With just 6 days left in Rome, a few of us decided to stay close to home and take a day trip about an hour north of our city. It was an absolutely brilliant day. This day was different than the typical trip. After being in Europe for three and a half months, we've been blessed to see and do more than we ever expected to. So here in Orvieto, we wandered through the quaint little town, soaking everything in, with no itinerary to follow.
Orvieto is in the southwestern area of Umbria, and is located atop a large hill of volcanic rock. This city is unique because of it's elevation and the defensive walls which surround it. A fortress was built in the 1300s with the intention of safeguarding the church. Walking from the train station to the top of the hill was quite the hike, but it also provided us with the feeling that as we walked closer and closer to the ruins of the city, we were stepping further and further away from modern day life, and instead into ancient times.
If you want to climb up jagged rocks, overcome your fear of heights, and maybe put your safety on the backburner; then Orvieto is the place to go.
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| Living life on the edge... literally. |
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| A house in the valley? Yes please! |
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| This one will do just fine :). |
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| Picturesque
Yes. Orvieto was an absolutely beautiful day! We enjoyed "walking magnanimously" just as we learned how to do from Cicero in "On Duties" in our Church and Culture class with Dr. Boyle. We dined at an Italian cooking school called Zeppelin, where they nourished our bodies with cuisine and vino, and fed our souls with excellent music. We enjoyed fresh pizza, pasta, and gelato, all while feeling immersed in the culture of the kitchen as the chef sat down to talk with us, and treated us to free cantaloupe and lemon flavored dolce.
Indeed, it was a glorious day. Not only did we enjoy the scenery, food, and good company, but most importantly, I was blessed to pray inside the Chapel of the Corporal in the Cathedral of Orvieto, where I witnessed the Eucharistic Miracle that took place in Bolsena, Italy in the 1200s. As this semester comes to a close, there is an endless amount of gifts to be thankful for. Spending the afternoon in Orvieto was yet another huge grace that I somehow was chosen to be given. As I walked home from the train station in Rome, God kept pouring out his love, as he painted a beautiful sunset in the backdrop of St. Peter's while I crossed the Tiber river to my side of the streets :).
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| Home again, home again. |
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