The Cathedral of Orvieto, Italy

Driving along the Autostrada del Sole towards Rome, I’ve passed the city of Orvieto several times. It sits majestically and defiantly atop a tuff cliff towering high above the plain, and each time I’ve promised myself I’d stop there next time. On the long journey to Cilento, Orvieto turned out to be the perfect overnight stop, leaving the whole afternoon and evening to experience the city. Even the drive to the hotel was typically Italian, leading through the narrowest alleys of the old town. After the midday heat, the place came alive with locals and tourists, and a pop concert on the Piazza del Popolo brought in plenty of young visitors and evening entertainment.

I followed the main flow of people strolling along and was guided past musicians, bars, ice cream parlours and sights like the Torre del Moro, straight towards the city’s greatest attraction – the Gothic Cathedral. Construction began in the 13th century, and it is a masterpiece of architecture, sculpture, fresco painting and mosaics.