Photo: Livioandronico2013 · CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Orvieto
A cliff-top town with a dazzling cathedral and caves beneath.
A small town on a flat-topped cliff of volcanic rock, crowned by one of Italy's most dazzling cathedral fronts and riddled with caves, wells and tunnels. On the Rome–Florence line, perfect for a day or a slow night.
Places to see
- Orvieto CathedralChurch · A striped cathedral with a front of gold mosaics and carved marble panels of the Creation…≈ A$9
Orvieto UndergroundSight · A guided walk through caves cut into the soft rock under the town: Etruscan wells, an old…≈ A$14
St Patrick's WellSight · A well 53 metres deep with two spiral staircases that never meet, so donkeys could go…≈ A$9
Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo
When to go
- Jan9° / 1°Some rainQuiet
- Feb11° / 1°Some rainQuiet
- Mar14° / 4°Some rainBusy
- Apr18° / 7°Some rainBusy
- May23° / 11°Some rainBusy
- Jun27° / 15°Mostly dryBusy
- Jul30° / 17°Mostly dryBusy
- Aug30° / 17°Mostly dryBusy
- Sep
Staying and getting around
Good areas to stay
The cathedral and Corso. The striped cathedral, the main street and the squares around them.
The medieval quarter. Quiet lanes at the west end, with wells and the oldest church.
Orvieto Scalo. The new town below by the station: cheaper beds, a funicular ride from the top.
Flying in
Rome Fiumicino (FCO): Train to Roma Termini, then a train to Orvieto and the funicular up, about 2 h 30 min, ≈ A$30.
Flewaway's estimate for the usual budget way into Orvieto; check times and fares before you fly.
Getting around
You can walk everywhere. A single ticket is ≈ A$2. The funicular climbs from the station to Piazza Cahen (about €1.30, check), then a little bus or a 15-minute walk reaches the cathedral; the town on top is small and walkable.
Tourist tax
Orvieto's tourist tax: usually about €1.50–2 a person a night in hostels and B&Bs, more in hotels, for the first nights; under-12s don't pay. Paid at check-in (check).
