Explore Orvieto’s Etruscan roots and the dying city

Orvieto and the Cività of Bagnoregio, also known as 'the city that dies', are not the best known cities in Italy, but they deserve to be at least in the TOP10.

The photos speak for themselves....

Separated by only twenty kilometers, both dominate the top of a hill, which gives them an unusually beautiful profile.

However, there are small and large differences between them, which makes them, even more so, a must if you visit the area.

Orvieto

Suspended on a hill of volcanic tuff and clay, Orvieto's profile is outlined between the sky and the surrounding valleys: a walled city dominating the plain.

Although the settlements date back to the Bronze and Iron Age, the population we see today has Etruscan origins. And I assure you, it is beautiful.

Directions

The easiest way to reach Orvieto is by car. If this is your case, the ideal is to look for an accommodation with parking included. If not, you can pay by the hour for the parking lots in the center or those up the hill, which are connected to the town by elevators.

If you are touring the country by train, you are in luck. The station is right across the street from the funicular line that goes up to the walled city.

When to go

As it is the center of Italy, it is a very hot area in summer, as well as very visited.

In winter, on the other hand, temperatures may be too low and rainfall more abundant.

Avoid, as far as possible, any kind of religious festivities, such as, for example, Easter. Crowds in Orvieto are common at that time.

We were there in the spring of 2016, the perfect season for sightseeing in this area of Italy.

What to see

You will fall in love with this city from the first moment you set foot on its cobblestone streets.

Here are some ideas:

Visit the curious structure of the Etruscan well ( 5€/person), with two helix staircases that never meet.
If you like archeology, Orvieto is full of ancient subway galleries enabled for sightseeing tours.
Climb the Torre del Moro, for only 2.8€, and admire its architecture from the heights.
Walk along the Viale G. Carducci. This is a pedestrian path that runs along part of the northern perimeter of the town. There is no road traffic and the number of pedestrians is negligible compared to the rest of the town. It is bordered by rows of trees that shelter you with their shade on sunny days, and the views are absolutely wonderful. What more could you ask for?

Views from the Carducci promenade, Orvieto

Admire the Duomo, an imposing building that towers over the city (3€ entrance fee, unless you are a parishioner and enter only to pray).
Stroll through its medieval streets, sit in a restaurant and enjoy the rich gastronomy of Umbria.
Relax watching the hills and the zigzags of cypress trees from any of its walls.
Leave the city and look for a spot from where you can admire it in all its splendor. A perfect place for this is the bar/lookout point Il Belvedere di Orvieto (I have marked it on the map at the bottom of the page). You can get there by car to enjoy the scenery, take hundreds of photos (I say this from experience) and, if you want, have a drink while you try to get the image etched in your retina from looking at it so much. A tea on the terrace cost us 2€, the panorama was priceless.

Where to stay

Of the many options available in the upper part of the city, we decided on the B&B Ripa Mediciwhose rate also included parking and breakfast.

They offer only two independent rooms within an apartment, plus a complete house for rent. This allows the attention to detail and the attention received from the hosts to be exceptional. They live in a separate house, although close to the rental house, where they host the reception and serve an excellent and complete breakfast.

They have contracted parking for their clients in one of the parking lots located at the base of the hill. Once you have left your luggage in your room, they will escort you to the parking lot and show you how easy it is to access through the elevator, which leaves you just a few meters from the accommodation.

But, undoubtedly, the best of this site are its beautiful views of the surrounding valleys and its quiet location: an unbeatable place to spend the night in Orvieto.

Views of Orvieto from the terrace of Il Belvedere di Orvieto bar, Italy

Where to eat

As restaurants, we were recommended Trattoria La Pergola, Trattoria del Moro Aronne, the restaurant Al Pozzo Etrusco da Giovanni and Le Grotte del Funaro.

However, since it was a public holiday in Italy (I've already recommended you avoid holidays and religious days, right?), it was all booked up at these places... and many others we called.

In the end, we managed to eat at the Osteria del Rèthanks to the fact that they did not take reservations!

We were lucky and, when we arrived, there were two tables left. Of course, the place was very crowded (like the rest of the restaurants in the city that day).

The waitresses were incredibly efficient, considering the amount of work involved, and the food was great:

A starter of pumpkin with goat cheese to start, a plate of fresh pasta with truffles and another of wild boar with tomato and polenta, plus a delicious dessert of ricotta with chestnuts and other nuts to share (thank goodness we didn't order two, because it was a calorie bomb!).

All for 33€, and, on top of that, we got 3€ off the final price! I would definitely repeat.

If you want to spend less money, we had a sandwich for dinner at the Piccola Panineria del Corso.

They are good and their prices range between 5-7€. Drinks are a bit more expensive, so if you want to take them to the room, I recommend buying them in a supermarket.

Cività di Bagnoregio

This village is located in the middle of the Calanchi Valley (Valley of the Moors) and was created by the Etruscans on a hill of volcanic tuff and clay.

Because of its composition, this area suffers strong erosion due to the wind, the course of the tributaries and deforestation. This has been a determining factor in the formation of what is nowadays known as la città che muore (the city that dies).

Erosion was already significant in Etruscan times, and has only worsened since then, gradually reducing the perimeter of the settlement by centimeters and even reducing its altitude.

Thus, many palaces collapsed over the precipice, including the house where St. Bonaventure was born.

In the 17th century, after an earthquake, the place was practically abandoned; although by that time most of the population had already moved to the neighboring village: Bagnoregio.