Last Day and Back Home

Our last day in Italy. It has been a great three plus weeks but it is time to get back to the routine of life at home. The  morning involved walk around the lovely town of Orvieto. We stopped for a coffee at Caffe Clan Destino on the Corso Cavour, which seems like the cool place to be. Friendly place, good coffee in the morning and aperol spritz in the afternoon.

We also visited the Orvieto Teatro (theatre). A magnificent building which hosts regular  concerts and productions.

The Stage with the Orvieto town crest

The Orvieto town crest high above the stage

Reception hall

We then headed to the station via the funicular for our train trip to Rome and flight home

It was 40 hours from the time we left Orvieto to our arrival home! But what a trip. An engagement, a 21st and the best company. But it wouldn’t have been the same anywhere else in the world. Why is difficult to answer. Italy is just a magical place. I doubt now whether I will get the opportunity to live there for an extended period which was one of my dreams, but I know our children now understand my fascination and love of this place and from their comments now have a similar infatuation!

Day 18- Orvieto

The day started with what we thought was a short trek to the Necropoli del Crocifisso, a 6th century BC Etruscan burial area. But it turned out to be a steep decline via a trail that appeared to be….. well underused. The area is clearly of archeological significance, but having said that there appears to be little or no maintenance of the site.

Nevertheless it was interesting and the walk back up gave a good view of the northern walls of the city, including a church seemingly cut into the side of the hill.

View form Etruscan necropolis

Etruscan Tombs

Walking back from Necropoli del Crocifisso

A church cut into the hill

Inside the church “in the hill”

After our climb we had lunch at La Grotta, and although probably not up to the standard of the first nigh’ts meal, it was still good.

After lunch Sue visited the two other small museums while I poked around the town. Later in the afternoon we met up to take part in an organised tour of man made underground caves of Orvieto. There are well over 1,000 of these caves which were linked to private residences on the surface by tunnels. They were established  many centuries ago, commencing in the 14th century if my memory serves me correctly. They were not linked to one another and each owner used them for whatever purpose they required. We visited a pigeon “coop” and area where olive oil was made with the press turned by donkeys. There was even a donkey stall. An amazing piece of history that with ongoing restoration is now a great tourist attraction and a fantastic example of ingenuity from centuries ago.

Underground Cave tour

Donkey Stalls- Underground Cave Tour

Underground Tour of caves

Pigeon Holes in Caves..real ones!

Dinner was at home