In addition to our seven nights in Rome last summer, Chris and I planned stops in two charming Umbrian towns, Orvieto and Spello. While we just stayed overnight in each town, one day was enough to fall in love with Orvieto and Spello.
Orvieto
Our first stop in Umbria is an hour’s train ride from Rome. We stayed at the really adorable Hotel Virgilio in the Piazza across from the Duomo.
Orvieto’s Duomo is the most magnificent cathedral I’ve ever seen. Its construction took over three centuries and features a gold façade, which glitters in the sunlight. The backside of the cathedral is a layered black and white stone. Since the façade faces west, the cathedral glowed pink at dusk.
We had so much fun just walking around town and had to stop for gelato and a glass of wine. (We’re starting to look puffy from our carb intake in these pics!)
We took a train to Siena the following morning, but we wished we’d booked another night in Orvieto.
Spello
Spello is a teeny-tiny, medieval walled city (even tinier than Orvieto!), and provided the most Marfa-like experiences of our trip. The town’s only taxi driver took us under his wing, carting us to and from the train station and waving at us all around town.
We got the best gelato at Bar Pasticceria Tullia, the local cafe, and we strolled the famous doorstep gardens and stone streets.
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I wrote about planning an international trip in my Milan post, and here’s my carry-on-only packing guide.
Emily Paine Smith 