Rome Italy: A Train Trip
to Orvieto, an Ancient Hill Town
My last full day in Italy had arrived. I had already
done several rounds of sightseeing, starting with
a double-decker bus ride, two guided bicycle tours
and an extensive walking tour. The weather in Rome
was absolutely gorgeous, and I felt it was time
for another out-of-town excursion.
Everywhere you turn, there are ancient monuments
in Rome...
Last night I had done a bit of research and I was
actually considering to go on a train trip to Florence.
But the three hour train ride each way scared me
off a little bit, so I decided on a closer destination.
My research revealed one popular getaway destination
from Rome: the ancient hill town of Orvieto, and
that’s what I decided to explore today.
A view of the Tiber Rivr in Rome
So I made my way over from my Rome bed and breakfast
to the Roma Termini Railway Station and bought a
ticket to Orvieto. The return ticket came to about
17 Euros and by 8:45 I was riding in the train.
During the ride I had a chance to talk to a nice
young couple from Nova Scotia who were here on a
European journey for three weeks. They were headed
to Florence today.
Archeology is everywhere in Rome
I occasionally glanced out the train’s window
and saw the hills and fields of Umbria passing by.
And every once in a while a high-speed train would
boom by, on another specially built track that ran
parallel to our train tracks. Deep inside I was
regretting my decision not to have gone to Florence
because I missed out on the high-speed train ride,
something I have never experienced and have always
wanted to do. Oh well, Orvieto was going to be a
beautiful destination as well, despite the slow-speed
train ride…
The aggressive nose of the Frecciargento high-speed
train
By 10:30 I had arrived in the train station of
Orvieto and I was looking up at the old town, built
on a hill of tufa, or tuff, a type of volcanic rock.
Orvieto goes back a long time to the ancient Etruscans
where it was a major center of civilization. The
town was taken over by the Roman Empire in the third
century BC, and after the empire’s collapse
the hilltop town fell into the hands of the Goths
and Lombards. During Medieval times Orvieto was
also used as a place of refuge by various popes.
The funicular whisked me up to the hill top town
of Orvieto
Upon arrival at the train station at the base of
the hill, I took the funicular railway up into town
which has very little traffic. The funicular station
in the eastern section of the hilltop town is surrounded
by a beautiful park with gorgeous views over the
surrounding landscapes. I walked up the Via Postierla
and occasionally peeked out at some the lookout
points to take in the rural views of Umbria.
The hilltop location of Orvieto provides for some
amazing views
Finally I reached the center of Orvieto, the Piazza
del Duomo. Orvieto’s Cathedral, the Duomo,
is one of the most stunning examples of 13th and
14th century architecture. Begun in 1290, this black
and white striped structure with its colourful and
gilded façade is definitely one of the world’s
most stunning cathedrals. The highlight inside the
church is the Chapel of San Brizio, with frescoes
of the “Last Judgment” by Luca Signorelli.
The stunning Cathedral of Orvieto
The Piazza del Duomo itself is a very attractive
gathering place and is also home to the tourist
office, where I picked up some brochures about the
town. Then I started heading back inside the narrow
irregular streets of Orvieto and admired the pottery
shops along Via del Duomo. To this day Orvieto is
a center of traditional pottery-making. It is also
known for the Orvieto Classico wine that is grown
in the surrounding region.
Detail of the facade of the Cathedral of Orvieto
By now it was mid-day and I found a spot on the
patio of a restaurant where I enjoyed a pizza and
a salad, all the while watching the tourists walk
by. I then walked around some more through the medieval
streets of Orvieto and enjoyed the view from one
of the lookout points at the western end of this
hilltop town.
Typical pottery from Orvieto
A little while later I strolled back to the Piazza
del Duomo and saw that an entire collection of classic
cars had set up on the main square: the Modena Cento
Ore Classic rally was on. This non-profit race features
a variety of classic cars from the 1950s, 1960s
and 1970s, including classic Porsches, Ferraris,
Alfa Romeos, Aston Martins, Fiats, Jaguars and many
more. A few of the vehicles were even built in the
1930s. Large crowds gathered to admire the shining
chrome and classic lines of these vehicles.
Classic cars are lined in front of the Duomo of
Orvieto
By 2 pm I made my way to the east side of town
again, to the famous Pozzo di San Patrizio (the
Well of St. Patrick), constructed at the orders
of Pope Clement VII between 1527 and 1537. The intention
of this well was to provide water to the hilltop
town in the event of a siege, and the well is uniquely
equipped with two spiral ramps with separate doors,
which allowed mules to carry water without any obstructions
in a one-way pattern. The well is more than 53 metres
deep (174 feet) and is equipped with 70 windows
to let in daylight.
Well of St. Patrick
It was now mid-afternoon and I decided to make
my way back into Rome. So I took the funicular down
from the hill and ended up chatting with a young
Japanese lady who was also waiting for the train,
but she was headed for Florence. She was a fashion
designer who has been working in Milan for the last
year and half and was really enjoying her time in
Italy.
I love old doorknockers - Orvieto had many of them...
My train to Rome arrived and I found another interesting
conversation partner. A woman in her early thirties
from Dublin, a lawyer for a local clothing manufacturer,
had just spent a weekend in Italy to attend a friend’s
wedding. She indicated that she travels to different
parts of Europe almost every month. Recently she
had visited Marrakech, the coming weekend she was
going to spend in Paris, and was planning to go
to Norway soon to meet another friend.
One of the many atmospheric streets in Orvieto
Listening to her I was getting a bit envious of
how easy and affordable it is to travel inside Europe.
With a home base in Canada, the restricted holiday
time that North Americans get and the added cost
of Transatlantic travel, city-hopping like that
is a whole lot harder for Canadians and Americans.
But in reality, I couldn’t really complain,
because my three week trip around Europe had taken
me to some pretty phenomenal places in Spain, Austria
and Italy.
What a great view of Umbria...
Back in Rome, after a brief rest in the early evening,
I headed out for a nice evening stroll. I took the
subway to the Piazza del Popolo, a huge square that
used to be the location of public executions until
1826. The piazza is crowned by an Egyptian obelisk
of Ramesses II.
The Piazza del Popolo at sunset
From here I walked through the busy shopping street
Via del Corso to the Spanish Steps where I ate a
nice pasta dinner in a little restaurant. Then I
picked up an ice cream next to the Trevi Fountain
and took the bus back to the Termini Railway Station,
from where it was only a few minutes to my bed and
breakfast.
A peek at the Spanish Steps
My last day in Europe was over. Tomorrow I would
only have a few more hours in Rome before I had
to get to Roma Fiumicino airport and fly back to
Toronto. I had had a fabulous time in Europe, from
my first week in Asturias in the north of Spain,
to my three days in Salamance and Madrid with a
side trip to Segovia, to a few days in Austria,
visiting my home country. And of course, let’s
not forget four action-packed days in Rome that
I will never forget.
