Orvieto

Just off the freeway and the main train line, Umbria’s grand hill town entices those heading to and from Rome. While no secret, it’s well worth a visit. The town sits majestically on its tufo throne a thousand feet above the valley floor. Orvieto has three claims to fame: its cathedral, Classico wine, and ceramics. Drinking a shot of the local white wine in a ceramic cup as you gaze up at the cathedral lets you experience Orvieto’s three C’s all at once. Is the cathedral best in the afternoon, when the facade basks in golden light, or early in the morning, when it rises above the hilltop mist? You decide.