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Orvieto
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ORVIETO
, out on a limb from the rest of Umbria, is perfectly placed between Rome and Florence to serve as a historical picnic for tour operators. Tourists flood into the town in their millions, drawn by the
Duomo
, one of the greatest Gothic buildings in Italy. But once its facade and Signorelli's frescoes have been admired, the town's not quite as exciting as guides and word of mouth make out. This is partly to do with the gloominess of the dark volcanic rock (tufa) from which it's built, and, more poetically, because it harbours something of the characteristic brooding of Etruscan towns (it was one of the twelve-strong federation of Etruscan cities). Two thousand years on, it's not difficult to detect a more laid-back atmosphere in the cities east of the Tiber - sunnier and easier-going chiefly because they were founded by the Umbrians, a sunnier and easier-going people. All the same Orvieto is likeable, the setting superb, the duomo unmissable, and the rest of the town good for an enjoyable couple of hours. And there's always its renowned white
wine
if you're stuck with time on your hands. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Italy,
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