Friday, July 29, 2011

ORVIETO: DAY OF ARRIVAL

Following our short visit to Siena we headed further south to our final stop for the night in Orvieto. This would our last hill town in Tuscany that we would stay in for the remainder of our trip.

Orvieto, Italy is one of the principal sights of the region of Umbria, Italy. Its situation is marvelous - perched high above tufa cliffs - showing traces of every phase of history for the past three thousand years, culminating in its magnificent cathedral. Tourists should on no account miss Orvieto if they are visiting Umbria or southern Tuscany. The tufa butte on which Orvieto is located is itself riddled with tunnels and wells dating from Etruscan times to only a couple of hundred years ago. The most spectacular of these subterranean burrowings is the Pozzo di San Patrizio, a deep well with a double spiral stair leading to the water source at its base. It dates from 1537 and is 62 m deep. If you're in need of exercise, it's possible to descend and return. Try carrying up a couple of buckets of water - it'll bring the life of earlier times vividly before you.
(source)

Here are some photos we took during our visit in Orvieto.

Looking up at the town of Orvieto from our hotel


To get up to the top of the cliffs you have to take some escalators through the tunnels


The Cathedral on the left was right at the top of the tunnel entrance as you reach the top. The photo on the right is right outside the parking garage at the base of the town


A beautiful view at the hills from the parking garage


I loved all the succulents we came across and that sign was way too cool not to photograph






They had these really cool benches outside of a few cafes and gelaterias across town



A little street with local shop owners. I of course found some chocolate!


I ended up purchasing many boxes as gifts for friends and family and one truffle for me to enjoy right then and there.


The famous Cathedral in town


2 comments:

  1. I really need to go back to Europe. I'm hoping to go again before I have kids. I love that tunnel, looks like something from a movie.

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  2. Awww, how much I miss Italy...beautiful pics!

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