I first visited Orvieto in the fall of 2000. The trip was accidental - I was planning to visit some friends in some random tiny Tuscan town, but alas, I hopped on the wrong train when I boarded in Camucia. I figured out I was heading the wrong way around the time the train stopped in Orvieto, so I thought, what the heck, I'll go visit Orvieto instead. So, I took the funicular (inclined railway - Orvieto is built on a plateau) up to town, and spent the afternoon exploring.
My second, and this time - planned, visit to Orvieto was in the fall of 2005, during my stay in Montefiascone. One of the professors at the school drove a group of us there for an afternoon visit. The approach to Orvieto by car is much more stunning than by train - as we rounded a curve and came over the top of the hill, we were treated to a spectacular view of the city.
To reach the town, our car traversed the winding roads up the side of the cliffs, until at last we reached the top. Once there, we visited the Duomo (a gothic cathedral, similar to the one in Siena), strolled through the gardens, enjoyed some gelato, and browsed the many local handicraft shops.
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