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Episode #299: Orvieto – City of Understated Charm

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Discover the enchanting hilltop town of Orvieto in Umbria, where ancient Etruscan roots meet medieval beauty and vibrant local life. Learn about its breathtaking cathedral, lively traditions, and delicious food and wine, plus get insider tips on how to experience this magical town like a true local.

Summary

We head to Orvieto, Umbria, in this episode with local tour guide Elena Ronca, who shares her passion for this enchanting hilltop city in Umbria. She reveals what makes Orvieto so special – from its medieval architecture and Etruscan roots to its magnificent cathedral and lively community traditions. Elena brings the city’s rich history to life, sharing hidden corners, local dishes, and timeless festivals that define its charm.

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What you'll learn in this episode

  • Learn how Orvieto’s dramatic setting on a volcanic cliff and its compact, walkable size make it one of Italy’s most enchanting small cities. Discover how the medieval town blends seamlessly into its natural landscape, offering visitors unforgettable first impressions when arriving by funicular
  • Explore the fascinating history of Orvieto, from its roots as the powerful Etruscan city of Velzna to its transformation under Roman rule. You’ll hear how archaeological sites, ancient tombs, and museums around the Duomo square preserve the city’s mysterious past and celebrate its Etruscan heritage
  • Discover the awe-inspiring Duomo di Orvieto, built to honor the Miracle of Bolsena and home to extraordinary artistic treasures. Learn about its stunning façade, Gothic and Renaissance architecture, and Luca Signorelli’s frescoes that later inspired Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel masterpiece
  • Experience Orvieto’s cultural and culinary richness through its festivals, traditions, and food. From the Corpus Domini celebration with medieval costumes and banners to the flavors of Orvieto Classico wine, wild boar dishes, and hand-rolled umbricelli pasta, each element reflects the town’s deep sense of community and pride
  • Get insider tips from a local expert on how to explore Orvieto like a true insider – from wandering quiet medieval districts and visiting hidden churches to staying in charming boutique hotels (check out the Untold Italy App for recommendations) and taking time to connect with the town’s warm, welcoming spirit

Timeline Overview

  • 07:31 Discover how Orvieto’s dramatic cliffside setting makes it one of Italy’s most stunning towns, where medieval houses appear to rise naturally from the volcanic rock
  • 15:14 Explore Orvieto’s deep Etruscan roots through its ancient tombs and archaeological remains, uncovering stories of powerful women and a society that valued balance, artistry, and respect – long before Roman conquest reshaped the region
  • 26:06 Learn about the Miracle of Bolsena and the origins of the Corpus Christi celebration, which inspired the creation of Orvieto’s magnificent Gothic cathedral – one of Italy’s most important symbols of faith and art
  • 33:34 Step inside the Duomo to experience Signorelli’s breathtaking frescoes, depicting heaven and hell with striking emotion and detail – masterpieces that later influenced Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel
  • 44:05 Feel the rhythm of modern Orvieto, a lively yet peaceful town that hosts unique events like the Umbria Jazz Winter Festival. Discover its local spirit, safety, and the joy of exploring its quiet streets and hidden corners

About our guest – Elena Ronca

Elena is a tour guide and hiking guide who has been working as a guide for almost 15 years. She was born and raised in the area of Lake Bolsena, and her whole family has always lived there. She started guiding hiking tours when she was still a student at the university. She graduated in 2012 as an interpreter in Russian and English, but soon dropped that as a career path as she realized that what she really wanted to do was share her love and enthusiasm for her homeland!

Today, she works as a guide full-time and enjoys being a guide for Italian school kids and visitors from all over the English-speaking world! Since she is also – and firstly – an environmental guide, she loves itineraries where nature and art blend, and this corner of Italy is perfect for that. Here, you'll find Medieval villages perched on rolling hills, historical villas surrounded by lush countryside, and ancient ruins hidden among the woods.

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Italian places, foods and concepts mentioned

Places

  • Orvieto Duomo – the grand cathedral of Orvieto
  • Bolsena – town in the province of Viterbo in Lazio, by Lake Bolsena
  • Necropolis – an important and impressive archaeological site in Orvieto with a set of over 200 Etruscan tombs made of Tufo/Tuff
  • Etruscan National Archaeological Museum – museum in the Gothic-style 13th-century Papal Palace in Piazza Duomo
  • Civic Museum/Musei Archeologici Civico e Faina – museum full of Etruscan objects
  • Piazza del Duomo – main piazza in Orvieto, known as Piazza delle Meraviglie, the Square of the Marvels
  • Via Francigena  – well-known walking trail/camino stretching through Italy, which historically was a pilgrimage
  • San Brizio Chapel – part of the Orvieto Cathedral
  • Corsica, Serancia, Olmo, Santa Maria della Stella – the 4 quarters/districts of Orvieto
  • St Patrick's Well – the Pozzo di San Patrizio is an ancient well found in the center of Orvieto
  • San Giovenale – first built in 1004, it contains frescos and artworks from the 12th and 13th centuries

Food / Drink

  • Orvieto Classico – Orvieto's famous white wine
  • Umbricelli – the local pasta, similar to Tuscany's pici
  • cinghiale – wild boar. Fabulous as a ragu to have with the local pasta
  • palomba alla leccarda/pollo alla cacciatore – two of the oldest and most typical dishes of pigeon and dove, dating back to the Middle Ages, which can still be found in a few restaurants in Orvieto

Words / Concepts

  • Tufo/Tuff – a type of rock made from volcanic ash. Orvieto sits atop a hill of Tufo
  • Velzna – the Etruscan name for Orvieto, which moved locations from what is now Bolsena
  • Pax Romana – a 200-year period in ancient Rome when there was (mostly) peace and prosperity
  • Golini – the archaeologist who discovered two Etruscan tombs known as the Golini Tombs
  • Pope Urban IV – Pope who was seated in Orvieto. Ruler of the Papal States from 29 August 1261 to his death three years later
  • Signorelli's Last Judgment, Annunciation by Francesco Mochi and Pieta by Ippolito Scalza – important artworks found in the Orvieto Duomo
  • Corteo delle Dame – the parade of the ladies as part of the Corpus Cristi celebrations
  • Palombella – the mechanical dove that flies from Via Maitani to the Duomo square
  • Umbria Jazz Winter – the summer festival is held in Perugia, but Orvieto hosts the winter version between late December and early January

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