Orvieto - Exploring Orvieto

I got up early this morning and went out for a walk (in the cold and misty rain). The town is fantastic! Small windy streets with vertical panoramas as buildings appear atop rock (and sometimes vice versa!) Wonderful views over the Umbrian countryside, not only from the walls but squeezed in between buildings as the streets head further uphill and "inland".

After a lovely breakfast at Sabrina's house over the road, we headed for Anello delle Rupe - the walking path around Orvieto at the base of the cliffs. We accessed it from near the Duomo (where they had a hand-bike/running race with the finish line in Piazza del Duomo) and we headed down the cliff. We wandered anti-clockwise towards the train station, where we stopped to watch the funiculars come up/go down the hill (there's two and they're attached by a cable). We then headed uphill to Fortezza dell'Albornoz, the old ruined fortress (which was built in the 1350s), and some more spectacular views.

Next stop was Pozzo San Patrizio - St Patrick's Well. This was commissioned by a pope in 1527. He was worried that the town wouldn't be able to withstand a siege unless it had a reliable water supply. It was completed in 1537 and is 53 metres deep (we're talking about a town on a cliff, remember), 13 metres wide, and it has a double helix spiral staircase, so you go down one helix and come up the other. Pretty amazing.

A quick lunch and back to the cliff walk - along the top. By this time the weather was lovely. When we came to Porta Vivaria, one of the old gates guarding the entrances to the town, we headed down once again. We had a look at the Etruscan Necropolis (500 BC) as we went past, and made our way to the elevator that goes up to the top of the cliff at the south-western end of Orvieto (the funicular is at the north-eastern end).

By this time we were in dire need of a gelato fix (well...Caelli was), so we headed for the centre of town. We then climbed the Torre del Moro - the clock tower - which has great views over Orvieto and the surrounding countryside.

We also visited Pozzo della Cava - the Well of the Cave - which was an accidental discovery about 30 years ago. A family were extending their home when they stumbled upon a series of caverns dating from Etruscan times (2,500 years ago). A 36 metre deep well was found here as well as an Etruscan cistern.  There is also evidence of ceramic production over many centuries (Orvieto is still known for its ceramics today).

Gelato flavours: bacio (choc-hazelnut), fior di latte (flower of milk), fior di latte del arancio (ditto with orange), creme brulee, cappuccino, pinola (not sure but it could be pine nut), coffee, pineapple.

MAMMAL WATCH: Hedgehog.