We hit a goldmine….of delicious and authentic Italian food, that is. My blog tour group, This Is Your Time, had just arrived at Trattoria La Grotta for lunch. We had previously toured the famous Orvieto Cathedral with its striking Luca Signorelli frescoes that spanned over the gothic interior of one chapel. It seemed only right to turn down the old cobbled street Via Luca Signorelli after we left the cathedral. And there we found our memorable Trattoria.
“A Stone’s Throw from the Cathedral of Orvieto and the dizzying Clock Tower, you will find our local housed inside a former stable, furnished in a simple style trattorias…”
Franco, the proprietor, met us at the front door dressed in a crisp red checkered shirt and white apron that almost touched the ground. With warm handshakes, he quickly took us inside and sat us at a table that accommodated our entire group.
The interior was a cellar-like space with intriguing yet subtle Picasso-esque murals on the walls. We learned that Franco had operated his trattoria here for nearly 30 years, with a steady American clientele as well as a local following.
Proud yet gracious, Franco described some of the dishes on the menu. His knowledge of local Italian wines was superb, and we took him up on his recommendations. The red wine was delicious and a perfect match for our meal choices.
The menu items feature grilled meats, pasta and fresh vegetables featuring the traditional flavors of Umbria. Most all of the ingredients, from homemade pasta to extra virgin olive oil, were locally grown or made. Gluten free options are possible if discussed with the staff.
We were served a mouth-watering plate of steak bites. It was sauced just right, tender and succulent. Before long, a large serving of chicken with local olives arrived. Spiced perfectly, not a piece was left over.
During our meal, Franco shared the history of his trattoria and the people over the years who had graced his tables. He brought out several photos to share from his beloved collection and passed them around the table. He had a story to tell about each one. Among them was a photo of his lovely wife. With soft eyes, he spoke tenderly of his strong love for her.
Franco and his staff soon brought more plates of food. We were beginning to feel full but found the room to squeeze in pappardelle with wild boar sauce and buttery gnocchi.
His staff was all smiles. Personable and friendly, we felt extremely well taken care of.
The chef made a quick appearance at our request. We gave her a round of applause and praised her culinary skills.
We said our goodbyes to Franco and promised we would revisit him one day soon. As we walked up the street to our next destination, our hearts and tummies were warmed by a joyful contentment that is not easy to find. It was simply the result of a personal touch, authenticity and warm regards from a proprietor and staff who valued quality and professionalism. Signorelli would be proud.
Orvieto stands on top of tufa rock 1,000 feet above the valley floor
Italian hill towns capture my imagination and quicken my pulse. Whenever I catch a glimpse of one, I’m reminded of my childhood fairytale books. Filled with pictures of enchanted castles and medieval villages, they rise mysteriously toward the clouds on faraway hilltops.
Orvieto is definitely one of those. Sprawled out on a massive bed of cavernous tufa rock high above the valley floor, it is a vision to behold. The sweeping landscape is dotted with cypress trees and well-groomed vineyards. Less that 90 minutes north of Rome, the old walled city is rich in medieval charm and is nearly traffic-free.
A medieval street in Orvieto
I love to linger and soak up the surroundings at different times of the day. Dusk is always my favorite. The winding cobbled streets and outdoor cafes take on a romantic ambience as candle light flickers off the stone walls. Trattorias disperse delicious aromas of roast meat and savory sauces. Idyllic.
But don’t let the serenity fool you. From it’s very beginnings, Orvieto has known a troubled past.
Let’s take a quick peek into those bygone years…
It all began with the Etruscans ~
What began as an Etruscan settlement (Velzna) in the 9th century BC, became Roman property after an arduous two-year siege in the third century BC. The Etruscans were ingenious and crafty, and had carved out a large network of tunnels and wells within the expanse of penetrable tufa rock below their feet. The position of the walled citadel increased the difficulty of an invasion, making it nearly impossible for the Romans to take the city.
Orvieto Challenged by the Middle Ages ~
During the early middle ages, Orvieto became prosperous under a developed, well-organized political system and urban structure. This all changed when, sadly, the plague infected the city of 8,000.
“At Orvieto the plague began in May 1348. Some 500 died in a very short space of time, many of them suddenly; the shops remained closed, and business and work was at a standstill. Here it ran its usual five months’ course, and finished in September, when many families were found to have become extinct.” (G. Gigli, Diario Sanese).
Constant fighting among highly ranked noble families also weakened the city. Orvieto was no longer a free municipality and governing city-state, but became a mere shadow of its past. Poverty ridden and sickly, the populace limped along despite pestilence and increasing economic uncertainty.
Orvieto is full of charming nooks and corners
Fire, Brimstone and the Last Judgement ~
The city’s greatest artistic treasures give a strong indication of the political and religious turmoil experienced by the populace. Apocalyptic delirium was inspired by the half-crazed Dominican friar Girolamo Savonarola. Luca Signorelli’s paintings in the Orvieto Cathedral chapel reflect the effects of Savonarola’s sermons, resulting in a growing religious anxiety.
Approaching the Orvieto Cathedral
A terrifying Renaissance Apocalypse, a series of frescos by Signorelli painted between 1499 and 1504, fills a chapel in the Orvieto Cathedral. In the midst of the city’s post-plague devastation, it must have been natural for such a painter to envision the full depth of human depravity.
Luca Signorelli’s fresco of The Damned in the San Brizio Chapel of the Orvieto Cathedral
Signorelli’s frescos had a huge impact on his contemporaries, including Michelangelo, who studied them before he created his own masterpieces on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and the Last Judgement on its far wall.
Almost there!
A Cathedral Hides a Precious Relic ~
Prior to the plague’s devastation, Pope Urban IV took up residence in Orvieto due to the civil unrest in Rome. It was he who commissioned the Cathedral to begin construction in 1290 as a resting place for the holy relic named the Corporal of Bolsena. This relic is the result of a Eucharistic miracle at Bolsena.
As the story goes, it was in 1263 that a traveling Bohemian priest, burdened by doubts concerning his faith, stopped at the tomb of St. Christina in Bolsena to take communion. As he held the host, red drops of blood dripped from it onto the linen. Immediately, his faith was strengthened and the stained linen relic came to be housed inside a small chapel within the Cathedral.
The Orvieto Cathedral
The Cathedral’s grey and white striped exterior must have given a glimmer of hope and lifted the spirits of the people. Built very similarly to the Duomo in Siena, it was also a competitive move towards them as Orvieto’s arch-enemy.
The papacy brings prosperity~
As Orvieto became an important papal province, its economy began to prosper. It grew in popularity with cardinals and popes, who were drawn to an ambrosial sense of peace and security, so contrary to the past few hundred years. Beginning in 1600, urban renewal and profound architectural restoration occurred within the city and have continued to the present.
The town hall has an official symbol that embodies the recent history of Orvieto. It consists of a red cross on a white background, symbolizing the loyalty of the city to the papal party named Guelfi, a black eagle which refers to the Roman domination, a goose which is a reference to the geese who saved the Campidoglio (Capitoline Hill) in Rome, and the lion that symbolizes the loyalty to the papacy of Orvieto.
Symbol of Orvieto
Today, Orvieto is bustling with tourists who enjoy the medieval architecture, shopping, abundance of cozy Italian restaurants and some of the best wine in Italy. The ambience changes after dark. Quiet and serene, it is the perfect place for an after dinner stroll through its medieval maze of golden lamp lit streets.
Striped Medieval architecture
Orvieto is prosperous and friendly with much to admire. It is the result of a people who endured waves of hardships that threatened to wipe them out. They chose to work toward and embrace hard-won achievements that are visible throughout the city today.
The interior was a cellar-like space with intriguing yet subtle Picasso-esque murals on the walls. We learned that Franco had operated his trattoria here for nearly 30 years, with a steady American clientele as well as a local following.
Timeless Italy Travels 