by Nicole Bravo
One of the most magical places I've ever been to is a small village located in the Umbria region of Italy called Orvieto. It resembles a fairy-tale kingdom as it sits on a flat summit with steep cliffs surrounding. Since we arrived by train, we took the funicular up from the station (an enjoyable first for both of us). There isn't a lot to do in Orvieto besides admiring the cathedral and looking at a few local shops, so we spent quite a while doing just that. After having our fill of local artisans' crafts, we took a tour of Orvieto Undergound. This labyrinth of tunnels including grottoes, wells, cisterns, and war-time escape routes, is located underneath the entire village. It was fascinating to walk through tunnels which were dug over thousands of years, to stare down deep, dark wells, walk up steep claustrophobia-inducing staircases, and run my fingers across ancient olive presses. Yet, as wonderful as this experience was, it did not compare to what lay above ground.
Warm greetings from wrinkled faces and stunning architecture completely captivated us. Filled with a desire to explore this unfamiliar spellbinding place, we decided to leave our map behind and take a walk, winding our way along narrow roads to wherever they would lead us. Somehow we made it from one side of the village to the other while reveling in small gatherings of elderly people here and there, taking in the beauty of the antiquated buildings, and finding ourselves breathless in view of the endless, quilt-like patches of green and yellow landscape. There is nothing flashy about this village and no night-life to brag about. However, the people were kindhearted and genuine, and the way the evening light graced the roof-tops, mysteriously bringing life to places that have long been overlooked, was unforgettable.
One of the most magical places I've ever been to is a small village located in the Umbria region of Italy called Orvieto. It resembles a fairy-tale kingdom as it sits on a flat summit with steep cliffs surrounding. Since we arrived by train, we took the funicular up from the station (an enjoyable first for both of us). There isn't a lot to do in Orvieto besides admiring the cathedral and looking at a few local shops, so we spent quite a while doing just that. After having our fill of local artisans' crafts, we took a tour of Orvieto Undergound. This labyrinth of tunnels including grottoes, wells, cisterns, and war-time escape routes, is located underneath the entire village. It was fascinating to walk through tunnels which were dug over thousands of years, to stare down deep, dark wells, walk up steep claustrophobia-inducing staircases, and run my fingers across ancient olive presses. Yet, as wonderful as this experience was, it did not compare to what lay above ground.
Warm greetings from wrinkled faces and stunning architecture completely captivated us. Filled with a desire to explore this unfamiliar spellbinding place, we decided to leave our map behind and take a walk, winding our way along narrow roads to wherever they would lead us. Somehow we made it from one side of the village to the other while reveling in small gatherings of elderly people here and there, taking in the beauty of the antiquated buildings, and finding ourselves breathless in view of the endless, quilt-like patches of green and yellow landscape. There is nothing flashy about this village and no night-life to brag about. However, the people were kindhearted and genuine, and the way the evening light graced the roof-tops, mysteriously bringing life to places that have long been overlooked, was unforgettable.
