Planning for my first trip to Rome in March, going with a friend who has been before. She's proposing a day trip to Orvieto or Spoleto, leaning to Spoleto. Thoghts? Suggestions? Thanks.

First of all, I wouldn't go to either place if it's raining.

I would say Orvieto is more interesting overall. I like Spoleto too but more as a base for exploring southern Umbria by car.

But what are your interests? What makes either town appealing to you? How many days are you in Rome?

Orvieto, after you spend 5 days in Rome.

We'll be in Italy 8 days, most in Rome. My friend proposed these towns and sent pictures of both, and both look appealing. This day trip would be the only full day away from Rome, another partial day I am hoping to go to Anzio, where my dad landed during WWII. Our interests are rather wide, art, architecture, churches, museums, taking lots of photos, ruins, shopping, eating, just enjoying the atmosphere. We can hope for a day without rain, but is there a problem with walking or just not much fun? Thanks for the help.

As a day trip. Orvieto definitely! We stayed 3 nights and did day trips out of Orvieto and absolutely loved the town. Much to see and do in all categories of interest. Don't miss the underground tour!

Buon viaggio!

Just not much fun in the rain, although there are a few indoor sights at Orvieto. And, for me, enjoyment of hilltowns depends in part on unhampered views.

I don't want to confuse things, but you mentioned an interest in ruins. Have you considered a day-trip to Ostia Antica?

http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/desti...taly/ostia.htm

http://goeurope.about.com/library/bl_ostia_1.htm

If you're worried about rain (why?), you'll be a great deal better off in Orvieto - where just about everything you might want to see is indoors and a minute or two's walk from the last place - than in Rome.

Neither Spoleto nor Orvieto have the kind of large, expansive, open-air archaeological sites Rome has - which I assume is what you mean by ruins - where rain can be a nuisance. There are lots of such places within an hour or two of Rome, but offhand I can't think of any as easily accessible by train as Spoleto and Orvieto. Or any that have these two towns' depth of post-AD 1000 buildings, churches, museums and pretty streetscapes as well as the crumbling pillars.

But Orvieto does have an extensive network of underground (and therefore protected from that terrifying rain) excavations you can visit from the classical and pre-classical era. Not quite your normal ruins - but probably close enough.

I have only done day trips to both and would gladly go to both again but if I had to choose I would go for Orvieto. I agree that it is probably more interesting than Spoleto.

Orvieto is my first choice. Been there twice. I would choose Gubbio over Spoleto.

I love Gubbio, but it's too far away to be a realistic day-trip-from-Rome destination.

Definitely Orvieto...great duomo..nice pottery shops, Etruscan caves and museum, Orvieto Classico white wine and a great place to eat...Trattoria Etruscan.