Fifty minutes from Villa Vacanze Valentina, just across the border into Umbria, lies one of Italy's most beautiful and least known cities: Orvieto. Built on a tufa crag, it packs in art, history and extraordinary food.
The Duomo: Italy's most beautiful façade
The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is considered one of the masterpieces of Italian Gothic. Its mosaic façade glitters in the sun and dominates the main square with unmatched elegance. Inside is the Cappella di San Brizio (San Brizio Chapel), with frescoes by Luca Signorelli.
The Pozzo di San Patrizio (St Patrick's Well)
Dug in 1527 on the orders of Pope Clement VII, the well is a masterpiece of Renaissance engineering: two independent spiral ramps allowed donkeys laden with water to climb and descend without ever meeting. At 53 metres deep, it is still spectacular today.
The Etruscan underground
Beneath the whole city lie more than 1,200 chambers dug into the tufa: quarries, cisterns, dovecotes and Etruscan wells. Guided tours of Orvieto Underground reveal a parallel city of extraordinary historical interest.
Orvieto's food
Umbrian black truffle takes centre stage in spring and autumn: tagliatelle al tartufo, crostini, eggs. Orvieto DOC wine — a fresh, mineral white — is the perfect companion. Don't miss the trattorias of the historic centre for an authentic lunch.
Getting there from Bassano in Teverina
By car, about 50 minutes via the A1 motorway or the SS204 through Viterbo. Orvieto can also be reached by train from Rome, with the charming funicular climbing up to the old town.