In 2005, I traveled north from Rome to the little town of Orvieto in Umbria and to Cortona in Tuscany.  Orvieto is so cute and charming - a little medieval town built up on a large, flat butte of volcanic rock.  The steep cliffs leading up to the city are topped by walls surrounding its perimeter.  The highlights of Orvieto was the medieval architecture, labyrinth of underground caves, the duomo & the views of the countryside surrounding it.  Other notable spots that I did not get to see were the papal palace & residences & the etruscan ruins which I would love to see on another trip. 

This old little town was a nice break from the larger, more touristy cities and was very laid back.  In the streets were families walking, kids playing & scenes of everyday life in a small town.  In the evening, the traditional passeggiata, or “nightly stroll” by the local residents filled the streets with people and energized the town.

There were so many little old churches. This particular church smelled of oldness. It was very dark and damp. Somehow these old frescoes painted on the walls and columns had survived over the years. They were beautiful.

The Ponzo di San Patrizio well is an awesome structure, designed to provide water in case of a disaster. The structure is constructed with two spiraling ramps going all the way down to the bottom of the well. Openings in the stone provide views down the center of the well. The ramps allowed mules to carry water from the base to the top.

View of the Tuscan countryside from Cortona.

We also stopped at a winery for a tasting and tour. They were bottling wine while we were there.

Beautiful view of Cortona and the hills in the distance.