10 Best Things To Do In Orvieto, Italy - Updated 2024

1. Duomo di Orvieto (Orvieto Cathedra)

Orvieto Cathedral is a large, 14th-century Roman Catholic cathedral, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and it won’t fail to impress you. It’s a fascinating look at early 14th-century Italian sculpture, but the horizontal stripes of black and white marble and the many colorful details of the interior frescoes will leave a vivid impression on you, too.

Duomo di Orvieto

Address: Piazza del Duomo, 26, 05018 Orvieto TR, Italy

Website: Duomo di Orvieto (in Italian)

2. Orvieto Sotterranea (Orvieto Underground)

Orvieto has a labyrinth of caves hidden underneath it and there are various tours and explorations to be discovered. Going underground and seeing what’s left of the town from this perspective provides captivating insight into the lives of the Etruscans and why they built these spectacular dwellings. Amazingly, they’ve survived many earthquakes and you’ll be told of all kinds of information from the friendly guides who will take you around.

Orvieto Sotterranea

Address: Piazza del Duomo 23, 05018, Orvieto, Italy

Website: Orvieto Sotterranea

3. Cappella Di San Brizio (Orvieto Cathedral)

Be prepared to spend a long time admiring the colorful and intricate frescoes inside the Cappella Di San Brizio, as they’ll certainly leave a great impression on you, even if you’re not religious. Painted by Signorelli, who inspired Michelangelo, there are five panels of paintings which portray a story and include evocative images of people in heaven and hell.

Cappella Di San Brizio

Address: Piazza del Duomo 26, 05018, Orvieto, Italy

Website: Cappella Di San Brizio (In Italian)

4. Pozzo di San Patrizio

You may not want to visit this place if you suffer from vertigo! After your arrival, you will need to walk down the first set of steps, before coming back up the next set. The Pozzo di San Patrizio is an amazing piece of engineering, as the helix-like stairs never meet as it goes up. There are fantastic opportunities for taking photos through the arches of the stairs.

Pozzo di San Patrizio

Address: Viale San Gallo, 18038 Orvieto TR, Italy

Website: Pozzo di San Patrizio

5. Pozzo della Cava (Well of the Cave)

This is a well preserved, prime example of an Etruscan cave and is an excellent way to escape the heat for a while if you’re visiting in the summer months. A plus about this little museum is the numerous information boards, which are all around the cave and are offered in multiple languages. If you go to the restaurant, look out for the glass floor and get a view from above.

Pozzo della Cava

Address: Via della Cava 28, 05018, Orvieto, Italy

Website: Pozzo della Cava (in Italian)

6. Orvieto Caves

You may never get bored of visiting the caves of Orvieto - its impressive enough to see how an entire city was built in the hollowed out cliffs! The endless cave rooms seemingly go on forever and are connected by winding, narrow passageways and stairs. These lead out into wells, cisterns, remnants of olive oil presses, quarries and cellars and you can hire an inexpensive guide to help you get the most out of learning about the Etruscans and their mastery.

Orvieto Caves

Address: Piazza del Duomo, 23, 05018 Orvieto TR, Italy

Website: Orvieto Caves

7. Cappella del Corporale

A gem inside a gem - this chapel is decorated with fresco paintings, statues and the beautiful painting of Madonna dei Raccomandati, by Lippo Memmi. You don’t have to be religious to be in awe of the artwork, atmosphere, and spirituality that you’ll encounter on a visit here. Don’t forget to get a glimpse of the altar cloth, while you’re here.

Cappella del Corporale

Address: Orvieto, Italy

Website: Cappella del Corporale (in Italian)

8. Museo Claudio Faina

The Museo Claudio Faina is an astounding building and houses hundreds of well-preserved items, which includes coins, vases, jewelry, and pottery. Walk between the well-organized rooms and peruse the collections of Greek and Etruscan artifacts, and while you’re there, remember to look up to gaze at the striking ceilings. If you make it to the top of the building, you’ll get amazing views of the Duomo, too.

Museo Claudio Faina

Address: Piazza del Duomo 29, 05018, Orvieto, Italy

Website: Museo Claudio Faina

9. Torre del Moro

One of the best ways to get a sense of a city is to see it from above and a visit to Torre del Moro will give you just that! Climb to the top of the 200 steps to reach the bell tower, or you can take a lift most of the way up, and gaze down at the maze of rooftops and buildings spread out before you. You can even see where Orvieto starts and ends, the views are that fantastic, just beware when the bells chime while you’re up there!

Torre del Moro

Address: Via Duomo / Corso Cavour, Orvieto, Italy

Website: Torre del Moro

10. Orvieto private walking tour (from USD 232.0)

What better way to learn about a place than to take a tour of the area with an informative local? Enjoy the walk through Orvieto’s charming, narrow alleys, and small squares and visit many of the main sights, in particular, the Orvieto Duomo, one of the most important cathedrals in Europe. Additionally, enjoy the views of the Paglia Valley and then head to the underground network of wine cellars and ancient Etruscan cisterns.

Private Tour of Orvieto including Duomo (Cathedral)

Duration: 2 hours

21 reviews

from USD

232.0

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Orvieto: A culture vulture's heaven

From the high heights of the cathedral and clock tower to the underground labyrinths of the Etruscan caves, Orvieto’s beauty and history are hard to beat. Add the vivid frescoes and stunning architecture, sitting amongst the atmospheric, narrow streets and planning for your visit to this Italian gem is bound to get you excited for your vacation.