13:00 & 17:00-20:00, closed Fri, €2.20 one-way in advance; €7 from driver).
(See “Civita di Bagnoregio” map, here.)
Civita was once connected to Bagnoregio, before the saddle between the separate towns eroded away. Photographs around town show the old donkey path, the original bridge. It was bombed in World War II and replaced in 1966 with the new footbridge that you’re climbing today.
• Entering the town, you’ll pass through Porta Santa Maria, a 12th-century Romanesque arch. This stone passageway was cut by the Etruscans 2,500 years ago, when this town was a stop on an ancient trading route. Inside the archway, you enter a garden of stones. Stand in the little square—the town’s antechamber—facing the Bar La Piazzetta. To your right are the remains of a...
The wooden door and windows (above the door) lead only to thin air. They were part of the facade of one of five palaces that once graced Civita. Much of the palace fell into the valley, riding a chunk of the ever-eroding rock pinnacle. Today, the door leads to a remaining section of the palace—complete with Civita’s first hot tub. It was once owned by the “Marchesa,” a countess who married into Italy’s biggest industrialist family.
• A few steps uphill, farther into town (on your left, beyond the Bottega souvenir store), notice the two shed-like buildings.
In the nearer building (covered with ivy), you’ll see the town’s old laundry, which dates from just after World War II, when water was finally piped into the town. Until a few years ago, this was a lively village gossip center. Now, locals park their mopeds here. Just behind that is another stone shed, which houses a poorly marked and less-than-pristine WC.
• The main square is just a few steps farther along, but we’ll take the scenic circular route to get there, detouring around to the right. Belly up to the...
Lean over the banister and listen to the sounds of the birds and the bees. Survey old family farms, noticing how evenly they’re spaced. Historically, each one owned just enough land to stay in business. Turn left along the belvedere and walk a few steps to the site of the long-gone home of Civita’s one famous son, St. Bonaventure, known as the “second founder of the Franciscans” (look for the small plaque on the wall).
• From here, a lane leads past delightful old homes and gardens, and then to...
The town church faces Civita’s main piazza. Grab a stone seat along the biggest building fronting the square (or a drink at Peppone’s bar) and observe the scene. They say that in a big city you can see a lot, but in a small town like this you can feel a lot. The generous bench is built into the long side of the square, reminding me of how, when I first discovered Civita back in the 1970s and 1980s, the town’s old folks would gather here every night. The piazza has been integral to Italian culture since ancient Roman times. While Civita is humble today, imagine the town’s former wealth, when mansions of the leading families faced this square, along with the former City Hall (opposite the church, to your left). The town’s history includes a devastating earthquake in 1695. Notice how stone walls were reinforced with thick bases, and how old stones and marble slabs were recycled and built into walls.
Here in the town square, you’ll find Bar Da Peppone (open daily, local wines and microbrews, inviting fire in the winter) and two restaurants. There are wild donkey races on the first Sunday of June and the second Sunday of September. At Christmastime, a living Nativity scene is enacted in this square, and if you’re visiting at the end of July or beginning of August, you might catch a play here. The pillars that stand like giants’ bar stools are ancient Etruscan. The church, with its campanile (bell tower), marks the spot where an Etruscan temple, and then a Roman temple, once stood. Across from Peppone’s, on the side of the former City Hall, is a small, square stone counter. Old-timers remember when this was a meat shop, and how one day a week the counter was stacked with fish for sale.
The humble Geological Museum, next to Peppone’s, tells the story of how erosion is constantly shaping the surrounding “Bad Lands” valley, how landslides have shaped (and continue to threaten) Civita, and how the town plans to stabilize things (€3, June-Sept Tue-Sun 9:30-13:30 & 14:00-18:30, closed Mon, Fri-Sun only off-season, www.museogeologicoedellefrane.it, mobile 328-665-7205).
• Now step inside...
A cathedral until 1699, the church houses records of about 60 bishops that date back to the seventh century (church open daily 10:00-13:00 & 15:00-17:00, often closed Feb). Inside you’ll see Romanesque columns and arches with faint Renaissance frescoes peeking through Baroque-era whitewash. The central altar is built upon the relics of the Roman martyr St. Victoria, who once was the patron saint of the town. St. Marlonbrando served as a bishop here in the ninth century; an altar dedicated to him is on the right. The fine crucifix over this altar, carved out of pear wood in the 15th century, is from the school of Donatello. It’s remarkably expressive and greatly venerated by locals. Jesus’ gaze is almost haunting. Some say his appearance changes based on what angle you view him from: looking alive from the front, in agony from the left, and dead from the right. Regardless, his eyes follow you from side to side. On Good Friday, this crucifix goes out and is the focus of the midnight procession.
On the left side, midway up the nave above an altar, is an intimate fresco known as Madonna of the Earthquake, given this name because—in the great shake of 1695—the whitewash fell off and revealed this tender fresco of Mary and her child. (During the Baroque era, a white-and-bright interior was in vogue, and churches such as these—which were covered with precious and historic frescoes—were simply whitewashed over. Look around to see examples.) On the same wall—just toward the front from the Madonna—find the faded portrait of Santa Apollonia, the patron saint of your teeth; notice the scary-looking pincers.
• From the square, you can follow...
A short walk takes you from the church to the end of the town. Along the way, you’ll pass a couple little eateries (described later, under “Eating in Civita”), olive presses, gardens, a rustic town museum, and valley views. The rock below Civita is honeycombed with ancient tunnels, caverns (housing olive presses), cellars (for keeping wine at a constant temperature all year), and cisterns (for collecting rainwater, since there was no well in town). Many date from Etruscan times.
Wherever you choose to eat (or just grab a bruschetta snack), be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to poke around—every place has a historic cellar. At the trendy Alma Civita, notice the damaged house facing the main street—broken since the 1695 earthquake and scarred to this day. Just beyond, the rustic Antico Frantoio Bruschetteria serves bruschetta in an amazing old space. Whether or not you buy food, venture into their back room to see an interesting collection of old olive presses (if you’re not eating here, a €1 donation is requested). The huge olive press in the entry is about 1,500 years old. Until the 1960s, blindfolded donkeys trudged in the circle here, crushing olives and creating paste that filled the circular filters and was put into a second press. Notice the 2,500-year-old sarcophagus niche. The hole in the floor (with the glass top) was a garbage hole. In ancient times, residents would toss their jewels down when under attack; excavations uncovered a windfall of treasures.
In front is the well head of an ancient cistern—designed to collect rainwater from neighboring rooftops—carved out of tufo and covered with clay to be waterproof.
• Across the street and down a tiny lane, find...
This is the closest thing the town has to a history museum. The humble collection is the brainchild of Felice, the old farmer who’s hung black-and-white photos, farm tools, olive presses, and local artifacts in a series of old caves. Climb down to the “warm blood machine” (another donkey-powered grinding wheel) and a viewpoint. You’ll see rooms where a mill worker lived until the 1930s. Felice wants to give visitors a feeling for life in Civita when its traditional economy was strong (€1, daily 10:00-19:00, until 17:00 in winter, some English explanations, tel. 320-110-4279).
• Another few steps along the main street take you to...
Here the road is literally cut out of the stone, with a dramatic view of the Bad Lands opening up. Pop into the cute “Garden of Poets” (immediately on the left just outside town, with the tiny local crafts shop) to savor the view. Then, look back up at the end of town and ponder the precarious future of Civita. There’s a certain stillness here, far from the modern world and high above the valley.
Continue along the path a few steps toward the valley below the town, and you come to some shallow caves used as stables until a few years ago. The third cave, cut deeper into the rock, with a barred door, is the Chapel of the Incarcerated (Cappella del Carcere). In Etruscan times, the chapel—with a painted tile depicting the Madonna and child—may have been a tomb, and in medieval times, it was used as a jail (which collapsed in 1695).
Although it’s closed to the public now, an Etruscan tunnel just beyond the Chapel of the Incarcerated cuts completely through the hill. Tall enough for a woman with a jug on her head to pass through, it may have served as a shortcut to the river below. It was widened in the 1930s so that farmers could get between their scattered fields more easily. Later, it served as a refuge for frightened villagers who huddled here during WWII bombing raids.
• Hike back into town. Make a point to take some time to explore the peaceful back lanes before returning to the modern world.
Civita has nine B&B rooms up for grabs. Bagnoregio has larger lodgings, and there are plenty of agriturismi nearby; otherwise, there’s always Orvieto. Off-season, when Civita and Bagnoregio are deadly quiet—and cold—I’d side-trip in from Orvieto rather than spend the night here.
$$$ Alma Civita is a classic old stone house that was recently renovated by a sister-and-brother team, Alessandra and Maurizio (hence the name: Al-Ma). These are Civita’s two most comfortable, modern, and warmly run rooms (Wi-Fi in restaurant, tel. 0761-792-415, mobile 347-449-8892, www.almacivita.com, prenotazione@almacivita.com).
$$ Locanda della Buona Ventura rents four overpriced rooms with tiny bathrooms, up narrow stairs, decorated in medieval rustic-chic, and overlooking Civita’s piazza. You’re not likely to see the owner—the La Cisterna Etrusca shop across the square functions as the reception (skimpy breakfast, no Wi-Fi, tel. 0761-792-025, mobile 347-627-5628 www.locandabuonaventura.com, info@locandabuonaventura.com).
$$ Civita B&B, run by gregarious Franco Sala, has three little rooms above Trattoria Antico Forno, each overlooking Civita’s main square. Two are doubles with private bath. The third is a triple (with one double and one kid-size bed), which has its own bathroom across the hall (RS%, family rooms, continental breakfast, Piazza del Duomo Vecchio, tel. 076-176-0016, mobile 347-611-5426, www.civitadibagnoregio.it, fsala@pelagus.it). Franco also rents two apartments, one in Civita and one in Bagnoregio.
$ Romantica Pucci B&B is a haven for city-weary travelers. Its five spacious rooms are indeed romantic, with canopied beds and flowing veils (air-con, free parking, Piazza Cavour 1, tel. 0761-792-121, www.hotelromanticapucci.it, info@hotelromanticapucci.it). It’s just above the public parking lot you see when you arrive in Bagnoregio: From the bus stop, take Via Garibaldi uphill above the parking lot, and then turn right, before the Forno sign onto Via Roma. The B&B is just to the left.
$ Hotel Divino Amore has 23 bright, modern rooms, four with perfect views of a miniature Civita. These view rooms, and the seven rooms with air-conditioning, don’t cost extra—but they book up first (closed Jan-March, Via Fidanza 25-27, tel. 076-178-0882, mobile 329-344-8950, www.hoteldivinoamore.com, info@hoteldivinoamore.com, Silvia). From the bus stop, passing the Forno sign where the street becomes Via Fidanza, follow Via Garibaldi uphill above the parking lot for 200 yards.
(See “Civita di Bagnoregio” map, here.)
$$ Osteria Al Forno di Agnese is a delightful spot where Manuela and her friends serve visitors simple yet delicious meals, including good salads, on a covered patio just off Civita’s main square or in a little dining room in gloomy weather (gluten-free options, good selection of local wines, opens daily at 12:00 for lunch, June-Sept also at 19:00 for dinner, closed sometimes in bad weather, tel. 0761-792-571, mobile 340-1259-721).
$$ Trattoria Antico Forno serves up rustic dishes, homemade pasta, and salads at affordable prices. Try their homemade pasta with truffles (daily for lunch 12:30-15:30 and dinner 19:00-22:00, on main square, also rents rooms—see Civita B&B listing earlier, tel. 076-176-0016, Franco, daughter Elisabetta, and assistant Nina).
$$ Trattoria La Cantina de Arianna is a family affair, with a busy open fire specializing in grilled meat and wonderful bruschetta. It’s run by Arianna, her sister, Antonella, and their parents, Rossana and Antonio. After eating, wander down to their cellar, where you’ll see traditional winemaking gear and provisions for rolling huge kegs up the stairs. Tap on the kegs in the bottom level to see which are full (daily 11:00-16:30, tel. 0761-793-270).
$$ Alma Civita feels like a fresh, new take on old Civita. It’s owned by two of its longtime residents: Alessandra (an architect) and her brother, Maurizio (who runs the restaurant). Choose from one of three seating areas: outside on a stony lane, in the modern and trendy-feeling main-floor dining room, or in the equally modern but atmospheric cellar. Even deeper is an old Etruscan tomb that’s now a wine cellar (May-Oct lunch Wed-Mon 12:00-16:00, dinner Fri-Sat only 19:00-21:30, closed Tue; Nov-April Fri-Sun only for lunch, tel. 0761-792-415).
$ Antico Frantoio Bruschetteria, the last place in town, is a rustic, super-atmospheric spot for a bite to eat. The specialty here: delicious bruschetta toasted over hot coals. Peruse the menu, choose your toppings (chopped tomato is super), and get a glass of wine for a fun, affordable snack or meal (roughly 10:00-18:00, mobile 328-689-9375, Fabrizio).
$$$ Hostaria del Ponte—recently closed due to erosion problems but hoping to reopen—is a more serious restaurant than anything in Civita itself. It offers creative and traditional cuisine with a great view terrace at the parking lot at the base of the bridge to Civita. Big space heaters make it comfortable to enjoy the wonderful view as you dine from their rooftop terrace, even in spring and fall (tel. 076-179-3565, www.hostariadelponte.it, Lorena).
The recommended $$ Romantica Pucci B&B offers a small restaurant with tables in its private garden (closed Mon, see contact details earlier).
From Bagnoregio to Orvieto: Cotral buses (45 minutes, €2.20 one-way if purchased in advance, €7 one-way from driver) connect Bagnoregio to Orvieto. Departures from Bagnoregio—Monday to Saturday only (no buses on Sunday or holidays)—are likely to be at the following times (confirm locally): 5:30, 6:35, 6:50, 9:55, 10:10, 13:00, 13:35, 14:40, and 17:25. For information, call 06-7205-7205 or 800-174-471 (press 7 for English), or see www.cotralspa.it (click “Orari,” then fill in “Bagnoregio” and “Orvieto” in the trip planner—Italian only). For info on coming from Orvieto, see “Getting There” on here).
If you’re side-tripping from Orvieto, buy two tickets in Orvieto so you already have one when you’re ready to come back.
From Bagnoregio to Points South: Cotral buses also run to Viterbo, which has a good train connection to Rome (buses go weekdays at 5:10, 6:30, 7:15, 8:10, 7:40, 10:00, 13:00, 13:45, and 14:55; less frequent Sat-Sun, 35 minutes).