Auburn University Public Horticulture: Day 3!

Day 3!

First thing this morning we met Francesco and Fabio in the square and drove straight for Orvieto and made it... mostly in one piece. As we walked up to the city piazza, our breath was taken away by the Duomo di Orvieto. One of the structure's most extraordinary features was the black and white horizontal banding. The interior of the church exhibited paintings from the Medieval and Renaissance periods including Luca Signorelli, the artist that inspired Michelangelo's Sistene Chapel.

Then, we went underground to explore the caves that were first used by the Etruscans and served as the quarry for many of the cities buildings. The caves served different purposes such as shelter to breed pigeons, to produce cheese and olive oil, and even as bomb shelters during WWII. Our favorite part of touring the caves were the spectacular views to and from the site.

Next we climbed the 160 steps of the city clock tower which houses the original clock that still works today. As expected, the view was worth the climb!

Afterward, we traveled to an olive orchard where we were treated to an Italian feast of Bruschetta, Salami, and Prosciutto. And, of course, the finest extra virgin cold pressed olive oil! Following the meal, we spoke in depth with the orchard's owner about the processing of the olives into oils, pastes, and bio fuels as they are a fully sustainable facility.

Finally, we visited the Falesco Vineyard. There we learned the processes of producing red, white, and prosecco (the Italian champagne) wines. Our favorite portion was touring the underground wine cellar that was stacked full of French Oak wine barrels!