Orvieto Travel Forum

After several days in Venice we'll be taking the train to Rome, but I would like to stop in Orvieto for an afternoon, just so my son can see the underground caves. I am concerned that the last tour in English begins at 4PM (I think. Maybe there are more in the summer? this will be in July). We won't get to Orvieto to catch an earlier tour.

Is this doable given the Italian rail system? We don't have to be in Rome at any particular time -- we just have to check into our pensione at a reasonable hour, so 8PM or so would be fine.

I was thinking we could arrive by train, have a NICE lunch (I've heard there are some great restaurants in Orvieto), take the underground tour, and catch the next train to Rome.

Any thoughts or advice very much appreciated, thank you.

http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html

will give you train times and fares (click 'buy').

In my opinion it will be worth getting a bus/taxi to Venice Mestre for the direct 09:21 train to Orvieto, which arrives at 13:56.

The next train (10:43 from Venice Santa Lucia) does not arrive at Orvieto intil 15:56, which is pushing it a bit.

The last train to Rome Termini leaves Orvieto at 19:58 (arriving 21:06), although there is also one at 17:58.

So yes, it is feasible, but I think only if you get the earlier train from Mestre rather than wait for the train from Venice itself...Idoubt there is a later tour than 4pm even in July. You are able to visit the caves without a guide anyway.

http://www.pozzodellacava.it/caves/come/index.html

http://www.orvietounderground.it/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=45&lang=it

The website for Orvieto Underground states that the last tour is at 17:15 (5:15 p.m.). It even notes that "nei periodi di maggiore affluenza turistica, ogni 15 minuti" (during high tourist periods, [the tours are] every 15 minutes). Would July qualify for that? Hmmmn, you might think so...

It also says "In tutti i giorni sopra indicati, le visite si effettuano in italiano ed in inglese. " (Every day indicated above, the tours are done in Italian and in English). This suggests to me that even the 17:15 tour would be in English, if requested. I guess you saw something somewhere that said otherwise?

Bill