Standing in Orvieto, a small city in Umbria perched on a chunk of volcanic rock, I can't help but think of Florence, more than a hundred miles away. Though the city's cathedral bears a striking resemblance to Florence's Duomo, Orvieto's version is no mere copy. The two cathedrals developed side by side, but Orvieto's façade took over two centuries to complete. While Tuscany welcomed over 15 million tourists in 2025, Umbria saw just over three million. As I gaze up at the Gothic architecture, its mosaics catching the light, it's clear that medieval grandeur isn't exclusive to Florence. In Assisi, a town steeped in history, international pilgrims have gathered since the time of St. Francis. This year, the number is higher than usual, marking the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death. During my visit, I learn that Assisi's story extends beyond St. Francis. On the way to his basilica, I notice six Roman columns, remnants of a first-century BC Temple of Minerva, now transformed into a Baroque chapel. My guide, Chiara, recounts the building's 2,000-year history, from a place of worship to a town hall, courtroom, and even a prison. Pointing to a portrait of Saint Rita, she notes that the saint is the patron of impossible causes and difficult marriages—evident from the many flickering candles around her. “Football fans and annoyed wives,” Chiara says, “she’s always popular.” As the evening light turns St. Francis’s Basilica golden, I head to Borgo Antichi Orti, a hotel housed in a 15th-century Benedictine monastery just below the basilica. The original pilgrim cells have been converted into rooms, complete with an airflow system older than modern air conditioning. Umbria, being one of only two landlocked Italian provinces, has long relied on its land for resources, and there's a deep pride in local ingredients. Herbs and vegetables are picked seasonally from surrounding gardens, and truffles are foraged year-round from nearby forests. Even sourcing ingredients from a town just ten miles away feels like traveling across time zones. Nearby, at Olio Decimi, a family-run olive oil producer, I participate in a tasting. Initially, an hour of olive oil seems excessive, but soon I realize it's akin to a sophisticated wine tasting. Romina Decimi, the producer, says olive oil is the most versatile ingredient on Earth. Alongside bread and crudités, she serves vanilla gelato slicked with olive oil, followed by pistachio and hazelnut creams made using their signature product—each bite is delicious. Returning to Orvieto by train, I step into the cathedral, where the comparison with Florence ends abruptly. The San Brizio Chapel is a vivid Renaissance depiction of the apocalypse, with Luca Signorelli's frescoes showing muscular, naked souls being dragged to hell while the Devil whispers into the Antichrist’s ear. It's a scene that mixes awe and discomfort. Signorelli's fascination with the human body later influenced Michelangelo, whose Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel appeared three decades later. Even Signorelli painted himself into the scene, calmly observing the chaos from the edge. Beneath Orvieto, more than 1,200 underground caves, wells, and tunnels have been carved from the volcanic rock, some dating back 2,500 years. Initially built by the Etruscans and later used as olive and wine presses, this subterranean network was part of daily life for centuries. Escape routes into the hillside allowed aristocrats to flee during times of unrest. After exploring the underground and climbing the 13th-century Torre del Moro for a panoramic view of the countryside, I return to a final comparison with Tuscany. While Tuscany is known for its robust red wines like Chianti and Vino Nobile, Orvieto's specialty is white wine, traditionally made from local grechetto and procanico grapes. These wines pair beautifully with the region's pasta and pork. Gianluca, a local vintner, explains that matching wine with local food is essential. “Why produce such a good wine if it's fighting with what's on your plate?” he asks. After four days in Umbria, I come to a clear conclusion: there's simply too much flavor here to be anyone's alternative.