Orvieto

[devarae]

[Edited to update: it turns out we are probably doing a trip to Spain instead of Italy this year for a couple different reasons, so this question is now more for future planning than immediate use! Thank you!]

I posted a previous question regarding options for a second location outside Rome at which my traveling group (three adults) might spend a bit of time. I'm 90 percent sure that we're going to go with Orvieto!

My current thought is to take the train there directly after our flight arrives, spend 4 (or 5?) nights in Orvieto, then train back to Rome for the last 8 or 7 days of our trip.
While in Orvieto we will likely spend:
2 days exploring the city sites and soaking in atmosphere.
1 day going to Civita di Bagnoregio via public transport/bus (I know it's not necessarily a full day but we will probably only plan one "thing" per day).

Some questions:

Has anyone done an Underground Orvieto tour and did you like it?
Are there other day-trips we should consider, given we do not want to rent a car? We might consider a private driver/tour if there's something really enticing.
Does 4 nights sound right? Or should we do 5?
My understanding is that there's a way to get the train tickets right at the Fiumicino airport (assuming that's where we'll likely arrive) that would involve going to the Tiburnia station via the FH1 train and then getting the Orvieto-bound train there. And that we might want to just wait to get them then in case we have a delay with our flight. Do you think we should consider spending the $$ for a private transfer to Orvieto given we'll be tired and one of us is older (my mom) and not quite as spry? We don't travel with a ton of luggage but will each have a small rolling suitcase. Any thoughts on that?

 

[Galgano]

It's been quite a few years since I last visited Orvieto, so I can't answer all your questions or offer advice on all.

We dined at I Setti Consoli in Orvieto on several occasions and I rated it one of the best in Italy. Recent reviews are mixed, however, I don't always trust reviews.

I don't know how doable it is using public transport, however I highly recommend Sorano
https://www.lifeinitaly.com/tourism/tuscany/sorano
https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Orvieto/Sorano

Sorano still sticks in my mind as one of the most unique towns in Italy.


Some questions:

Has anyone done an Underground Orvieto tour and did you like it?
Yes, we did the underground tour. I'd do it again.

Are there other day-trips we should consider, given we do not want to rent a car? We might consider a private driver/tour if there's something really enticing.

See Sorano above.

Of the other significant towns in the area, I'd suggest Todi
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todi

Enjoy the planning and anticipation.

 

[Andrew]

For the train, on the official site www.trenitalia.com you can search Fiumicino Aeroporto-Orvieto for train options. If this is well in advance, the schedules may not be loaded, but you can search a date in the next few days based on your flight arrival times to get an idea of options. The cheapest do indeed connect at Tiburtina, but a connection at Termini might work better for the time you want. You can buy the whole package at a kiosk at the airport station. Most trains are Regionali and don't take reservations. If the Rome-Orvieto train is an Intercity, you can probably find the required assigned seats available when you make that purchase.

I expect that you won't find great public transportation options to other towns from Orvieto: one of the easiest to a place of interest could be train to Chiusi, connecting bus to Montepulciano.

 

[devarae]

Thank you! I am going to file away all this info for future reference. It turns out that we are probably going to end up doing an entirely different trip this year (Spain!) but I do intend to do this Orvieto visit some day (hopefully sooner rather than later).

 

[GAC]

Buy your train tickets from FCO to Orvieto at the FCO airport train station, either from an electronic ticket machine or from the staffed sales window. Take the UNRESERVED regionale train from FCO to Tiburtina, then connect to the UNRESERVED regionale train to Orvieto. Don't pay extra for the reserved Intercity train, which takes about the same amount of time as the unreserved regionale. Don't buy the tickets in advance: the airport train ticket has limited validity, and your flight might arrive late. The regionale ticket from Tiburtina to Orvieto (unvalidated) can be used on any unreserved regionale train departing on the same day as the date of the ticket, but not on a later date. The ticket is valid for four hours after it is validated (which you should do at the Tiburtina station, just prior to boarding this train). Don't forget to validate the airport train ticket, either!

Orvieto has decent bus connections to neighboring towns. See here:


http://www.fsbusitalia.it/cms-file/allegati/fsbusitalia/umbria/03_Extra_Terni_Ann_Bacino3.PDF

Take note which buses depart from Orvieto Piazza Cahen (at the end of the funicular, in the old town atop the hill) and those which depart from Piazza Stazione at the bottom of the hill (some depart from both locations). Some lines don't run on Sundays (such as Orvieto/Bolsena).

Whether to pay for a pricey private transfer from FCO to Orvieto is a purely personal decision: it will be faster and much more comfortable, but taking the trains is easy, relatively inexpensive and very convenient. Trains from FCO to Tiburtina run every 15 minutes, and regionale trains onwards to Orvieto run at decent intervals.

 

[Pauline]

Are there other day-trips we should consider, given we do not want to rent a car? We might consider a private driver/tour if there's something really enticing.

Orvieto is a great town. A few years ago we flew into Rome airport, got a rental car, and drove up there for 2 nights.

Another place in the area that I like is Pitigliano. It is an hour drive. I don't know about public transportation. It is a beautiful town on top of a cliff. There are a few other good towns nearby. And there are the Etruscan Pathways.
https://www.sloweurope.com/daytrip/1841/pitigliano-etruscan-pathways/

 

[Sharon J]

We absolutely love Orvieto. One of our favorite towns in Italy. We ALWAYS have lunch at La Palomba.,
https://www.orvietoviva.com/en/trattoria-la-palomba-orvieto/
I would advise making a reservation, as it's also popular with the locals. It's tucked way back inside the town, and a bit hard to find, on a first visit. But, it is in the flat part. There is easier parking on top, just follow the main road up, up up, and look for the big P for parking signs. It's a large lot. Look for a pay machine., pay, take out the ticket and place in your car window.

 

[milgreen2]

We spent one night in Orvieto several years ago now, it was mostly a stopover where we could pick up a rental car and drive to Umbria. We had dinner at La Palomba and it remains one of our most memorable meals ever. Not that the food was so wonderful -- it was good, but not extraordinary -- but the service was great, the wine delicious, and the atmosphere was very warm.

 

[Alpinista]

Will make a comment that if your concern about driving in Italy is over stories of crazy drivers, would make an argument that the Italians drive very well. They fully understand the concept of "drive right/pass left" and they move very efficiently through roundabouts and pass safely on two lane roads (even though they create a third lane to do so ;-). Driving in cities is a different thing, but if you are using Orvieto as a multi-day base, having a car would see you moving easily about the country on either autostrade or high grade roads. There is public parking at the old town area of Orvieto for your use.

We did the underground Orvieto a couple of years ago and thought it was extremely interesting:

https://www.orvietounderground.it/index.php/en/

We used Orvieto as our first day stop several times on the way from Rome to Lucca and always enjoyed the walk through the town and the little restaurants in town, but not sure about using it for 4 days. As noted in other responses, Bagnoregio is the nearest place of interest outside of Orvieto. I was an English Lit major with a side in medieval studies, so always enjoy places like Viterbo with its links to the papacy, but I'm easily entertained and not everyone gets excited over walking the footsteps of people from my old history books.

Within about 90 minutes (?? need to check public transportation) are places like Val d'Orcia (try to read the Iris Origo book, "War in Val d'Orcia" prior to a visit -- limited opening hours if you do go, so check availability) -- Gubbio, which has a really cool two person lift that takes you up the side of the hill to the basilica; Perugia with a wonderful city center; Volterra with the Etruscan caves used as wine cellars.

 

[jan]

Thanks for this thread.
We are planning a week in Orvieto in late November as part of our Fall trip and we'll also be using public transportation.
We have booked this place but may change:
https://www.booking.com/hotel/it/wh...eep_landing=1&sb_price_type=total&type=total&

Any feedback welcome

 

[Mom83]

Alpinista...I think you mean “La Foce”, not “Val d’Orcia”. La Foce was the former home of Iris and Antonio Origo...it is located in the area of Tuscany called the Val d’Orcia and has beautiful gardens with stunning views over the countryside...tours are given Wednesday afternoons and weekends from April through October. There are also lovely rental accommodations for those wishing to stay on the property and a restaurant that opened several years ago. We have never stayed at La Foce, but we always visit the gardens when we stay at Terre di Nano nearby.
When I attended college in Florence many years ago, one of our Italian History assignment was to read “The War in the Val d’Orcia”...in Italian! It is a fascinating story of La Foce and the Origos during WWII. It is a place I always recommend for people to visit if they are in the area.

 

[Sharon J]

During our last stay at Sant'Antonio last May, we noticed that the Castle across the road from La Foce was being renovated. We asked Nico about it, and he said, there are still Origo family members living in the area. They had recently sold the Castle, and he believed it was going to be used as a hotel. I may have the hotel thing wrong, as I can't remember the whole conversation. There will be guest accommodations, however. We are returning this May/June, and look forward to seeing the progress. Hopefully, the huge working crane will be gone. If you visit the property, make sure you visit the family/worker cemetery and chapel behind the family gardens. There is a dirt road leading past it. You can also see the famous winding road on the hillside across the valley.

 

[Mom83]

That is so interesting about the castle, Sharon. We may be going back to the area again this September...we will have to visit La Foce and see the changes.
I am always tempted to stay there...which accommodation do you like?
Isn’t the view from the gardens of the winding road with the cypress trees amazing?!? I could sit and look at it for a long time!

 

[Alpinista]

Alpinista...I think you mean “La Foce”, not “Val d’Orcia”. .

Yes, thank you for the clarification. One of my claims to fame was having a photo taken in the gardens there win a photo competition ;-)

 

[Sharon J]

That is so interesting about the castle, Sharon. We may be going back to the area again this September...we will have to visit La Foce and see the changes.
I am always tempted to stay there...which accommodation do you like?
Isn’t the view from the gardens of the winding road with the cypress trees amazing?!? I could sit and look at it for a long time![/QU

We stay with Nico at Sant'Antonio every year. It's truly our happy place. We usually then move on to Varenna and/or Venice. After so may years of traveling around Italy and France, we have settled into a routine. Someday, when our last precious doggie is gone, we will be able to stay a month or longer in other places as well We love a beautiful 500 year old house named Villa Mont Joie in Beynac, France, overlooking the Dordogne River, and hope to go back there. A magical area.

We're now in our early 70's, and just not so interested in finding new places.

 

[Jabez]

Underground Orvieto tour

We've done, but at the time it was only in Italian. Still interesting. It's a lovely town an area.