Orvieto

I was researching things to do in the Assisi area when I stumbled across a blog that insisted we had to see the cathedral in Orvieto. So, we decided to make the trip. The drive took about an hour and a half through rolling hills, vineyards, olive groves, and charming medieval villages. Little did we realize what awaited us—Orvieto is a stunning hilltop town perched on a cliff! What?? I thought we were just going for a drive to see a church.

Curious, I flipped open our Best of Italy Rick Steves book—turns out, there’s an entire section on Orvieto. Insert facepalm here. Who knew? Apparently, everyone.

As we drove into town, we spotted a truck selling porchetta. Jim pulled over and grabbed us a couple of sandwiches—just bread and pork. We were skeptical. Hope they are good.

We made our way up to the hilltop town, finding a spacious parking lot where I could use my EasyPark app to pay. So handy! (Shoutout to the YouTubers who recommended it.) I’m only four days into my injury and can’t do much walking—some, just not a lot. For the first six weeks in Italy, we were easily hitting 15–20k steps a day. Since then? Lucky to crack 5k. Thankfully, there’s a bus to the cathedral—best €2.80 ever spent. It runs every ten minutes, drops you right at the cathedral, and includes the return trip. Turns out, I needn’t have worried—no one even checked our tickets on the way back.

We stepped off the bus, and our jaws dropped. The Duomo di Orvieto is absolutely breathtaking. The façade towers 154 feet, adorned with gold mosaics, intricate bas-reliefs, and a massive rose window. Inside? Equally stunning—striped black-and-white stone pillars, frescoes, and statues galore. We drank it all in, so glad we came. Entry was €8 each—worth every penny.

We found a nice bench to have our porchetta sandwiches. Remember our skepticism? After one bite, we both agreed: sheer perfection. The slow-roasted, herb-stuffed pork was juicy and tender, with the rustic bread soaking up all the delicious juices. It didn’t need anything else.

An entire tour group squeezed onto our bus for the short ride back down the hill, and soon, we were back in the car, heading for Assisi. Time to make some plans—where to next? We need to get some reservations sorted.

On the way home, we stopped by a grocery store and used the self-checkout. What we didn’t realize? You have to scan your receipt to get out. Jim, unaware of the electronic exit, just tried to walk through it. A clerk, clearly alarmed, rushed over and showed us how to scan our receipt to open the doors. That electronic door will never be the same.

Spoiler: Next stop—Aviano. Our old stomping grounds.

paleremo presto