Orvieto

Built on a flat-topped volcanic tufa mesa rising 325 metres above the surrounding plain in southern Umbria, Orvieto is approached by funicular from its train station below. The cathedral—begun in 1290 in response to the Miracle of Bolsena—presents one of the most elaborate Gothic facades in Italy, with gilded mosaics, relief carvings, and bronze doors. Beneath the city, an Etruscan and medieval underground network of cisterns, cellars, and dovecotes can be visited by guided tour.