Orvieto stands majestically above a valley floor and rewards you with views that will stay in your memory, forever. And few churches in Italy can hold a candle to its wedding cake of a Gothic cathedral, which frequently elicits gasps of wonder at its layers of exquisite detail. Then you will spend time at an unique place in the world: the dying town of Civita of Bagnoregio. This town teeters atop a pinnacle rising high above a vast canyon ruled by wind and erosion. The saddle of earth that once connected Civita to its bigger and busier sister town, Bagnoregio, has worn away. Photographs around town show the old donkey path that once linked the hamlets. Today, the only way in or out is by a footbridge. Supplies are ferried in on mopeds. The main entrance is a huge stone passageway, cut by the Etruscans 2,500 years ago and decorated in the 12th century with a Romanesque arch. Passing through the portal, you enter another world — one stuck in the Middle Ages. You can feel history in the smooth cobblestones under your feet. Inside the gate, the charms of Civita are subtle. Those searching for arcade tourism won't know where to look.