Dramatically perched on top of a hunk of volcanic rock, a visit to this hill town is memorable from the very start as you are faced with the decision to take a long elevator ride up to the old city from a parking garage, or take a steep funicular ride from the train stop. Since we drove, we opted for the elevator.

Starving, from our hazardous plummet down ancient steps of Spello with our suitcases, we were ready for lunch upon arrival to Orvieto. Thanks to our Fodor’s guide recommendation, our lunch at Le Grotte del Funaro (The Restaurant of Orvieto), was just steps from the parking garage. First an Etruscan cave, and then a rope making workshop, I think Le Grotte found its perfect calling in today’s time as a restaurant. Orvieto has an entire network of caves underneath many buildings and to dine in one, seemed just right for a visit to this unique place.

Following a delicious lunch with a glass of local wine, we meandered through the old town and were met by cats meowing near charming stone home and store fronts on our way to the Piazza del Duomo. In this square is the Duomo di Orvieto. Rick Steve’s gives this cathedral dating from the 1300s his vote for the liveliest facade. It was built to honor the Miracle at Bolsena, in which a young priest who questioned transubstantiation was offering communion at Lago Bolsena and a wafer he blessed started to drip blood onto the white linen covering the alter. This Duomo was built to celebrate the miracle and to house the blood-stained alter linen which is stored in a golden reliquary in one of the transepts or one of the arms of the cross shaped interior of the church.

Inside the other is one of the most elaborate frescoes by Luca Signorelli’s of the Day of Judgment and Life After Death. It is known that Michelangelo meticulously studied Signorell’s frescoes due to his artistic strength of telling a story through human actions and guestures, rather than falling upon the use of symbols. It is a stunning place to stand and your eyes could feast on it for days and still notice new details. I found myself further astonished by looking up at the ornate ceilings, not an inch left uncovered and so beautifully executed.

We spent some time after our exit sitting and enjoying the setting on the piazza. We sat near the Orvieto Underground tour entrance and while we didn’t have time for their extensive tour, made our way to an incredible Etruscan cave experience at Pozzo dell Cava. The history goes that in December of 1984, Tersilio Sciarra rediscovered the Pozzo della Cava (an enormous hole in the tuff dug by Pope Clement VII between 1527 and 1530, enlarging a still visible Etruscan well) in the basement of his restaurant. Soon after, his family began the transformation of old tavern for soldiers into the unearthing of the Etruscan caves found in levels underground. The undergrounds were opened to the public, the trattoria shrunk and is now a small bar where room was made for found items and history about the space.

It was incredible how deep the caves went with each level serving a distinct purpose. We decended to see an ancient furnace, tomb, ciscern and much more – amazing! Here is a link to their website with a map of the different levels: https://www.pozzodellacava.it/i-sotterranei/. Every Christmas they perform a stunning live Nativity scene in the well.

We saw an adorable white poodle in a shop and got it’s attention while devouring more amazing gelato and sorbetto.

The afternoon had come to an end and we were on our way to Tuscany. We left Orvieto witnessing some friends on the street in the photo directly above arriving to stay with some local Orvieto friends.

Orvieto is a feast for the eyes, a feast for history buffs and full of lively people and delicious eats. I’d love to spend more time in this elevated ancient town built upon and down into the volcanic rocks.