My first home in Italy 20 years ago was a 13th-century medieval house with walls 4 feet thick and views as far away as 70 miles. But one of the best things about living there was how close it was to the ancient Etruscan town of Orvieto. A very special hilltop town, Orvieto was my neighbors’ favorite place to go for dinner. Upon arrival, they would first indulge in a gigantic ice cream and then enjoy a passeggiata, or a “stroll,” through the town’s picturesque streets.

Built on top of a volcanic tuffaceous cliff that acts as a natural defense, Orvieto has fantastic views of the Paglia valley which runs along the Tiber River. Writers and painters, including Henry James, Edith Warton, and J.M.W. Turner, equally noted how the town, from any distant approach, appears as a rock island floating over the valley.