Orvieto

Orvieto is a medieval hilltop city in Umbria, built on a flat-topped plateau of volcanic tufo rising 100 metres above the surrounding plain of the Paglia River valley, accessible from the autostrada and rail network making it one of the most visited hill towns in central Italy despite its modest size. The city's Duomo — the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta — is considered one of the finest Gothic cathedrals in Italy and among the most beautiful in the world, its stripped black-and-white marble exterior contrasting with a luminous polychrome mosaic facade in gold, blue, and crimson depicting scenes from the Last Judgement, the Life of the Virgin, and the Corporal of Bolsena. The interior's primary attraction is the Cappella di San Brizio (Cappella Nuova) on the south transept, containing a fresco cycle by Luca Signorelli begun in 1499 and completed in 1504. Signorelli's Last Judgement and Resurrection of the Flesh are among the most powerful and anatomically bold fresco programmes of the Renaissance, painted shortly before Michelangelo began the Sistine Chapel ceiling and acknowledged by Michelangelo himself as a primary influence. The underground city of Orvieto is equally remarkable: beneath the medieval streets lies a network of over 1,200 Etruscan and medieval caves, tunnels, wells, and chambers carved into the tufo over three millennia. Guided tours depart from Piazza del Duomo and explore pigeon lofts, olive oil mills, and cisterns that served the city's population from antiquity through the Second World War. Orvieto Classico white wine, produced from Grechetto and Trebbiano grapes on the volcanic slopes surrounding the city, has been appreciated since antiquity and is available from the numerous enotece lining the main Corso Cavour.