It's been so long since we stayed at La Badia that any food comments are useless. I just want to note that the actual rooms and their locations vary tremendously, so be sure to look at several. ( I do recall that when we checked in they insisted that we had to eat dinner there every night, even though this was not stated anywhere in the booking documents. After prolonged discussion we agreed to eat one meal there during our two night stay. It was not memorable.) Enjoy Orvieto!

Marija, you make it sound like La Badia may not be the place for us. We had the impression that it was a very lovely place, but now I'm not so sure -- coupled with the fact that they won't answer my emails about the restaurant.
Maybe we should start all over. We are looking for a really nice relaxing, semi-"romantic" or atmospheric place to stay for just one night, driving from Siena to the Rome airport.

La Badia has a beautiful setting, but not well maintained when we were there 13 years ago. I had asked for a room with a view of Orvieto but quickly changed my mind when I saw the room. We did end up with a nice room, though no view. We were unhappy when we found out that we had to drive into Orvieto for dinner since it would be " impossible" to catch a cab back. The distance is short but we just don't drive after dinner and wine. Other than the grounds there's no place to wander on foot from La Badia. I was disappointed by the whole experience there.

More recently we enjoyed Titignano which is somewhat outside of Orvieto and very different from La Badia:

http://www.titignano.com/gb/storia_titignano.html

So glad you're travelling happy again.

If you still want to go to Orvieto, I can highly recommend staying at B&B Ripa Medici and dining at La Palomba (a short walk from the B&B). We were there in 2009.

last year when visiting O for the day we stopped at almost the first restaurant we passed as we left the tram..

ride the tram to the top... exit the bldg... walk slightly to the left and start up the hill. the rest. is right on the left... lots of brickwork in the dining room.. yummy..

we miss you on the asia board

NeoPatrick,

We'll be in Orvieto next month for a one-night stopover. After a lot of research, I chose the Hotel Duomo.
http://www.orvietohotelduomo.com/

I was going to eat at the Trattoria del Moro-Aronne (#3 on TA)
http://www.trattoriadelmoro.info/
but they will be closed the night we are there.

So, now we have reservations at the Duca di Orvieto, which looks delightful (#4 on TA).
http://www.ducadiorvieto.com/

However, since I haven't been there yet, this is just based on my research. Hope it's helpful.

Bookmarking

Last August we stayed at the Hotel Virgilio. We had a lovely room looking onto the main square and the Duomo.

Have you eaten here on previous trips?
http://www.isetteconsoli.it/

We like Trattoria dell'Orso. Tiny place in a tiny side street, but very good food.

I was in Orvieto once before with Lee, my former partner and we stayed at the Hotel Duomo. It would be a nice choice. I guess because we ended up choosing a week in an apartment right on the Campo (Palio) in Siene for our week in Tuscany, I was hoping to do some sort of wonderful country setting for this single last night -- even if it also meant eating there. I just wasn't coming up with anything appropriate -- beween Siena and Rome and it seemed silly to stay near Siena and do it.

kybourban, yes. I Setto Consoli is the place I was speaking of where we ended up meeting two other tables of Fodorites -- quite by accident. At the end of a woderful lunch, we all started talking between tables asking each other how we found it and all replied "Fodors". And when I continued to speak, all of sudden one of the other guests suddenly said, "oh you're THAT Patrick"!

If you can be tempted away from Orvieto, consider somewhere on Lake Bracciano. Castles, Roman ruins, lots of parkland, sailboats on the water. Very scenic.

It's been a few years since we stopped there (south shore), but we had a couple of very nice meals in the town of Bracciano. There are several good restaurants on Piazza Mazzini, but I only remember one name: Quattro Castagni (Four Chestnuts). I'll try to find my notes on this trip.

I Sette Consoli is my favorite restaurant in Italy and I've visited Italy 21 times since 1998. She had a Michelin star, but, somehow, lost it. Memorable.

DRJ, my meal there was memorable too, but it's been a long time ago. My readings suggest it's not nearly what it used to be, and although I find dozens of reviews of lunch (somewhat mixed but mostly favorable) the only review I found of anyone having dinner there mentioned they were virtually alone. Doesn't seem like a good sign.

Jean, if there's a really wonderful place to stay at Lake Bracciano, I'd be willing to look. Or I'd love a recommendation for a really nice winery with super rooms and a great dinner.

Patrick, we loved Il Gilglio d'Oro for the gorgeous dining room, wonderful menu and superb service at dinner. We didn't get to eat there last fall, but started a conversation with a couple on their patio after lunch service was well over (we had lunched elsewhere and were disappointed with our choice, when we KNEW we could have eaten well at G d O). They had day-tripped for the SECOND time from Rome to have lunch there, and had done dinner a couple weeks before when they were staying at a villa not far from there for a week. (They were at the end of a month long trip, and had decided that they preferred the pace of life in the hill towns vs the "hard work" of touring the big cities, but they had committed to a final week in Rome.)
http://www.ilgigliodoro.it/

Patrick, we stayed at a clean for forgettable B&B in Vigna di Valle which is about halfway between Aguillara Sabazia and Bracciano. It was just a stop on the way, so it sufficed.

But look at the Hotel Villa Clementina just outside the center of Bracciano. We heard about it after we had left the area (and I see very good recent reviews, including Michelin). Serves me right for not doing any research.

http://www.hotelvillaclementina.it/en/home.php

Jean. Villa Clementina looks wonderful. I emailed them and found that yes they will have the restaurant open on the Wednesday night we will be there! And its location makes it possible for us to drive an hour to Orvieto from Siena, have lunch and a look around, then drive on to the Villa for the afternoon, a swim, and a nice dinner, and relax in the morning before a less than one hour drive to the Rome airport.

Oh, and uhoh_busted, that place does look nice, but it is closed on Wednesdays -- our day in Orvieto.

Have your lunch in Orvieto at La Palomba. Authentic Orvieto cooking. The braised wild boar will curl your toes. Loved it.

We also loved La Palomba. It caters to discerning tourists, so don't expect a lot of locals to be dining. That said, the staff and owner are very engaging and the food was delicious.

ttt

Thanks, again, Jean. I have booked our night at Villa Clementina. It looks and "sounds" just like what we want.