On a typical Friday only AP and Italian language classes meet so that Amy and I each teach only one class. We are both finished before 10 AM and the entire school would usually close at 12:30 PM. This Friday was unusual in that students had a ½ day “field trip” in Viterbo. Instead of having classes in the morning and taking the field trip in the afternoon, they did the excursion in the morning. Thus our classes, which would have ended early anyway, didn’t even meet giving us an unanticipated free day. We used it to sleep in and then take a day trip to Orvieto with a couple of friends.
Orvieto is another of the old medieval walled cities in the region, much like Viterbo in that respect. Where it differs is the spectacular natural setting on top of a rocky outcrop which juts one hundred feet or more straight up from the surrounding area. When you add the additional fortification walls it would have been a formidable place to try to capture 500 years ago. We were unable to find the parking area for the funicular and ended up driving around a serpentine road all the way to the top. Orvieto is a tourist destination, but if you were to arrive blindfolded into the center of the city you might wonder why. It looks like Viterbo only with more upscale, tourist-type shops. One reason is the magnificent, mid-13th century duomo which is filled with stunning frescos and nifty marble floors but, alas, no pictures allowed; you will just have to visit us to see it for yourselves.
We cruised the shops, many of which featured ceramics and of course, wine. The region around Orvieto is a significant wine and olive oil producing area and Orvieto is famous for its Orvieto Classico, a very nice, dry, white wine. We lunched at La Palomba, a medium sized restaurant somewhat off the beaten path but full of local customers. Amy had the local style pasta with truffles, one of her favorite dishes. I almost went for the cinghiale ragu (wild boar) but settled instead on the amatriciana.
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