Date: 14th Jan
We did a nice stop in the hilltop town of Orvieto for lunch. For a number of centuries Orvieto was home to a few popes at various times. The town is built on top a hill in the Terni Provence of Italy and it's location was an ideal defensible position, and was used when Rome wasn't an ideal location.
Today the hilltop town has a distinct small town Italian feel. The buildings on the hill, much like in Florrence, are all stone with beautiful narrow cobblestone roads in the centre and main roads of the town. Coming through at midday on a Wednesday gave the impression of a sleepy village.
The Cathedral built here celebrates and houses the Corporal of Bolsena. The building is very beautiful, it took a 100years to complete, primarily due to running out of money.
Lunch was wild boar sandwiches, a local delicacy.
I sort of want to revisit Pisa so I can work out exactly how it differs from, for example, this place. This place isn't exactly rich but it's clear that the economy is sustained, presumably by tourist dollars and holiday homes (the view is quite something and it is a wine producing region).
Wandering further off the tourist track here, I find the wealth decreasing, but it doesn't feel as poor as Pisa. I feel it's a great shame that such an iconic town as Pisa seems to have so little money flowing back to the local economy. Perhaps I'm wrong, I certainly hope so.
Time: 1600h
Location: Orvieto, Terni Provence, Italy
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