Calcata - Amelia - Orvieto

Route: Rome - Calcata - Amelia - Orvieto - Rome
Duration: 10 h
Our first stop in this tour will be at Calcata which was built on a steep cliff for defensive purposes in the Treja. Walking around Calcata, a village with fewer than a thousand inhabitants and culturally active, is like jumping back into the Middle Ages, with cultural associations, conferences, concerts, theatre and flea markets for the most extravagant shopping. Hidden beneath ivy-covered arches are artists’ and artisans’ studios and workshops: furniture restoration, leather crafts, ceramics, glass, art studios, and jewellery-making. Many quaint places sell tea and coffee, good wines, traditional or alternative foods. From the moment you enter the stone gateway at the base of the village, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time. The main piazza is home to Palazzo Baraonale and three carved stone thrones by the sculptor Costantino Morosin. You can also visit the Church of Santissimo Nome di Gesù, which dates back to the 14th century. Next we will visit to Amelia which is a town of considerable historic and cultural interest like one of the most ancient Italian towns. The city, entirely surrounded by polygonal walls of the seventh century BC is distributed on a hill overlooking a sweet and pleasant countryside. It was an important center of Umbria, and then thriving town hall of the Romans with the name of 'Ameria'. Amelia was in fact purportedly founded by a legendary Umbri king, King Ameroe, who gave the city the name Ameria. Both Roman and Umbrian civilizations have left their testimonies indeed, and this is demonstrated by the exhibits in the Archaeological Museum where it is exposed the beautiful bronze statue of Germanicus, and ten large areas with Roman cisterns. The old town centre is well preserved and charming, full of monuments and works of art of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. At the top of the hill stands the Cathedral alongside the Civic Tower, a symbol of communal freedom. The picturesque Piazza Marconi still preserves the atmosphere of the past. There is a fine architecture of noble buildings like the Palace Petrignani, Palazzo Farrattini and Venturelli, all with frescoed rooms. In the churches of St Francesco and St Augustine are preserved many works of art, while in the church of St Magno is a precious organ. Next we will visit to the Orvieto, the city on the cliff. This rises on a tuff cliff, which overlooks the valley of the Paglia river, a tributary of the Tiber. It is one of the largest municipalities on the peninsula, and its origins are truly ancient. They date back to the time of the Etruscans, when they settled inside the tuff caves present on the mountain on which the city is located. The most famous attraction of the Umbrian city is certainly the Duomo.It was built towards the end of the thirteenth century, while the works ended around the sixteenth century. The part that has the greatest impact is certainly the façade, which presents a harmonious and delicate trend, although the architectural concept is Gothic. The Cathedral of Orvieto is a cathedral of unparalleled beauty. We do not know the genius that lies behind the conception of the project, but it is certain that from 1310 the direction of the works was entrusted to Lorenzo Maitani. However, the prestige of Orvieto does not stop with the Duomo. Among the sacred structures, the church of San Giovenale, dated 1004, and that of Sant’Andrea cannot be overlooked. Also famous are the church of San Francesco and the church of San Domenico, which houses the funeral monument that Arnolfo di Cambio dedicated to the Cardinal de Braye. Public buildings, such as the Palazzo Comunale and Palazzo del Popolo, are also noteworthy. There is also the Teatro Comunale, a tribute to Luigi Mancinelli, the famous Italian conductor, composer and cellist. For lovers of the unusual, instead, there is the well of Saint Patrick, fruit of the genius of Antonio da Sangallo the Younger.This perfect example of functionality was used to allow the whole city to have an adequate supply of water. Its depth (62 meters) allowed, thanks to the presence of two independent helical staircases, to prevent the meeting between those who descended and those who ascended. Of the same importance is the Cava well, absorbed by a cluster of nine caves. These are mainly relevant for the countless Etruscan, Renaissance and medieval finds that they have preserved. Then there is the underground part of the city, which consists of an infinite number of artificial cavities, tunnels, cisterns, wells and cellars that can be visited today. After we return to Rome.
Price: per person