Beyond Rome: A Love Letter to the Small Towns of Italy

My summer adventures with IES Abroad have been some of the most incredible moments of my life, and my time spent in Rome has opened up so many other opportunities for travel and exploration in other exciting places around Italy. After a busy week of classes, it was important for me to balance my time spent studying by going on new adventures, which sometimes led me outside of Rome toward other interesting towns and villages that I visited on short day trips with my friends! In this post, I outline two of my favorite daytrips in small, neighboring towns that I highly recommend to any other students studying in Rome or other Italian cities. 

Daytrip 1: Orvieto

One of the first independent excursions that my friends and I made during our time in Italy was a daytrip to Orvieto, a small medieval town that can be visited by a short train ride from Rome (roughly 1.5 hours). Located in the Umbrian countryside between Rome and Florence, Orvieto’s quaint atmosphere is nestled in the hills once established by the Etruscans, and was later occupied by Romans and members of the papacy during the Middle Ages. While the village is quite small and unassuming, it holds many beautiful historic structures, including the stunning Duomo di Orvieto and the Torre del Moro, a 13^th century clock tower in the center of the village that you can climb and admire a breathtaking panoramic view of the area. 

We arrived shortly after 8.00, and the morning air carried a chill when we exited the train and made our way toward the funicular to bring us toward the village, which is located upon cliffs overlooking the surrounding countryside. It was the perfect excursion for a morning in early June, and the weather was breezy in comparison to the rising summer temperatures in Rome. Orvieto’s ancient history has contributed to its rich cultural atmosphere maintained today, which was apparent as we strolled through the town and explored the narrow cobblestone streets lined with independent local shops specializing in leather goods, ceramics, and other handmade crafts, as well as small restaurants and businesses owned and operated by local residents for generations. During these explorations, we stumbled across several small museums that housed ancient archeological pieces found in the local region and learned about the complex series of underground Etruscan caves and tunnels—some of which have been repurposed and used as unique dining rooms, wine bars, art galleries, and museums, as well as preserved and used for specialized tours of the centuries-old hidden underground areas. 

It’s a perfect excursion for anyone interested in historical sites or Italian culture, as well as small-town enthusiasts and explorers of all kinds! When visiting Orvieto, it’s also a great opportunity to practice speaking Italian with local shopkeepers and observe the Italian principle of “la dolce vita” of living a slow, peaceful lifestyle in this quaint town.