Things to see and do in Orvieto, Italy

The Region of Umbria in central Italy is somewhat neglected by visitors from abroad when compared with its celebrated northern neighbour, Tuscany. This neglect is quite unjustified. Umbria is a Region of varied and magnificent landscapes, charming villages, great food and a number of splendid "art cities", among the foremost being Orvieto.

The Cathedral of Orvieto, Italy

Among the things to see and do in Orvieto, Italy, the first "sight" is in fact Orvieto itself sitting atop a tuffa butte rising 640 ft above the surrounding rolling green hills. This spectacular vision is augmented by the sight of the Cathedral of Orvieto rising above the town, the golden mosaics on its facade glittering in the sun. Orvieto itself is completely pedestrianised and can be most enjoyably reached via a funicular. Orvieto is characterised by an unusually high number of fine 13 C houses and palaces, including a papal palace that now houses Orvieto's municipal museum, and the Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo.

The site of Orvieto was a major Etruscan nucleus and the butte is riddled with Etruscan excavations forming a virtual underground city of tunnels, galleries, wells, stairs, quarries, cellars, unexpected passageways, cisterns, and superimposed rooms with numerous small square niches. Outside the city is the Etruscan necropolis of Crocefisso di Tufo which is composed of a hundred or so chamber tombs laid along a rectangular street grid, with numerous examples of Etruscan inscriptions.

A more recent excavation is the Pozzo di San Patrizio, "Saint Patrick's" well, a deep well accessed by a double helical stairway and dating from 1528. The energetic visitor can descend the entire 175 ft - and climb back up again. The massive 14 C Fortezza dell'Albornoz is also worth a visit.

More Orvieto tourist information, sights, festivals and wines.

More history of Orvieto.

Umbria Tourist Guide.

Umbria Tourist Information.

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Gubbio in Umbria, Italy

The town of Gubbio in Umbria, Italy, is a must-see for anyone visiting this part of Umbria (Perugia is 45 km away to the SE). Its location on a steep hillside surrounded on the higher levels by alpine forest, is especially charming. Gubbio's historical centre has a good selection of mediaeval, Gothic and Renaissance structures built of gray limestone and has great views over the beautiful countryside. Just outside the town is a Roman amphitheatre, one of several substantial Roman remains in the area.

The town of Gubbio in Umbria.

The main sights of Gubbio include:

• The Roman Theatre dating from the first century BC.
• The Roman Mausoleum.
• The Palazzo dei Consoli (14 C), housing the Eugubine Tablets.
• The Palazzo and Torre Gabrielli.
• The Duomo (Cathedral - alte 12 C) with its striking rose-window.
• The Palazzo Ducale, built starting in 1470, for Federico da Montefeltro.
• The Church of San Francesco (13 C). The frescoes in the left side date from the 15 C.
• The Church of Santa Maria Nuova, a typical Cistercian structure of the 13 C.
• The Basilica of Sant'Ubaldo, with a nave and four aisles, is located outside and above the Gubbio.

Gubbio is famous for a festival known as the Corsa dei Ceri, a race held annually on 15 May, in which three teams, devoted to Sant'Ubaldo (the patron saint of Gubbio), San Giorgio, and Sant'Antonio, run through crowds of cheering supporters (clad in the distinctive colours of yellow, blue and black, with white trousers and red belts and neckbands), up much of the mountain from the main square in front of the Palazzo dei Consoli to the basilica of Sant'Ubaldo, each team carrying a statue of their saint 4 mm tall and weighing about 280 kg, mounted on a wooden octagonal prism. The race is one of the best-known folkloric events in Italy.

More about Gubbio and its sights.

Umbria Tourist Guide.

Umbria Tourist Information.

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What to see in Perugia Italy

Perugia Italy sometimes has its reputation as one of the great cultural centres of Italy obscured by its more recent reputation as "party central" for American and European students abroad. Either way, Perugia should be at the top of the list of sights for any visitor to Umbria. Here we provide some links on what to see in Perugia, Italy.

The frescoes of the Palazzo dei Priori and the Sala dei Notari alone are sufficient reason to spend a day in Perugia. Add to this a myriad of exquisite churches, one of them, the Tempio di San Michele Arcangelo, dating from Roman times, plus the charming ambience of Perugia's piazzas.

Useful information on the sights of Perugia and Lake Trasimeno is provided on the following web sites:

• Perugia Italy sights
• Perugia Italy tourist information
• Perugia Umbria sights and information
• Perugia vacation information

Umbria Tourist Guide.

Umbria Tourist Information.

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Deruta Italy Ceramics

The attractive little town of Deruta Italy is famous for ceramics, meaning, in this case, Italian majolica. Deruta is located on a hillside above the Tiber valley (the Valtiberina) in Umbria, not far from Perugia, and its economy is dominated by production of hand-made and hand-painted ceramics.

Much of the work is literally a "cottage industry" with potters bringing in their work to be fired, taking it away to paint it and bringing it back again to be glazed. These plates, bowls, vases etc are then sold in the outlets within the town and on the valley floor below. The style is extremely characteristic, being dominated by symbolic decorations depicting dragons, mythical animals and highly stylised flowers. Very good copies, labelled as such, of antique vases and other vessels are also available. For anyone interested in Italian pottery, Deruta is worth a full day visit both to buy and to visit the ceramics museum to admire the antique output of this Umbrian town.

More about Deruta, Italy.

Umbria Tourist Guide.

Umbria Tourist Information.

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Norcia Umbria Italy

For anyone who enjoys good food, the little town of Norcia, Umbria, Italy, is worth a visit. Norcia has been famous for centuries for its pork-based foods, including sausages, capocollo, salumi and hams. The best black truffles in Italy (the same species as Perigord truffles) are found in the area around Norcia and the countryside produces an excellent variety of lentil. In fact, even if you're in Norcia for only half a day, don't miss trying a plate of pork sausages and lentils for lunch or dinner.

Norcia, Italy, was also the birthplace of Saint Benedict and has the architecture appropriate to celebrate this important event. And, unusually for Umbria, Norcia lies on flat ground, despite its high elevation, which makes it a pleasure to stroll around its main sights. The air is fresh and clean, and excursions into the villages of surrounding Sybelline hills add to the pleasure of visiting this area of Umbria, Italy.

More about Norcia in Umbria, Italy.

Umbria Tourist Guide.

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Carsulae Roman ruins in Umbria, Italy

Visitors to central Italy, including southern Tuscany and Umbria, should take the opportunity to visit Carsulae Roman ruins in Umbria, Italy if they do not plan a visit to Pompeii and Herculaneum (Ercolano). While Carsulae does not offer intact buildings, frescoes and Roman city streets full of shops, it does nevertheless give a very good impression of the layout of a provincial Roman town.

Aerial view of Carsulae in Umbria, Italy

Carsulae's growth into a major town was a result of the building of the via Flaminia, in 220-219-BC. Indeed, The Via Flaminia is the cardo or main street of Carsulae. During its golden age, Carsulae supported a large complex of thermal mineral baths, theatres, temples and other public amenities, the remains of many of which are clearly discernible today. Since the present ground level is much the same as in Roman times, not a great deal of excavation has been necessary to reveal the town plan, despite vast quantities of stone having been carted away over the centuries for use in other buildings in the mediaeval towns of this part of Umbria.

The location of Carsulae is pleasantly bucolic even today making it a nice place for a picnic break during your exploration of the site and the nearby towns, including Terni, which is about 20 km away and has a considerable Roman amphitheatre of its own.

More about Casulae Roman ruins.

More about Roman Umbria.

Umbria Tourist Guide.

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