Villa

We are going to Italy in a few weeks and are considering renting a car (train from Rome to Orvieto, picking up at Hertz Orvieto on Sunday), and driving to Montefalco (staying at Villa Pambuffetti) Is it a difficult drive up to Montefalco & around that area?

We would then go to Pienza/San Quirico D'Orcia area (either drive or take train from Foligno to Chiusi)

Any info or recommendations would be appreciated.

maitaitom

As long as you put the correct gas in the car, the driving is pretty easy. Below is link to blog of September 2005 trip that includes pictures from Montefalco, St. Quirico, Pienza and other Umbrian and Tuscan locales. (takes about a minute for all pictures to load) Have a great trip.

http://travelswithmaitaitom.typepad.com/travels/

tcreath

The drive from Orvieto to Montefalco is very pretty. We drove the opposite direction, coming from the Montefalco area. We took SR 448 and the road hugged a river down below the cliff that eventually turned into a very pretty lake. I don't recall the name, but I think it was something like Lago di Carbara or something along those lines. The scenery was just spectacular, and we would have stopped to get pictures if there would have been a place to pull over.

We stayed in Umbria for a week in March and did lots of driving. Overall it was very easy to drive around. We found that the easiest thing to do when visiting the hill towns is to park in one of the parking lots outside of the old city walls and then walk. Some of those streets within the historic centers of town are very narrow and intimidating!

Tracy

Marija

The drive is easy and Villa Pambuffetti is great. However, are you sure you can pick up a rental car in Orvieto on a Sunday?

nessundorma

The drive is extremely easy.

When you are in Montefalco, make sure to pay a visit to Frantoio Brizi and its olive oil mill. It's on a very pretty street that is an out of the way spot in Montefalco. And of course you will want to see the Gozzoli frescoes in the small museum.

Don't drink the local Sagrantino wine and drive! But do take some bottles with you. I've had friends in Tuscany ask me to please bring them some.

Traviata

nessun,

Thanks to you, we have reservations at Frantoio for October...can't wait!

Villa

Thanks much to all -- AutoEurope does not list Orvieto but Hertz does and says they are open on Sunday. We were going to pick the car in Foligno but none of the car rentals there are open on Sunday.

I had read a description of the road from Bevagna to Montefalco and other roads suggesting it was winding, sharp turns, and foggy - wanted to check out the general view -- will check Frantoia Brizi.

Hope to eat at the Villa or in town at Montefalco so can sample the great wine at night! (Marija - you can walk to the Piazza from Villa Pamb. right?)

again, thanks much for the info

Villa

Well, I just double-checked and the Hertz is closed on Sunday (thought it accepted my dates awhile ago) - will have to work on another plan

Marija

It's not a long walk into town from the Villa Pambufetti. They also have a cute little pool and lovely grounds.

Villa

Since all the car rentals in the area are closed on Sunday, does anyone know whether we would have any trouble getting a taxi at Foligno train station to go to Montefalco on Sunday?

maitaitom

Is there a reason you don't just rent the car in Rome and drive to Orvieto? Do you already have the train tickets?

Villa

We were trying to avoid in Rome itself and didn't want to go back out to the airport to get a car. (Many of the Rome stations are also closed on Sunday.)

Thanks for the link - looks like it was a great trip!

maitaitom

"Thanks for the link - looks like it was a great trip!"

That it was. Just in case you get in a bind, the drive to Orvieto or Montefalco from the Rome airport is easy. You'll probably encounter traffic around the ring, but once you exit to the highway, it was clear sailing, well, except for the gas and that backing up thing. Have fun.