May 21, 2025 Rick Steves tour – Day 3 Timeless Tuscany “”I’ve met a lot of people in Europe, I even encountered myself.” – James Baldwin

Proposed Plan: 

Today we’ll drive into Umbria and stop at the region’s grand hill town of Orvieto, where we’ll set you free to visit Orvieto’s dramatic cathedral, wander the back lanes, and find lunch at a charming trattoria. Then, we’ll wind our way through the verdant Tuscan hills to our village hotel. This afternoon you’ll have time to take a scenic walk amid the peaceful vines and olive groves, relax by the pool, or taste some of our host’s family-made wines. Before we sit down to a hearty country-style dinner together, we’ll see how it’s made, as our chef gives us a special Tuscan cooking demonstration.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Bus: 3 hours. Sleep near Florence.

Actual Events:

Left Rome early and met up with our bus driver, Eric. Got the baggage loaded and began our little journey towards Orvieto. It is a little city on top of a rock cliff with a medieval cathedral dedicated to the assumption of the Virgin Mary. When we reached the Orvieto railway station we took the funicular to the top of the hill. Where we met our guide Elena who led us through the church and pointed out all of the architectural features of the facade of the cathedral. The art work both inside and outside the building tells the stories of the Bible in a graphic form that was understandable to all. The four columns on the outside of the church represented Creation of the Earth, the genealogy of Jesus, the life of Jesus and the last judgement from the book of Revelation. After touring the church we were on our own to explore the little village. Nick and I chose to walk to the top of the clock tower, wander down some narrow streets and treat ourselves to gelato.

We arrived at an agriturismo outside of Florence where we nloaded the bus and got settled into our rooms. Then we enjoyed an aperitivo outside before watching a cooking demonstration. We learned how to make the perfect pasta and pesto sauce. After which we enjoyed a huge dinner featuring Tuscan dishes.