Day #44 in Orvieto

View of Orvieto from the Rock

One of the best sunsets! Once again, it looks better in real life.

Also... random gelato picture because it looked so good

April 7, 2013 – Sunday

I planned to wake up super early to get a lot of work done this morning… but I actually slept through my alarm until 10. I didn’t know when Kelly and Erik were arriving (which was a little troublesome) so Laura and I went to Café del Corso to get some wifi/croissants/coffee and to see when they would arrive in Orvieto! Kelly messaged to say they would arrive around 12:30 so Laura and I quickly ran some errands around Orvieto because we wanted to have a picnic with Kelly and Erik when they arrived. We bought some bread, mozzarella, pesto, and other snacks and then walked to the funicular to meet them! It was a dramatic reunion that included all of us running across the streets to hug (really dramatic, I know).  We took our picnic supplies and began to walk around the outside of the city, enjoying our picnic in the grass. It was easily the best weather we’ve had since we’ve been here! It was sunny and warm and the PERFECT day! We enjoyed eating lunch for a while before we made our way back through town to the monastery. Laura and I pointed out a few things on the way, explaining this is where we eat, this is where we buy gelato, this is where… etc. We gave them a tour of the monastery and seriously everyone came out of their rooms to meet Kelly because Laura and I talk about her a lot.

Since it was such a beautiful day, we decided to hike to la Rocca Ripesena (“The Rock”) again! So we changed into running shorts and short sleeves because it was SO HOT and began our hike to the Rock. It was relaxing to walk through Orvieto, through lower Orvieto (Orvieto Scalo), and then make our way into the fields and rows of olive trees. It’s a beautiful walk to Orvieto once you get out of the town. I mean the town is beautiful too but it’s nice to be able to walk without a million cars zooming by you.

We made it to the top, took a few pictures, hung out, ate some cookies (those shortbread cookies that everyone loves), and soon it was time to return back to Orvieto! Erik had to catch a train back to Rome at 7 so we quickly made our way back and walked by the duomo (because everyone has to see the duomo if they come to Orvieto). After Erik left, we took Kelly to get gelato and then we went to watch the sunset! I know I say this every time… but it was the BEST SUNSET! And it just continued to get better with every passing minute so we tried to talk away, but then it would be even more beautiful so we had to stop again and take another picture.

Soon it was time for dinner and we went to look for Trattoria del Morro (a restaurant that was recommended to us by Katherine – she told us to get the “honey pasta”). We’d never heard of the restaurant but it happened to be in the center of town and after wandering around for a few minutes, we found it. We ordered the honey pasta and it was SO GOOD! It was just like creamy pasta with honey in it. Like extravagant, homemade mac & cheese with honey.

We were all really tired from the hike so even though it was only 10:30ish by this time, Kelly and I went to the Bed & Breakfast for the night while Laura when back to the monastery. The Bed & Breakfast, La Casa di Tufo, was really great and I slept well because the beds were so comfy!