Orvieto and Civita Bagnoregio stop

Cindy: There is a Hertz office literally across the street from the train station in Orvieto. I don't remember, though, if there is anyplace to store luggage nearby so it might be easier to catch the train from Rome then grab the car in Orvieto for the day then return to Rome in the evening. It's only about an hour and a half trip orso. I'm just thinking luggage for four people might be a squeeze in the trunk of a compact. And driving around Umbria and Tuscany is a breeze. I'd save the money you'd spend for a driver.

Fred is right. It's just over an hour to Orvieto, and Hertz is just 100 yards away from the train station. It's a good day trip from Rome. Orvieto is a gorgeous place--another hill country town. We stayed at Zagarolo, 20 miles south. We found the suburbs of Rome to be extremely interesting, and we could easily spend 2 weeks there. There's more to see outside the city than inside the city. The Vatican Museum, the Pantheon and the Colisium area are must sees, but there were just too many people for a laid back vacation. Instead of hiring a private driver, get a tour guide to take you all around Rome for a couple of days. They can negotiate the city in a very efficient manner. You'll get so much more out of this incredible city with someone with intimate knowledge of the history and the city. Even better is a tour in the middle of the night--without people.

Cindy, Regarding public transportation from Orvieto to Civita di Bagnoregio, the normal route is to take the Blue Bus (Cotral, as I recall) from Orvieto to Bagnoregio. I believe I bought my tickets at the local Tabachi? When you arrive in Bagnoregio, board the small shuttle which will take you to the base of the bridge at Civita. Cost used to be €1.50 each way, but it may have increased? Be sure to make a careful note of the times for the both the Bus and Shuttle. On my last trip there, I discovered that the Shuttle takes a "siesta" in the mid-afternoon (cost-cutting measures?). Unfortunately, I discovered this during a severe rain storm, so it was NOT a pleasant wait. This eventually turned out well due to a very kind couple from Milano who gave me a ride back to Orvieto (it's a long story!). Happy travels!

We loved Orvieto, we ate at Trattoria del Moro Aronne . One of our favorite meals. Rick mentions it in his book. Check it out.

Definately visit Orvieto and I second the vote for Trattoria del Moro Aronne - it's awesome!