Orvieto!

Another thing to add about San Gimignano: we walked by a group of high school aged students obviously on a school trip and we were all standing on a view point with a wonderful vista, and the teacher told the students (in Italian) to start reading the handout he passed out to them all: then they all read aloud "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" in English! It was an English teacher's scene!

We arrived in Orvieto on Friday afternoon after a pleasant 70 minute train ride (only one transfer--which makes train travel less stressful especially since they do not announce stops ahead of time and we just guess based on time of arrival--luckily, the trains to run on time), and immediately loved it. From the train we could see the small town up on a double sized Pilot Butte-height rock. When we got off the train, we were directed to the funiculare, a one-car tram that takes people up to the top of the "rock" in less than 5 minutes. Then we took a small shuttle bus to the center of town where our Bed and Breakfast is--it is walkable in less than 10 minutes but the shuttle was so conveniently there and cheap.

The La Magnolia Bed and Breakfast is above a restaurant owned by the same family. We were first shown a very very large room with lots of sun and a big bed, tv, bathroom (the largest room we have been in so far) but she quickly asked if we would take the apartment instead since she had a single guest who did not need the apartment---so now we have the apartment!! Large bedroom, smaller living room and a very large kitchen. Breakfast is served in the restaurant downstairs....But unlike Siena, Orvieto is wonderfully quiet at night, so we slept so well. After three very noisy nights in Siena (the noisiest night time we have experienced, with Venice being 2nd--pedestrian zones are almost noisier than car traffic), we awoke refreshed.

Orvieto is smaller than Lucca, another medieval town on a rock surrounded by a wall. Yesterday we visited the gorgeous Duomo and walked to one of the viewpoints along the wall. Today we hiked along more of the "ropa" (not sure if that means trail, but we assume it does) outside and within the town wall. It was beautiful today--sunny, warm). We also visited the Archaeological Museum and the Underground Etruscan caves....

We are enjoying this town: though the food has not been spectacular, the wine and biscotti are delish.

Tomorrow we go to Rome!

Ciao for now,

Stacey