Travel Guides Crafted by Experienced Archaeologists & Historians

Is Orvieto Worth A Day Trip From Rome?

About an hour’s train ride north of Rome, the hill town of Orvieto satisfies a yearning for many a traveller looking for a taste of medieval Italy. While most of medieval Rome was razed during Mussolini’s era, Orvieto is, at its heart, a medieval city, awash with a quintessentially Italian atmosphere – old, charming, and picturesque, with winding cobblestone streets, broad piazzas, and one of the most important Gothic cathedrals in Italy. Elizabeth Heath, a US-born travel writer living near Orvieto, suggests nine must-see sights in Orvieto that would make any day trip both interesting and enjoyable.

All the Tickets You'll Need for One Day in Orvieto

Or, continue reading this page for all the information you need in preparation for your visit to Orvieto.

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Il Duomo di Orvieto

Il Duomo Di Orvieto
The striking cathedral in Orvieto at sunset.

Guided Tours of the Cathedral of Orvieto

Orvieto Underground

Underground Orvieto
A small portion of the underground passages that lie beneath Orvieto.

Torre del Moro

Orvieto, medieval town in central Italy. Amazing aerial view from drone
An aerial view of the 'tower of the Moor'.

Pozzo di San Patrizio

Famous well in Orvieto Italy - architecture background
Looking down into the 'Pozzo di San Patrizio'.

Crocifisso del Tufo Etruscan Necropolis

Necropoli etrusca del Crocifisso del Tufo
Cubic tombs in the Etruscan necropolis at Orvieto. Photograph © Paperoastro / Wikimedia

Etruscan Museum Claudio Faino & the National Archaeological Museum

Archaeological find. Etruscan funeral sarcophagus with beautiful decorations. Museum of Orvieto, Umbria, Italy
An ornate sarcophagus in the Etruscan Museum Claudio Faina.

Chiesa di San Giovenale

Chiesa Di San Giovenale
A portion of the medieval frescoes in the Chiesa de San Giovenale.

Pozzo della Cava

Orvieto, Umbria, Italy at the ancient and medieval underground tunnels below the city.
The 16th century well in the 'Pozzo della Cava'.

Anello della Rupe walk

High stone walls of old medieval town of Orvieto in Umbria in Italy
A section of the circular walk at the base of the cliff of Orvieto.

How to Get from Rome to Orvieto

Orvieto is a town in southwestern Umbria that is 100 km north of Rome. The city is an easy journey from Rome by car, bus or train. A number of tour companies offer day trips to Orvieto from Rome for which transport is included. 

Getting to Orvieto by Car

Getting to Orvieto by Bus

Getting to Orvieto by Train

Guided Day Trips to Orvieto From Rome

Guest Author: Elizabeth Heath

This guest article, with its suggestions for some of the more interesting archaeological and historical must-see sights of Orvieto in the Italian region of Umbria, was written for Archaeology Travel by Elizabeth Heath. Elizabeth is a US-born writer with a doctorate degree in anthropology and archaeology, and currently living with her family in central Italy – not far from Orvieto. So she knows the city well. Elizabeth has had many articles about luxury and family travel, culture and cuisine in Italy published in various online and print outlets. In 2019 Pen & Sword Books published her guidebook The Architecture Lover’s Guide to Rome. 

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