Planning a Trip

Getting There

By Train -- Fourteen trains on the main Rome-Florence line stop at Orvieto daily (1 3/4 hr. from Florence; 1 hr., 20 min. from Rome). From Perugia, take the train to Terontola (16 daily) for this line heading south toward Rome (1 1/4 hr. total train time). From Todi, it's easiest to take the bus or perhaps a bus to Perugia and train from there. If you must ride the rails, take the FCU line to Terni, transfer to a Rome-bound train that stops in Orte, and hop on the main line heading north to Orvieto (2 hr. plus layovers).

Orvieto's station is in the boring new town of Orvieto Scalo in the valley. To reach the city, cross the street and take the funicular (www.atcterni.it), a modern version of the steep cog railway that ran on hydraulic power in the 19th century. You can buy a funicular-only ticket for .80€ ($1.05) or a combined funicular-and-bus ticket for .90€ ($1.15) that lets you hop on a minibus at the top of the funicular run (Piazza Cahen) and ride into the center of town: The "A" bus heads to Piazza del Duomo, the "B" bus to central Piazza della Repubblica via Piazza XXIX Marzo (it then doubles back to the Duomo). Or you may wish to get the Carta Unica cumulative ticket covering the funicular, bus, and museums. From in front of the train station, you could also grab the no. 1 bus that runs to Piazza XXIX Marzo in the city (get two tickets -- one for the return trip -- at the bar inside the station, as they're hard to come by in town).

By Car -- If you're coming from Todi, the SS448 is the fastest route, but the twisty SS79bis is more scenic; from Perugia, shoot down the SS3bis through Deruta to Todi and branch off from there. The SS71 runs here from just east of Chiusi in southern Tuscany, and the A1 autostrada between Florence and Rome has an exit at the valley town Orvieto Scalo.

The most convenient free parking is in Orvieto Scalo outside the train station (take the funicular to town); at the top of the funicular run on Piazza Cahen (with both free and pay spaces); and, if you can find room, the free lot off Via Roma. There's a new large pay lot (.55€/70¢ per hour; 6.20€/$8.05 for 24 hr.) at the ex-Campo della Fiera in the valley below the south end of town with elevators to take you up to Orvieto level.

By Bus -- From Todi, there's one bus daily in the early morning (a scenic twisting ride; about 2 hr.). There's one daily to (3:15pm) and from (8am) Rome's Tiburtina station (1 1/2 hr.). From other cities, it's best to take the train. For bus information, call tel. 0763-301-234 or visit the tourist office.

Visitor Information

The tourist office is opposite the Duomo at Piazza Duomo 24 (tel. 0763-341-772; fax 0763-344-433; www.comune.orvieto.tr.it, www.umbria2000.it, or www.orvienet.it). It's open Monday through Friday from 8:15am to 1:50pm and 4 to 7pm, Saturday from 10am to 1pm and 3:30 to 7pm, and Sunday from 10am to noon and 4 to 6pm.

Festivals & Markets

Florentines are wimps -- they use a little fake bird to set off the cart of fireworks in front of their cathedral at Easter. The Orvietani use the real thing in La Palombella. On Pentecost Sunday, an unlucky white dove is tied to a frame encircled with flares, which slides down a steel cable and, amid much cheering and doubtless a few animal-rights protests, ignites the fireworks and sparklers strapped to a giant Gothic canopy placed outside the Duomo. Assuming the poor thing doesn't have a heart attack, the dove is then given to the couple last married in the Duomo to be cared for until its natural death.

Umbria Jazz moves from Perugia to Orvieto for the winter, celebrating the last 5 days of the year with wine tastings and jazz artists from around the world. Call tel. 075-573-3363 or visit www.umbriajazz.com for info. There are weekly morning markets on Thursday and Saturday in Piazza del Popolo.