To see Italy’s natural beauty at its finest, make the charming hillside town of Spoleto a stop on your Italian vacation. Adjacent to the Apennine Mountains, this adorable town is surrounded by thickly wooded areas and rolling green hills. Spoleto has a quintessential Italian vibe that is visibly apparent in everything from the cobblestone streets to flower box laden balconies and wide-open piazze. Whether you enjoy soaking up the natural aesthetics of the outdoors, wandering the local museums and churches, or taking in fine arts of Spoleto, this city holds something for everyone.

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

One of the largest and best-known events in Spoleto is the Festival dei Due Mondi which translates to the Festival of Two Worlds. This event is an enthusiastic international celebration of the fine arts including opera music, modern dance, ballet, theater, sculptures, and paintings. The Festival dei Due Mondi attracts artists of all genres and levels as well as art aficionados, and is the talk of the town for several weeks each June and July. Founded by Gian Carlo Menotti, the festival dates back to 1958.

Besides the Festival of Two Worlds, Spoleto offers a wide range of important events, including but not limited to the Teatro Lirico Sperimentale A. Belli Opera Season, the Week of Studies organized by the Centro Studi sull’Alto Medioevo, International Dance Week (a competition for promising young dancers from all over the world), La MaMa Spoleto Open (a summer performing arts festival), Il Salotto delle Eccellenze (an event focused on traditional dishes and local specialties), and Spoleto in Fiore (a colorful market dedicated to flowers, plants, and gardening).

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

One of the grandest and most impressive landmarks of Spoleto is a long and stately bridge, Ponte delle Torri, that stands tall above what is thought to have once been a Roman Aqueduct. This bridge is largely an iconic symbol of the city, easily recognized by its magnificent arches. The bridge is estimated to stand over two hundred feet tall and seven hundred feet long. It is a humble feeling to cross this enormously striking bridge and feel so small against the vastness of the city’s natural surroundings.

The Roman theater located adjacent to the Piazza della Libertà is a must see if you are in the area. This landmark is thought to have origins that trace all the way back to first century BC. This ancient theater is semicircular in shape and features stone benches as well as an orchestra pit. During reconstruction, crews unearthed statues and reliefs that once served as décor for the theater. These masterpieces can now be found in the local archaeological museum.

INDOOR ACTIVITIES

Whether a history buff is a part of your traveling group or if you are looking for a place to visit on a rainy day, Spoleto is home to a number of museums and churches that are well worth the trip.

Some of the city’s most popular museums include Museo Nazionale del Ducato di Spoleto, Museo Archeologico, Museo Diocesano, Casa Romana, and Museo del Tessile e del Costume.

The National Museum of the Duchy of Spoleto opened in the early twenty-first century and is found inside the Rocca Albornoziana, which sits majestically on a hill in the city. This museum has a number of different rooms that cover artifacts from the area during various points of Spoleto’s prehistory and history such as ceramics and bronze tools.

The city’s Museo Archeologico, or Archeology Museum, is found inside of a former monastery that is thought to date back to first century BC. Guests can expect to see exhibits here that include local excavation finds. Give yourself some time to wander the treasures found here.

The Museo Diocesano, or the Diocesan Museum, in Spoleto is home to several religious art exhibits from across the diocese. These displays are from a variety of different time periods ranging from the Middle Ages all the way to the Baroque period.

Casa Romana is a favorite of visitors that hope to catch a glimpse of what daily life would have looked like in the first century BC.

The house has been excavated and readied for educational tours. Guests will be taken aback by the beautiful stone arches and mosaic patterned floors. Time often feels as though it is frozen in the middle of the Roman period when you enter Casa Romana.

The Museo del Tessile e del Costume is a museum dedicated to the craft of making textiles and costumes. The collection spans from the fourteenth to the twentieth century and is divided into themes, such as vestments.

Spoleto’s Roman Theater was uncovered at the beginning of the twentieth century. The structure likely dates back to the first century AD and was positioned near the Roman Forum. The ruins of the building and fragments of the decoration can still be admired to this day.

Spoleto is also home to a number of gorgeous and historical churches. Not to be missed during a tour of the city are churches such as the Spoleto Duomo, the Church of San Gregorio Maggiore, the Church of Sant’Eufemia, the Church of San Pietro, and the Paleo Christian Church of San Salvatore.

FAMILY

Within the city of Spoleto, beauty can be found at the turn of almost every corner. The cobblestone streets are lined by elegant lamps and flower box laden cafés, restaurants, and shops. One of the best ways to enjoy the city’s ambiance is to settle into the Piazza del Mercato or Piazza della Libertà for a leisurely cup of hot coffee.

KIDS

Children of almost any age, including mom and dad, will likely fall in love with a trip to the Rocca Albornoziana fortress in Spoleto. This fourteenth century fortress is still in excellent condition thanks to restoration efforts. The fortress is dramatically perched at the top of one of the city’s highest hills offering stunning views of the surroundings. When visiting the fortress, do not miss the frescoes of the main tower, the brick portico, or the water fountain of the courtyard. The grandeur of this landmark often makes it hard for visitors to believe the structure was once used as a prison.

UNIQUE EXPERIENCES

One of the most unique activities in Spoleto that also reaches well beyond city limits is what is frequently referred to as the Way of Saint Francis. This trail through the wilderness of Italy is thought to have once been traveled by Saint Francis himself as he spread the message of Christianity.

While the Way of Saint Francis does have a thoroughfare in Spoleto, the true beginning of this journey is considered to be in La Verna with the trek culminating in the city of Rome. Those that choose to travel the path of Saint Francis can take different variations of this journey that can be more tailored to their preferred activity level.

In Spoleto, one of the landmarks many of the travelers of the Way of Saint Francis come to see is the San Salvatore Basilica. This Romanesque church is estimated to date back to the fourth or fifth century and is still in magnificent shape today despite the more than 1,500 years that have passed. Visitors that have traveled the Way of Saint Francis and stopped in Spoleto to visit the basilica say it is a truly reverent experience.