The town of Todi clings to a hilltop overlooking a bend in the River Tiber (“Tevere”) as it turns to the west towards Lago di Corbara.
The distinctive spire of Chiesa San Fortunato is visible from most directions, marking the highest point of the town, with the narrow streets falling away to all sides.
Todi’s civic heart is the Piazza del Popolo, one of Italy’s finest public spaces, flanked by a series of impressive buildings including the town’s museum and a second large church, the Concattedrale della Santissima Annunziata, with busy bars and restaurants on all sides.
A few hundred yards to the west of Piazza del Popolo is the Giardini Oberdan, a pleasant space shaded by trees with views looking north towards Monte Castello di Vibio. This is the arrival point of the funicular railway which climbs up (when it’s working) from the main town car park at Porta Orvietana.
Todi benefits from many excellent restaurants: Enoteca Oberdan sits to one side of the Giardini, from where it gets its name, and in summer you can enjoy traditional Umbria cuisine on the outside terrace. For pizzas try Ristorante Cavour, which occupies a series of shady terraces on the eastern side of the town. The more upmarket Basico restaurant is located within Piazza del Popolo itself, and tucked away down a narrow opening on Viale della Vittoria is Pane e Vino, serving simple but tasty local dishes.