It is one of the oldest towns in Italy, situated on a tufa cliff, full of streets and streets that change appearance and colors depending on the light, but also caves and underground tunnels. Each house built on the top of the cliff was made with tuff taken from the subsoil, which gave rise to a labyrinth of caves that can still be visited. You can enjoy the beauty of Orvieto in different ways: walking in the town, visiting the narrow streets, its marvelous churches and prestigious palaces; observing it from afar, exactly from the vantage point the “belvedere“ where it is possible to appreciate the majesty of the cliff compared to the surrounding countryside; and finally exploring its subsoil, retracing caves, labyrinths and underground tunnels on which Orvieto lives.
The magic of this small village not only enchants tourists, but its inhabitants, and I would like to introduce you to those places that make me appreciate my native city every day.” text_line_height=”30″ text_margin=”15″]
Would you like to take a course in ceramics or cooking, take a tour in the Umbrian green nature or visit a winery in the heart of Orvieto Classico?” text_color=”#ffffff”][/mkdf_elements_holder_item][/mkdf_elements_holder]
Piazza Duomo – Starting from the Torre del Moro, go along Via del Duomo full of ceramics shops in Orvieto, bars and restaurants. Already halfway you can begin to admire the majesty of the cathedral, a masterpiece of Romanesque Gothic architecture (1290/1550). It was built by Pope Nicholas IV to give a worthy place to the Corporal of the miracle of Bolsena. Just before reaching the square, on the right is Via dei Magoni, also known by the Orvieto as Via degli Artigiani. This small street is very characteristic thanks to the small artisan shops that show their works and for the very special Wizard of Oz, a shop of toys and prints of past times, which makes this corner fabulous. Once in Piazza Duomo it is a must to admire the beauty of the cathedral, stroll in the square enjoying every angle and finally enter the Cathedral to admire it also inside. The square offers other points of interest, such as the Etruscan Museum and the Faina Museum, both with archaeological finds from the Etruscan age, but also the entrance to Orvieto Underground. A typical way to spend a warm afternoon in Orvietano Piazza Duomo is to taste the excellent ice cream of the ancient Pasqualetti ice cream parlor sitting on the steps of the cathedral refreshed by the pleasant breeze that usually rises in the late afternoon.
Piazza del Capitano del Popolo– Taking the Torre del Moro as a reference and going along Via della Costituente you reach Piazza del Popolo which houses the Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo, built around the 14th century. It was the residence of the most important citizen of the medieval era, “the captain of the people” and, up until a few years ago, the costumes and armor of all three hundred of the figures of the historical procession were kept on the upper floor in a maniacal manner. . In fact, the procession came out of this splendid palace and this beautiful historical representation that takes place on Corpus Christi began. Today it is used to host events and conferences.
Don’t miss Alvaro’s delicious white pizza!
Continuing on via del Popolo you reach the most appreciated public garden in summer, the Confaloniera. Thanks to its tree-lined avenue and its strategic position, it is one of the favorite places for children to play, but also for young and old to walk and enjoy a beautiful view.
Piazza Cahen– Our walk continues to Piazza Cahen, one of Orvieto’s entrances.
Then we go down to the Pozzo di San Patrizio, a masterpiece of Renaissance engineering, in which two ramps of helicoidal one-way stairways completely autonomous and served by two different doors, allow you to get on and off without ever meeting. It was built by Antonio da Sangallo 1527/1537 at the behest of Pope Clement VII, who had just come from the Sack of Rome. We can then rest in the fortress of Albornoz with its charming interior gardens. From the square it is possible to go down with the funicular to the railway station. Next to the entrance of the Albornoz it is possible to decide to enter the famous “Anello della Rupe”, a path of about 5 km that turns into a ring around the town. Along the way there are several exits, including the one for the Etruscan Necropolis. The latter testifies to the ancient civilization that founded Orvieto and describes their cult for life after death, through the construction of a real city of the dead.
Quartiere Medioevale – Continuing the stretch of the course in the opposite direction from Piazza Cahen you reach Piazza della Repubblica, where you can admire the Church of Sant ‘Andrea, with its underground passages, the beautiful and particular dodecagonal tower and the majestic arches of the town hall. Crossing the square we find the steepest street of the town that reaches Porta Romana, the oldest entrance to the city. Walking along Via della Cava it is possible to visit the ancient Cava well, where in the Christmas period a characteristic crib is set up, unique in its kind. On the right side of the street is the oldest part of Orvieto, the Medieval quarter. The beauty and tranquility of the area, far from the tourist flow, makes this district one of the most evocative and loved in the city. It is famous for the church of San Giovenale, built in 1004 on the remains of an early Christian church built on the foundations of an Etruscan temple, considered the oldest cathedral before the construction of the Duomo. In the beautiful square of San Giovenale you can visit the church of Sant’Agostino, built by the Augustinian friars in 1264, in which the marble statues of the twelve apostles are displayed, which until the nineteenth century were at the foot of each column inside the cathedral . Taking a relaxing walk along the city walls offers a beautiful view of the valley, with breathtaking sunsets and an enchanting view of the neighborhood, full of narrow streets and little houses with flower gardens that breathe an air of the past.
Le Chiese – La Basilica Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta , symbol of the city, is one of the most beautiful in Italy and the world. The Chapel of the Corporal opens on the left transept. created to preserve the relic of Corpus Domini enclosed within a tabernacle, made by Nicola da Siena and the Orcagna. On the right transept, the Chapel of San Brizio, dedicated to the Saint Bishop “San Brizio”, protector of Orvieto. The pictorial decoration was begun by Beato Angelico with the help of Benozzo Gozzoli, then terminated by Luca Signorelli, with a cycle dedicated to the theme of the apocalypse and the Last Judgment.
Chiesa di San Giovenale the first cathedral of Orvieto.
Chiesa di Sant’Agostino, used as an evocative exhibition hall that houses the marble statues of the apostles.
Chiesa di Sant’Andrea and his subterranean ones.
Chiesa di San Francesco, a typical Franciscan construction, it had for some time the role of Cathedral of the city, where the King of France Louis IX was canonized by Pope Boniface VIII. It is located at the highest point of the cliff and is also the second absolute, after the Basilica of Assisi, to have been dedicated to St. Francis.
Chiesa di San Domenico.
SHOPPING
Ceramiche Mastro Paolo II – Corso Cavour, 166
Pure Orvieto art, handed down from father to son. Handmade ceramics entirely handmade, original and unique in its design. With its concentric lines, random and shaded spots, they are made unique by the manual procedure, creating unique and immediately recognizable objects.
La Corte dei Miracoli –
The workshop was born in 1990, from the extraordinary imagination and manual skill, of the artisan Alberto Bellini who, with his mastery, manages to give beautiful and very special shapes to the terra cotta.
The love for the Middle Ages, historical and fantastic, is the reason why workers range from castles, towers, gnomes, masks, small villages, but also to the representation, with tiles, of Orvieto’s guilds of arts and crafts , of the four quarters of Orvieto, varied symbology, suns and moons, hugs, dancers and lamps.
Entering Alberto’s shop is like being in a world of fairy tales.