The Day Trip from Rome I Can’t Recommend Enough: Orvieto

The Day Trip from Rome I Can’t Recommend Enough: Orvieto

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Italy is blessed with many picturesque hilltop towns, and I’ve been to many, but Orvieto is one of the best for its sweeping views of the surrounding valley and incredible history and beauty of the attractions in town.

It’s an easy day trip from Rome by train, which is how I visited. Even gazing up at the walled town from the bottom of the funicular when you arrive, Orvieto is distinctive and breathtaking, and doesn’t disappoint when you ascend to the top.

READ MORE: Where to Eat in Rome

My favorite day trips in Italy in general involve having enough interesting sights to fill the time (although not too many to be overwhelming), beautiful views, and great food options.

Orvieto has all of this, and millenia of history that is visible seemingly everywhere you turn. Read on for all of the wonderful attractions I was able to squeeze into my single day there.

Things to Do

Around Town

Duomo (Cathedral)

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One of the more stunning cathedrals I’ve seen in all of Italy, the Orvieto Duomo is the main draw to the city for many.

The outer facade is incredibly intricate, mixing different styles of sculpture, mosaics, and design. Its beauty is evident when you first venture inside as well, in particular visiting the frescoes of the adjacent San Brizio chapel.

Orvieto Underground

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If you read my Naples Cheat Sheet, you know that I find underground passageways intriguing.

This is especially dramatic in Orvieto, as the underground rooms and passageways extend underneath nearly the entire city, dating back to several hundred years before Christ. Of course, you’ll only see a section of the underground areas on the approximately hour-long tour that begins close to the Duomo, but these include areas for raising pigeons and the location of the olive press, with beautiful views over the valley.

Torre del Moro (Moro Tower)

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It’s worth climbing the tower’s 250 steps for the views at the top across Orvieto and the surrounding countryside, and the tower is located right in town. On the September day when I visited, there were quite a lot of bugs milling about at the top, but walk around to find a comfortable viewing spot as they tend to congregate toward just one side of the viewing platform.

Church of Sant’Andrea

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The church itself is nice and includes a distinctive multi-sided bell tower, but the real treasure is its extensive underground to see with a guide.

It is well worth the extra fee for the friendly, bilingual tour guide who walks you through the history underneath the main level, including fabulous mosaics and ancient roads.

Pozzo della Cava

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A series of caves with history going back nearly 3,000 years, this attraction is privately owned and very tourist-friendly with explanatory signs in several languages.

I found it helpful to visit after the ‘Orvieto Underground’ tour, which helped me put into better context some of the areas I was seeing. And be sure to pop into the restaurant, stand on the clear section of plexiglass in the floor, and look down if you dare.

Off the Beaten Path

Around the medieval town of Orvieto Italy 20160930_172540

Church of San Giovenale

The church is Orvieto’s oldest and contains some beautiful artwork. It’s worth stopping into on this end of town, which is a lovely area to explore on foot.

Town Walls

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Orvieto is a walled city on a hill, and some of the best views you’ll have of the surrounding valley is by strolling across them on foot.

Communal Gardens of Orvieto

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I strolled into this site right by the funicular by accident, but was so glad I did because it offers lookout points and great views of the valley below Orvieto.

This was one of the few spots in town where I saw more locals than tourists.

TIP! The opening hours change by season, so be sure to leave enough time at the beginning or end of your day to spend some time here.

Pozzo di San Patrizio

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This well was constructed as a backup water source in the 1500s when Pope Clement VII was hiding out in Orvieto.

Today it’s a beautiful architectural remnant from that period located on the other side of the funicular than the Communal Gardens, behind the remains of an Etruscan Temple.

Where to Eat – Best Bites

Duca di Orvieto

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I had done a bunch of research about restaurants in town serving the local fare, and even walked past a few and checked out their menus on my walk into the center, but somehow I overlooked this restaurant that is the single place I’d recommend to anyone visiting.

How did this restaurant make such a deep impression on this self-proclaimed foodie?

Well for one, a lot of their recipes are from local families dating back to the 1500s!! (No, that is not a typo. When was the last time you dined on 16th-century specialties?)

A lot of the dishes take many hours or even days to prepare, so you’ll be hard-pressed to find them anywhere else in town. And the result is incredibly rich and delicious.

I enjoyed a local pasta cooked in red wine for many hours and a beef dish slow cooked with pears and nothing else.

The locals know that this is the spot to go, as I was the only non-Italian on my visit, and even the local police officers took their lunch break here.

Definitely not to be missed! If you’re not sure what to order, rest assured, the staff is wonderful and will steer you in the right direction.

(More) Practical Tips for Visiting

If you are coming to Orvieto as a day trip from Rome, your best bet is to arrive by train. There are many trains making the journey, so you’ll have several choices to find the schedule that works best for you.

I definitely recommend getting an early start if you can, so you can maximize the time you’re in Orvieto during tourism hours.

You can search for trains between ‘Roma’ and ‘Orvieto’ on TrenItalia’s English website here, including the cost and traveling time for each option.

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So your transiting goes smoothly, there are a few things to keep in mind:

TRAVEL SAVVY TIP! There is always the danger of a train strike (sciopero) in Italy, and these happen more often than you’d think. Ask at your accommodations or do an internet search before choosing which day you’ll visit Orvieto.

TRAVEL SAVVY TIP! Most trains from Rome to Orvieto leave from platforms at the far end of the station, so leave extra time to walk there to avoid missing your train.

TRAVEL SAVVY TIP! As the day goes on, trains can become progressively more delayed, so you may want to see when you’re ready to leave the city before committing to a timed train ticket.

TRAVEL SAVVY TIP! When you arrive in Orvieto, you will be in the lower part of town while the main attractions are all on the hilltop. Fortunately, the funicular station is immediately across the street from the Orvieto train station, and it runs relatively frequently, so you’ll never be waiting for long in either direction.

TRAVEL SAVVY TIP! If you’re planning on a full day in Orvieto, take a picture of the return funicular schedule, especially if there’s a specific train you’re trying to catch back to Rome in the evening.

I spent a really delightful day in Orvieto and felt like I had pretty thoroughly explored the town in that time.

It would certainly be a good spot to make a home base for a few days as well, and I met some tourists who were doing just that, with leisurely days sightseeing in town and on other days driving a rental car to other nearby attractions and wineries.

However you fit it into your Italy itinerary, this is a spot that is definitely worth a visit!

Happy Travels! Lana

Any sights in Orvieto that I missed? What other day trips from Rome would you recommend?

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One Day in Orvieto Italy - Day Trip from Rome

20 thoughts on “The Day Trip from Rome I Can’t Recommend Enough: Orvieto

    1. Thank you very much for the kind words, grazie. There are so many beautiful hilltop towns in Italy, and Orvieto is definitely one of my favorites!

      1. Hi. I’m in Rome now and want to go to Orvietto. Do we simply go to the train station in Rome and buy a ticket to Orvietto?

  1. I will come to Orvieto from Rome, will it be better to visit the St Patrizio well or the Duomo? Thanks

    1. Hi Barbara, it’s actually possible and easy to do both in a single day trip from Rome. Everything in Orvieto is close by, you can do everything in this post like I did!

      Happy travels,
      Lana

  2. My daughter did a study abroad program in Orvieto and she told her Dad and I that the Culinary Scool is not to be missed for a great dinner. Can’t wait for our trip in December!

    1. Ooh, what a wonderful recommendation from someone who used to live there. Have a wonderful visit, it’s an incredible city!

  3. What a great suggestion! I searched around for info on Orvieto and this post was the deciding factor for me. I went there on the day trip from Rome, bought the Orvieto Day Pass, rented an electric bike and had the time of my life. Absolutely loved it!

    Just got home to Seattle and upon reflection, my time in Orvieto was probably the best single day of the trip.

    Thanks for your advice!

    1. How wonderful, Nathan, thanks so much for taking the time to write. I’m glad you had such a wonderful time in Orvieto!

  4. Great article. May I ask how much time you spent there? We are a family of 6 and I really wanted to purchase train tickets in advance so not too stress too much on the day.
    Was everything easy to get around?
    Did you prepurchase the the undrground tour or was that ok on the day.

    Looking to go on a saturday. Thank you

    1. Thanks for reading, Elizabeth. I was only in Orvieto for a day (some day trips on the blog are for places I’ve visited multiple times, others just once). In the case of Orvieto, what made it such a great day trip was easy, frequent transport from Rome and a compact town that was easy to get around by foot and comfortably see all of the sights without being rushed. Train tickets are easy to purchase on the day, but if you know your timing in advance, definitely go ahead and buy them ahead of time. I did not pre-purchase my undergound tour – I purchased an Orvieto card in the morning when I arrived (http://www.orvietoonline.com/carta_orvieto_unica.html) and then saw the various included sights at a leisurely pace. However, my visit was on a weekday in September. If you’ll be there on a weekend or during peak summer season, it may be worth it to arrange things in advance.

      Happy travels!
      Lana

      1. Thanks Lana for getting back to me. We will be going in May. Most likely on a Saturday, so will prepurchase train tickets. Do you think 5 hrs would be plenty of time.
        Sorry for all the questions (I have one special needs child – and I have to plan around him)

        1. You’re very welcome, Elizabeth. How much time you’ll want depends on what you want to see and whether you’ll be grabbing a meal during your time in Orvieto (I’d build in 1-1.5 hours for eating at a sit-down restaurant). It sounds like you have a sense of what your family needs are, so pick a total time to visit that works for you and make the most of the time you have. Or you can always book your train tickets to Orvieto in advance and play it by ear as to what time of day is best to return to Rome. Enjoy!

  5. We were in Orvieto in October. Loved it. I want to stay there for maybe 2 days. Can you recommend a hotel or an bed and breakfast?

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