As part of our Italy trip this fall we will be spending 5 nights in Orvieto. We will have a rental car for a few of those days and would like to venture out to a charming place to do some sightseeing and have lunch. Would Todi be a worthy destination? Has anyone out there driven the S79 from Orvieto to Todi? We would like scenic, but not deadly! We would love to hear any thoughts you Italy experts have! BTW, we visited Civita di Bagnoregio on our last trip, and really liked Bagnoregio itself. Grazie!!
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
I have not been to Todi but would not be worried about the safety of driving to it. I had no trouble driving similar-seeming roads in Umbria, such as Urbino to Gubbio and around there. You may have to park a bit outside of town. Always watch out for ZTL signs, indicating the boundary of the historic center where non-residents can't drive.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
Todi is lovely. There is a car park just outside the walls and a shuttle to take you to the main Piazza.
Posted by
Treasure Island, Florida, USA
267 posts
Instead of sightseeing, how about a cooking class? We were in Orvieto for 4 nights last year, and signed up for a class with Velia, in the nearby village of Monterubiaglio. We met Velia in the village, shopped, then drove to her home for 4 hours of wine, laughter, cooking and eating. She was the perfect combination of simple home cooking, great chef knowledge, and easygoing personality. Check out her reviews :)
http://www.veliascookingstyle.com/
P.S. If you do sign up for a class, plan to do it early in your stay, as you will have lots of amazing leftovers! Oh, and she limits her class to only one group, even if it's just the two of you, totally personalized.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
8052 posts
I have not been to Todi. But it is so close to Orvieto that I cannot see what would be difficult about driving there. ZTL's, as noted.
While it is considerably farther, I would mention our favorite winery visit, Aviognesi. It's an unusual company, with a 50 or so Euro gourmet LUNCH with very large wine tastings at the meal. Best food we had on that trip to the area. Tours and meals by reservation only. You could visit Castiglione del Lago on the way, which is not as historic as Todi, but unusual among "hill towns", and has a beach if it's still hot when you go. Charming town museum and castle. Much quieter than other tourist towns, but large enough to be worth the visit.
Posted by
Vancouver, BC
136 posts
What about the Niki de Saint Phalle Sculpture Garden? We will be in Orvieto in early September and have planned a day trip to see the sculptures based on Tarot Cards. The pictures remind me a bit of Gaudi. It's open daily from 14:30 to 19:30 and based on Google Maps it is about 2 hours driving time from Orvieto.
Posted by
Portland, Oregon, United States
907 posts
Interestingly I have done exactly what your thinking, except I drove SS448, a little more straight than S79, but I wouldn't worry. I have driven roads like S79, just take your time if it is too curvy.
Todi is a delightful place to have lunch. There were 6 of us and we went to a restaurant called Le Scallete. i would recommend it.