Great little shop in Florence for unusual gifts

Don't Skip Orvieto!

Orvieto sits atop a mesa of volcanic material about one hour from Rome, in the region of Umbria.

Among other fabulous sites, Orvieto boasts a 2600 year old Etruscan burial ground (necropolis) pictured here. The necropolis sits at the base of the mesa, below the historic center of town, but is easily reached by bus or on foot. We walked from our hotel near the Duomo, and it took about 20 minutes to get there. It was mid-December and early afternoon, and we were the only visitors there, which just added to the wonder of the place. When you go to the tourist office, ask for the Carta Unica, which buys you discounted access to multiple sites, including the necropolis, and to use of the town bus.


Here is a view from the necropolis looking up toward the town. The sheer cliff walls are really stunning, though it was overcast on this day so the lighting doesn't really show it off.

The town was festively decorated for the holiday season with lights projected onto the churches and street decorations throughout the town.

It was a delight to stroll the streets at night - so quiet and beautiful.

More to come on Orvieto, so stay tuned!

Wine: you CAN take it with you when you go!

Wine: you CAN take it with you when you go!

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This link provides interesting info about how much wine you can bring back to the US duty-free, etc. and links you to the US Customs "Know Before You Go" pamphlet. Plus, I just really like Dr. Vino's wine blog for so many reasons! I'm picking up his "Wine Politics" for my January read.

I still vote for using the VinniBag instead of styrofoam for transporting wine. Styrofoam is not eco-friendly, is not leak-proof, and is not recyclable. Visit http://www.vinnibag.com/ or http://www.magellans.com/.