WHEN YOU GO: Orvieto and    Cività di Bagnoregio

Getting There:

Depending on the U.S. departure city, flights are available to Rome on Alitalia, British Airways, Delta, KLM, Lufthansa, SAS, and TWA. The 1-800 phone numbers and Web links for these airlines are available at this magazine’s Airlines page.

Orvieto, 120 km (75 miles) north of Rome, and 160 Km (100 miles) south of Florence, is easy to reach by car or train.. Sixteen trains depart Rome’s Termini Station every two hours during the day for the hour trip to Orvieto. From Florence’s Santa Maria Novella Station, there are 12 trains throughout the day for the 1-1/4 hr. trip to Orvieto. By car, take the Motorway A1 (Autostrado del Sole) Florence-Rome; exit Orvieto. The trip is about 90 min. from Florence and 60 min. from Rome. There is a bus from Rome Tiburtina railroad station twice daily on weekdays and one a day on holidays. Cività Di Bagnoregio is a 30-minute walk from Bagnoregio. There is a shuttle bus in Bagnoregio to take you to the base of the Cività bridge that runs about every hour. Public buses from Orvieto to Bagnoregio leave from Orvieto’s Piazza Cahen and from its train station daily except Sunday. You can buy tickets from the snack bar at the station. Check for a current schedule at the station.

By car from Orvieto, take the autostrada left, away from Orvieto, and follow signs to Lubriano and Bagnoregio. Drive through Bagnoregio, follow the yellow signs to Cività, and park at the base of the steep path.

If you are traveling elsewhere in Italy and/or Europe by train, you may want to consider a Eurail pass or an Italy-only regional train pass. These are available from Europe Through the Back Door, Inc., (206) 771-8303 and Europe by Eurail (http://www.eurail.com).

Staying There:

Although there is no lodging in Cività di Bagnoregio, Bagnoregio has a few hotels and pensiones. We chose to stay in Orvieto’s old town since we were traveling by train. Our stay at the Hotel Duomo (Phone: 41887) was pleasant and it had an incredible location.

A variety of lodging accommodations and eating establishments for Orvieto and Bagnoregio are described in detail in Rick Steves Italy. This and other travel books on Italy and Europe are accessible through the amazon.com link below.

Fast Facts:

Umbria, one of Italy’s smallest regions, lies in the center of the country, east of Tuscany, and north of Rome. The only Italian region without a coastline, Umbria is often called the "Green Heart of Italy," with lush river valleys (the Tiber) and medieval hill towns.

Orvieto was originally an Etruscan stronghold. The Tempio Belvedere, Italy’s only remaining above-ground Etruscan temple can be found here. Sites to visit are the Duomo; Sant'Andrea Church, with its alabaster windows in the Piazza della Repubblica; and St. Patrick’s Well. Underground Orvieto Tours takes you into caves and can be taken twice daily from the Tourist Office.