We are staying in Rome for 13 nights. Orvieto is on our list of day trips but now I'm wondering if it might be better and more satisfying to stay for an overnight. I'd love to hear opinions about the schlep factor etc. Adding: if we stay for a long day trip, are there late-in-the-day trains coming back to Rome Termini (if we stayed for dinner and a walkabout?). Accomodations that aren't far afield and recommended are welcome.
thanks!
bean
It's such a short distance from Rome that it is a nice day trip; but why not stay one night, have dinner, walk in the evening, etc.
The train station is at the bottom of the town, and you can either walk uphill to the town, or get the funicular railway up.
Not much schlepping involved.
Orvieto is a wonderful place. The facade of the Duomo is a place you should return to throughout the day. The change of light enhances the drama of the art. Walking around the perimeter has more than its share of beautiful, tranquil views. Shopping, museums, art, religion, food, wine and Etruscan ruins all contribute to Orvieto's charm. Try the rabbit for dinner. So, stay overnight? I'd say yes if only to have the city more to yourselves after the day-trippers have left. You get plenty of noise and crowds in Rome. It would be easier if you just packed an overnight bag. Maybe try something other than a hotel? How about a medieval monastery or convent?
I’d say it is worth an overnight
Could you consider going there first on arrival to Rome and actually give it 2 nights? Use it to get over jet lag
Then you don’t have to double book a hotel night and change hotels in Rome
Otherwise a random search for a date in March shows trains at 10 :30 pm
Some go to Tiburtina, some to Termini
Lovely town. Overnight would be nice but you can see a lot of the town in a day. the train trip is about 1 hour 15 each way. If you stay overnight, you need to carry more with you, right? A quick Google search shows the last train leaving for Rome at 11:23 pm so you have plenty of time to stay for dinner before heading back to Rome.
I found a day trip was plenty of time to enjoy the town. I would not, however, take the last train back to Rome. You never know what will happen with the trains, and it could turn into an involuntary overnight.
Have fun,
Cynthia
The city is certainly worth an overnight, but not if you have to check out of your Rome hotel and check back in after the night or two in Orvieto. It doesn't really depend on month of the year, but you need to give that so we can comment on crowding or closures. It's certainly a popular destination, so I would expect crowding from May to September.
The other factor is how complete or encyclopedic a tourist you are. If you'll feel bad because you moved on to the next monument, that leans towards an overnight. But it's a matter of opinion: I consider both Villa d'Este and Hadrian's Villa to be superb daytrips, but I would not recommend checking out of a Rome hotel to see every inch of them. It's entirely fair to say you "did them" with only half a day each.
Do you think you'll visit Tuscany with a car one day?
Thanks Tim and each of you. We will be in Rome last week of Sept. through the 9th of October. Absolutely no car for us - we've been to Tuscany (just prior to the pandemic) and got to spend lots of time there. Been to Rome twice before but there's always so much to do that we never left! Determined to go further afield this time.
We loved Orvieto as an overnight. We went there in the middle of a month-long stay in Venice, met a friend who was coming from Rome, and after overnighting in Orvieto we also went to Ravenna for a night before returning to Venice. The food and lodging in both places were so much less expensive than in Venice (and I suspect also Rome) that the savings practically paid for our train tix.
We consider the “schlep factor” to just be part of our daily exercise, so not a deterrence. Maybe put Orvieto at the end of the trip and go from there to the airport without checking back in to a Rome hotel?
I like ChristineH's suggestion to go there first to eliminate changing hotels. Or, go during your Rome stay and just get a cheap B&B and don't check out of your other place. I have been there twice, staying 2 nights each. But, I love Orvieto!
I think Orvieto is easily worth more than a day trip. The tourist office runs good walking tours. As much time as you have in Rome, I think you can afford to adopt the suggestion to spend the first two nights in Orvieto.
Thank you all for your very thoughtful responses. We are definitely visiting Orvieto and are working on figuring out that itinerary to fit into our schedule.
I was very pleased with my decision to spend 3 nights in Orvieto. I went straight to the airport from there, but I had an evening flight. I like Christine's idea of starting there.
ebean_nyc, please do a trip report about Orvieto after your trip-what you saw, where you stayed. An overnight there is now on my Italy bucket list, as is Ravenna.
Would seem logical to proceed to Orvieto directly from the airport.
Problem with a day trip from Rome is the train schedule--7 and 9am. So either you get up at around 6, making for a very long day; or take the second train, getting up to town at about 11.
Regarding the funicular, it goes up to Piazza Cahen, not all the way up--about a kilometer from Piazzas del Duomo or della Repubblica. Cahen to Duomo there is Bus A. Bus 1 goes from the station to the Piazza della Repubblica. Tickets from the shop in the station.
I think it would be worth a one night stay if you don't have to lug all your belongings on the train from Rome and back. If you can keep your main bags in Rome and just take a small pack with one change of clothes, it would be worth it. We stayed two nights on the way from Florence to Rome in 2019 and stayed at hotel virgilio next to the Duomo which is now permanently closed :). I suggest a visit to booking.com and plug in a travel date or two and see what pops up. The setting sunlight on that Duomo front is illuminating, and there is a nice walking trail around the base of the ring wall, if you see a tall goat, reverse course.
eBean & Cala: Late Oct 2019, we spent 2 nights in Orvieto at La Magnolia B&B near main/duomo piazza (BBLaMagnolia.it). Great location and room. Rooms up one flight. Breakfast in cafe on ground floor. Dinner one night at Trattoria La Pergola. We would have had dinner there both nights but reservations required. Spent 3 nights in Siena before Orvieto. Next trip will spend more time in each - good places to do, see, eat & relax..
Orvieto is definitely worth a day or two stay. We made Orvieto was our base for three weeks. Our intention was to become a native as much as possible, but there’s a lot to consider for a shorter stay.
There are a lot of interesting things to do. Obviously the Duomo! St. Patrick’s Well is truly unique. The underground is amazing. Not to forget the the necropolis just outside the town. Orvieto has some great restaurants and charming streets. The train station is adjacent to the funicular that takes you to the town itself.
When I travel to Rome, I use my apartment as my home base. Just like when I am at home.
I do day/overnight trips and usually take the train. Orvieto is well worth an overnight stay. I have done day trips, overnight trips, and multiple night trips there and then returned to my Rome apartment.
If you are staying at a hotel or wish to not 'double pay' for your place, starting at Orvieto is a wonderful plan. The town is very different when you can just wander about in the calm evening and morning without the crowds of people coming for just the day. There are tons of nice hotels and other places to stay within the city.
Orvieto is just cool. The Duomo is magnificent, the hotels are okay, the restaurants are generally very good, the wines are great, and there are ceramics and other souvenirs to buy. The Etruscan stuff is mysterious, and St. Patrick's well is dark and cool. The people are friendly, and the funicular is a fun way to climb a hill. Definitely worth an overnight, but a day trip would be okay.
