18 May 2019: Orvieto to Sorano: Mileage: (30/236)

We left Orvieto in heavy rain. The intensity varied with occasional intervals of sun but remained light-to-heavy most of the day. Lots of the usual ups and downs all day long, but as Christopher says, That's just Italy.

We keep happing upon another historic city that is more spectacular than the last. Due to a poor web connection in our room, I did not book ahead, which was fortunate when we rolled down a canyon, spied Sorano perched high atop a tuft cliff, and then climbed uphill into the City. We were planning to go further, but the heavy rain and discovering the spectacular Etruscan/Roman city of Sorano suggested that anyone with a bit of intelligence would look for local lodging. Sorano had one high-end hotel, built in the former ruins, about 150 euros per night, and a Bed & Breakfast, 50 euros per night (no breakfast. We stashed our soaked bikes and trailers in a shed, retreated to our room, showered for warmth, and then explored the many passages and restored buildings of Sorano. The following is from several web sources followed by my photos.

Sorano and Pitigliano are indeed spectacular places that just have to be seen and their incredible surroundings explored. And whilst Sovana would be described in Italian as "bellina" in that it is small and quaint, it has, unfortunately, lost its "raw" charm that the other two, particularly Sorano still retain.

Fortunately, Sovana is only one of a couple of hamlets in Maremma to have succumbed to being transformed into a location set-up for tourists. For practically all the buildings other than the cathedral, churches and museum (read about them below) are bars, restaurants, osterias, tavernas, hotels and other rooms ("camere"), holiday apartments, ceramic, expensive linen clothes and leather shops.

Now its size means that Sovana won't by any means leave you with the same experience as San Gimignano in Tuscany during the day (early morning and evening are entirely different experiences altogether). But, likewise, it is no longer a typical Maremma hamlet or village. But, therein, lies the heart of an important pivotal point at which Maremma finds itself today.

For Sovana's once much needed restoration, re-habitation and the return of businesses came about as a result of tourist interest, interest which today the governing bodies in Maremma are trying hard to cultivate and feed in order to bring much needed revenue and jobs into the area.

Situated in a position dominating the town of Orvieto which sits perched on a volcanic plug, the cathedral's façade is a classic piece of religious construction, containing elements of design from the 14th to the 20th century, with a large rose window, golden mosaics and three huge bronze doors, while inside resides two frescoed chapels decorated by some of the best Italian painters of the period with images of Judgment Day. The cathedral has five bells, dating back to Renaissance, tuned in E flat.

For more, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orvieto_Cathedral

Newest part, brass doors completed in 1970

Dungeons and Dragons. OK, just dragons.

Just another hilltop town.

Our typical road. The rain had let up, but we often rode through running water.

Breakfast. Potato pizza.

Early view of Sorano.

Sorano Rooftops

Sorano Fortress, from the top of the hill.

Our entry road.

If there is no room to play inside, the street is your playground.

Guard Cat

Retirement Quarters. Hard to imagine a person using a walker and living in a place that is all steps and steep, cobblestone streets.

Duplicating the plaque.

Our B & B Host. His extended family lived here, and each family member had their own 3-wheeled truck.

Dog of the Day. B & B host dog.