Hilltop Town: Orvieto

One of the reasons I find Italy so appealing is due to its beautiful hilltop towns. They take my breath away every time. I know it’s just a village on top of a hill but there’s something so mysterious about it, from a distance at least. The thought that once upon a time they were forced to build up high to keep out invaders and then they carried out their simple lives within the city walls. Of course that was long ago and nowadays most of these stunning hilltop towns are only invaded by tourists who take over the towns in the summer months.

Until recently, I never actually ventured up to see one of these towns. I always admired them from the autostrada commenting that one day I really should visit one of those medieval beauties. Then on my way to Florence, I saw a sign for Orvieto. The name sounded familiar but I couldn’t recall anything specific about it but what the hell, may as well go check it out right?

Turns out I should have heard about Orvieto as it’s one of the most famous of all the hilltop towns in Italy and is especially well known for its outstanding Gothic cathedral.

Orvieto dates back to Etruscan times which means it’s bloody old and for most of its history has been a fairly wealthy city. Its wealth is obvious when walking around the narrow streets and huge piazzas. Everything is in pristine condition which, lets be honest, isn’t always the case in Italy.

Most of the things to do in Orvieto revolve around its Etruscan and papal history. Also of interest is the tour of the ‘underground city’, that is, if you don’t mind being stuck underground for an hour. Which I do.

Orvieto is a small but spectacular town and it’s well worth pushing through the crowds to visit.