Spoleto

Roman ruins, medieval towers, and opera in the hills

This Umbrian hill town rises steep from the Tessino valley. Stone steps climb through medieval quarters, Roman arches frame Renaissance palaces, and contemporary art adorns sprawling galleries.

The Festival dei Due Mondi transforms Spoleto each summer, filling ancient spaces with opera, dance and theatre. But the town’s cultural weight isn’t seasonal. The Duomo’s façade glows in afternoon light, sheltering Filippo Lippi frescoes inside. Walk up to the Rocca Albornoziana fortress for views across olive groves and distant mountains.

The Ponte delle Torri aqueduct spans a gorge 80 metres (260 feet) deep. These 10 colossal arches of stone have carried water to the town residents since Roman times. Cross it slowly. The drop is dizzying, the engineering remarkable.

Via del Duomo winds through the heart of the old town. You’ll find ceramics workshops, wine bars and trattorias that justify the climb uphill. Pick up a souvenir or two. Or just a gelato if you’re feeling peckish..

Black truffles from the Valnerina arrive in Spoleto kitchens from autumn through winter and the local stringozzi pasta is made to catch their earthy flavour. Norcineria shops sell cured meats from nearby Norcia: wild boar salami, guanciale, and the prized prosciutto di Norcia. Pair them with Sagrantino di Montefalco, a bold red that holds its own against the richness.