Hotel Palazzo Piccolomini
Why we like it: Four-star hotel in the palace of the papal Piccolomini family and the medieval Ranieri tower, in the centre, with supervised parking.
Duration1 night
From RomeTrain on the Florence line · 1 h 30 by car
Best timeApril – June · September – October
BookingUnderground Orvieto
TicketsCarta Unica €35
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to leave Roma Termini on a Friday afternoon and return on Saturday afternoon, or to stay a night in Orvieto on the way to Florence. Avoid having the full day fall on a Sunday: the cathedral limits visits because of Masses.
Friday
- 117:30Arrival and the cathedral at sunset
Take the funicular up, drop your bag and walk along Corso Cavour to the Duomo square to see the facade in the last light.
- 220:00Dinner at La Palomba
A trattoria from 1965 on Via Cipriano Manente: homemade umbrichelli. Kitchen open from 19:30 to 21:15; closed on Wednesdays.
Saturday
- 109:30The cathedral and the San Brizio chapel
Go in first thing, with the audioguide included in the €8. Signorelli's frescoes take time.
- 211:00Underground Orvieto
The 11:00 tour from Piazza Duomo, 23. One hour; €10. Book and ask for Spanish.
- 312:30Lunch at I Sette Consoli
Seasonal Umbrian cooking; in summer, a garden facing the cathedral. Closed on Wednesdays.
- 415:00Torre del Moro and the Cava well
The view from the tower and an Etruscan well under a house in the medieval quarter.
- 516:30St Patrick's Well and the return
The 248 steps beside the funicular, and the train back to Rome.
Orvieto can be seen in a day from Rome, but it is enjoyed with a night: in the late afternoon, when the groups leave, the cathedral facade glows in the setting sun and the Corso is left to the locals. This getaway arrives by train on Friday afternoon, sleeps on the rock and spends Saturday on the cathedral, the caves and the wells, with the option of Civita di Bagnoregio.
How do you get there from Rome?
By train from Roma Termini on the Florence line: regional and intercity trains stop at Orvieto. Opposite the station, the funicular climbs in a few minutes to Piazza Cahen, at the top. By car, about 120 km on the A1, Orvieto exit; leave the car below or in your hotel's car park.
Where to stay?
| Accommodation | Area | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Corso | Corso Cavour, beside the funicular | No car, simple, dogs welcome |
| Hotel Palazzo Piccolomini | Historic centre | Historic palace, family room, guarded parking |
| Hotel Villa Ciconia | Below, a few minutes away | By car, with pool and park |
What if I have one more day?
Go to Civita di Bagnoregio, about half an hour by car or by COTRAL bus from Orvieto station: the village on a crumbling rock, entered by a footbridge. If you are driving, carry on to Viterbo and return to Rome along the Cassia, with a thermal bath on the way.
With children
Orvieto is easy with children: the funicular, the caves, the double-staircase well and the tower. Sleep at the Palazzo Piccolomini, which has a family room. Children under 10 do not pay for the Carta Unica.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Orvieto, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Orvieto
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
Without a car: train and funicular
Orvieto is one of the easiest towns to do without a car: the train from Rome drops you at the foot of the crag and the funicular takes you up to the centre in a few minutes. Everything else is on foot.
70–180 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayHotel Corso, on Corso Cavour…
- Getting aroundTrain from Roma Termini on…
- Where to eatLa Palomba, a cheap trattoria…
- ServicesCarta Unica, which is also…
Where to stay
- Hotel Corso, on Corso Cavour, by the funicular arrival point
- Hotel Palazzo Piccolomini, in the historic centre
Getting around
- Train from Roma Termini on the Florence line
- Funicular from the station to Piazza Cahen
- COTRAL bus from the station to Bagnoregio, for Civita
Where to eat
- La Palomba, a cheap trattoria in the centre
- I Sette Consoli, for a special meal
Services
- Carta Unica, which is also sold with the funicular
- Orvieto railway station
By car: Orvieto and the Tuscia
With a car, Orvieto is the perfect stop on the A1 motorway between Rome and Florence, and the base for Civita di Bagnoregio and Lake Bolsena. Do not drive up into the centre: the old town has restricted access.
80–190 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayHotel Villa Ciconia, down below…
- Getting aroundFrom Rome, about 120 km…
- Where to eatI Sette Consoli, with a…
- ServicesFunicular from the station
Where to stay
- Hotel Villa Ciconia, down below, with free parking and a pool
- Hotel Palazzo Piccolomini, in the centre, with supervised parking
Getting around
- From Rome, about 120 km on the A1, exit Orvieto
- Leave the car down below and take the funicular up, or in the car park your hotel suggests
- Civita di Bagnoregio, about half an hour away
Where to eat
- I Sette Consoli, with a garden in summer
- La Palomba, in the centre
Services
- Funicular from the station
Fly to Rome and take the train to Orvieto
For Orvieto you fly to Rome: Fiumicino has direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona and many other Spanish cities, and Ciampino from several. Orvieto is on the Rome–Florence railway line, so you can reach it from the city without a car; by car, it is about 120 km on the A1 motorway.
- Getting thereRome Fiumicino (FCO): Leonardo Express…
- Getting aroundHire car at Fiumicino if…
- Where to stayHotel Corso, a few steps…
- ServicesOrvieto station and funicular
Getting there
- Rome Fiumicino (FCO): Leonardo Express to Termini and a train to Orvieto
- Rome Ciampino (CIA): bus to Termini and the same train
- Florence (FLR), if you are combining with Tuscany: train to Orvieto on the same line
Getting around
- Hire car at Fiumicino if you want to add Civita di Bagnoregio and Lake Bolsena
- Funicular from the station to the centre and, on foot, all of Orvieto
- COTRAL buses from the station to Bagnoregio
Where to stay
- Hotel Corso, a few steps from the funicular
- Hotel Palazzo Piccolomini, in the centre
Services
- Orvieto station and funicular
- Carta Unica for the monuments
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights1
Where to stay
Where to stay without a carif you're drivingif you're flying
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Hotel Corso
Why we like it: Simple three-star hotel on Corso Cavour, 400 m from the cathedral and a few steps from the funicular, with a buffet breakfast and terrace.
Hotel Villa Ciconia
Why we like it: A 16th-century villa attributed to Ippolito Scalza, with a park, pool and free parking, a few minutes by car from Orvieto.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Orvieto
Trattoria La Palomba
What to order: home-made umbrichelli with the sauce of the day
I Sette Consoli
What to order: the seasonal menu and, with dessert, a late-harvest Orvieto Classico Superiore
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
Buy the Carta Unica when you reach the funicular: with the cathedral, the underground tour, the two wells and the tower it already pays off, and it is valid for a year.
We'd skip it
A Wednesday: La Palomba and I Sette Consoli are closed.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Rome to Orvieto without a car?
By train from Termini on the Florence line and the funicular to the centre.
Where should you stay?
Next to the funicular at Hotel Corso, in the centre at the Palazzo Piccolomini or below, with a pool, at Villa Ciconia.
Do you need to book the underground visit?
Yes, at least the day before in season; in Spanish, further in advance.
Can you get to Civita from Orvieto?
Yes, by car in about half an hour or by COTRAL bus from the station.