Orvieto

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Visitors in a plant-covered lane with ancient buildings near the Cathedral of Orvieto (Duomo di Orvieto).

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Overview

Set atop a gigantic plug of rock above fields streaked with vines, olive groves and cypress trees, Orvieto is one of Umbria’s star attractions. Its austere medieval centre is a classic of its kind, with weaving lanes, brown stone houses and cobbled piazzas, and its location between Rome and Florence ensures a constant stream of visitors. But what sets the town apart from its medieval neighbours is its breathtaking cathedral. This extraordinary vision, one of Italy's greatest Gothic churches, is stunning inside and out, with a sensational facade and frescoes that are said by some to rival Michelangelo's in the Sistine Chapel.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Duomo

Orvieto

Nothing can prepare you for the visual feast that is Orvieto's soul-stirring Gothic cathedral. Dating from 1290, it sports a black-and-white banded…

Orvieto Underground

Orvieto

The coolest place in Orvieto (literally), this series of 440 caves (out of 1200 in the system) has been used for millennia by locals for various purposes …

Museo dell'Opera del Duomo di Orvieto

Orvieto

Housed in a complex of papal palaces, the Palazzi Papali, this museum showcases a fine collection of religious relics from the Duomo and paintings by…

Chiesa di San Giovenale

Orvieto

This tufa-brick church at the western end of town is one of Orvieto's oldest, dating from 1004. A solemn example of Romanesque-Gothic architecture, it…

Chiesa di Sant'Andrea

Orvieto

This 12th-century church, with its curious decagonal bell tower, presides over Piazza della Repubblica, once Orvieto's Roman forum and now a cafe-lined…

Museo Claudio Faina e Civico

Orvieto

Stage your own archaeological dig at this fantastic museum opposite the Duomo. It houses one of Italy's foremost collections of Etruscan finds, comprising…

Museo Archeologico Nazionale

Orvieto

Housed in the medieval Palazzo Papale behind the Duomo, Orvieto's archaeological museum holds plenty of interesting artefacts, some over 2500 years old…

Torre del Moro

Orvieto

This 47m-high tower has loomed over Orvieto's centro since the 13th century, though the clock was only added in 1866. Climb all 250 steps for sweeping 360…

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