candy

We're staying just south of Florence - is it worth the 2 hr. drive to Orvieto and back as a day trip??

Paulo

Worth ... relative to what, candy? <BR> <BR>Though I like Orvieto very much, I wouldn't trade Assisi (about same travel time) for it. <BR> <BR>Paulo

fred

YES YES YES if you can stay a nite there. get a good travel book there if much to see and do. good trip

gb

I agree with Paulo. Although Orvieto is worth a stop, I loved Assisi, and would spend more time there.

Graziella

Yes. <BR> <BR>No doubt Orvieto to-day is a bit more commercial than Assisi, - a different kind of town altogether,- but I wouldn t miss the fantastic facade of its Duomo. Has extraordinary frescos by Luca Signorelli. <BR>Good advise to spend the night there and see the facade at sunset or early sunrise.

Louise

And don't forget the wonderful drive round and round the mountain getting there, marveling over the tufa on which the city is built. And the breathtaking views from the park on the edge of town. All this plus the incredible facade of the duomo. Definitely worth the trip!

candy

Paulo..what I mean by "worth" is that there is so much to see within an hours drive of where we're staying - Siena, Maresca, Monteriggioni, San Gimignano, Volterra, Arezzo etc... just wondering if Orvieto or even Assisi for that matter is worth the 4 hours driving time in one day it would take to see it.

BOB THE NAVIGATOR

Candy, If you are south of Siena then you can easily fill 2 days just seeing the villages of the Val d' Orcia. Orvieto is nice, but only after you see Montalcino, St.Antimo, Bagno Vignoni, Pienza, and Montepulciano. If you do go all the way south then take S-2 all the way, trying to include some of the above villages enroute.

Paulo

You got the picture, candy. There are sights near where you're staying that you shouldn't miss (Siena, San G., eventually Volterra, etc). If you decide you've time for a whole day out to drive a bit further, you should plan to include some in your way as Bob recommends. <BR> <BR>To the cities/sights Bob listed as possibilities to visit on a long day out to Orvieto I'd also include Monte Olivetto Maggiore. <BR> <BR>On the other hand, a visit to Assisi could easily include any among Arezzo, Cortona and Perugia. In this case I'd drive directly to Assisi and only then decide what else to visit on my way back depending on the available time. <BR> <BR>Paulo

candy

Thanks BOB and thanks Paulo...you're right it makes sense to see the wonders in and around Florence and then see if we feel up to a really long day during our two week stay. Lots of great ideas - thanks again. Candy

Diane

Paulo, we're arriving FCO and renting a car. As we plan to spend the last four days/three nights of a 3-week trip in Rome, we thought we'd drive to Orvieto and aclimate there for our first day and night. Would Assisi be a better idea? We're making our way north from there to (possibly) Asolo and Venice, (we'll have four nights/five days to get to Venice...where we do have firm hotel reservations!)

Paulo

I have no clear cut answer for this, Diane. It really depends on the cities you want to explore next. Orvieto would be more convenient to Todi and southern Tuscany (Pienza, Montepulciano, St. Antimo, Olivetto Maggiore & Montalcino) and Assisi is more convenient to Spoleto, Perugia, Gubbio and Cortona). <BR> <BR>As a city in itself IMO here's no terms of comparison ... I'd opt for Assisi hands down even though the drive is about 40 minutes longer from the Airport. <BR> <BR>Paulo