I will be leaving Rome early in the morning (in September) & traveling to Orvieto (with luggage). I will then pick up my rental car at 4-5pm in Orvieto & drive on to Tuscany. I have an opportunity to use a driver to pick us up in Rome & drive us to Orvieto stopping en route in Civita di Bagnoregio. We could walk around Civita for less than an hour and then drive on to Orvieto. If we don't go to Civita, then I wouldn't hire the driver; I would simply take the train from Rome to Orvieto. My question is this: if we stop in Civita and get to Orvieto by approx 11am, will this allow for enough sightseeing time in Orvieto (I want to have lunch, quickly see the inside of the duomo, possibly take the well tour &/or possibly the underground tour & then possibly climb to the top of the tower there & just walk around in general.) Do you feel my time would be better spent in Orvieto all day or is it worth seeing Civita en route to Orvieto? Please weigh in with your suggestions & ideas. Thanks so much.
Posted by
Centennial, CO, USA
1895 posts
You can skip Civita. Orvieto has much more to see. Civita is so small, and you can see it all in about 30 minutes.
IMO, you don't need to go to the expense of hiring a driver to see this town. If you want to take your rental car and go see it, then fine, but I can't see spending good money here. There is so much more, and in the grand view...you aren't going to miss that much.
Take the train to Orvieto, enjoy the day there (I don't know about any towers in Orvieto? Have I missed something? St Patrick's well, the Duomo, some fun ceramics shopping, wine shops....I don't remember any tower- and I've been there 2x)
Do you have a plan to store your luggage while in Orvieto since you wont' get the rental car until 4-5PM?
It sounds from your question that you arrive from the US to Rome in the morning. You will be a bit jetlagged.
Don't try to cram too much into the first day. Enjoy a slow day in Orvieto.
Posted by
OP
Alta Loma, CA, USA
1446 posts
Hi Ellen. Thanks for the suggestions. We will have been in Rome for 5 days before leaving for Orvieto so jet lag shouldn't be a problem. I read that there's a tower called Torre del Moro in Orvieto that one can climb. Perhaps it's not worthwhile but I thought maybe the view from the top would be nice. Yes...I can store my luggage at the car rental company (I e-mailed them to confirm this) so luckily this won't be an issue. You are right...it is quite a large expense to hire a driver but I've heard a lot about Civita and can't decide whether it's worth the expense to see it. I figure it wouldn't be too time consuming to stop there if I use a driver because door-to-door service with the driver would save me time getting to/from the train stations (w/ luggage) & waiting for the train, etc. I figured I would maybe only lose 1.5 hours of time from Orvieto in the long run. I'm just not sure if 5-6 hours would be enough in Orvieto & if Civita is worth the detour. Thanks again for your suggestions. I will definitely consider your input.
Posted by
Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA
606 posts
Civita is an enchanting place, but I think your time is too short to do both Civita and Orvieto. In addition to your browsing time in Civita, it will use about 45 extra minutes driving time to swing by there. Civita takes a winding drive up and down country roads.
Sometimes you just have to admit that you can't do everything. If you were spending the night in Orvieto you could manage it all, but with you leaving the area by 4 or 5, better just concentrate on Orvieto. You'll love it.
Posted by
OP
Alta Loma, CA, USA
1446 posts
Thanks Patrick & Ellen. I will forego Civita & concentrate my time in Orvieto. This way, I can go at a more leisurely pace in Orvieto. This is exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for. Thanks again.
Posted by
Tucson, AZ, USA
134 posts
Hi Sheron,
Yes, there is a tower in Orvieto. We have climbed it twice and it has a nice view over the town and countryside. It is not as tall as, say the tower in Siena, but still nice. There is a big clock on it and it is located at the main cross street to the Duomo right in the middle of town. For a nice quick and delicious lunch go to the Internet cafe. They have a nice outdoor garden to eat in (up a few stairs at the rear of the restaurant). As you come up the road from the funicular walk past the tower and it is about a block on the right. It is cafeteria style so no waiting. Don't miss the fantastic gelato across the square to the left of the Duomo. Enjoy!
Teri