Orvieto and Civita di Bagnoregio (Driver Only/Self Touring)

The most precious sight in Orvieto is probably the Cathedral. The splendid façade contains many of the elements of design that were common to religious construction from the 14th to the 20th century. The cathedral’s construction was begun in 1290 and lasted for almost 300 years. During the course of that time, the design evolved from Romanesque to Gothic. Many significant works of art can be found in the cathedral, and a visit to the Chapel of the Madonna di San Brizio is a must-see. It contains frescoes begun by Fra Angelico and finished by Signorelli. The frescoes represent many events in Christianity including the Apocalypse and the Last Judgment. They begin with the Preaching of the Antichrist and continue to the Doomsday and the Resurrection of the Flesh.

Orvieto’s main military weakness was a lack of water, due to its high position on the tufa rock, so the Medici Pope Clement VII ordered the well to be dug in case of a military siege. Visitors can walk down the 248 steps to the bottom to reach the water, without ever meeting the tourists going up thanks to its helix design inspired by the Vatican Belvedere staircase. Entry tickets are € 5 per person and can be purchased on site.

You'll also have time to explore the quaint streets and alleys in town and peek inside the numerous ceramic shops, taste the local wine and enjoy lunch in a typical family-owned restaurant.

Civita is a traffic-free community and can be reached only by a footbridge suspended in the air. Perhaps for this reason, and its complete isolation from the real world, that only about 20 people live here year-round. Originally, Civita di Bagnoregio was connected to the bigger town of Bagnoregio, (hence the name, Civita of Bagnoregio) but eventually, the saddle that connected the two towns eroded and now the footbridge connects Civita and Bagnoregio. Civita di Bagnoregio was founded by the Etruscans on a hill of ‘tuff’. Tuff (from the Italian "tufo") is a type of rock consisting of consolidated volcanic ash ejected from vents during a volcanic eruption. There are several delightful shops and some of the architecture spans several thousand years. The residents are devoted stewards of this village, meticulously caring for it and its appearance. Although it appears this town has miraculously survived the passage of time clinging to life with sheer determination, it’s actually a dying city, destined to one day perish.