2023 - Umbria
photo: mytravellinglens.com
Returning to Umbria
On our 2022 travels we really enjoyed our time in Umbria, and especially at the Fonte Sala located outside Montefalco. We immediately started talking about returning, before we had even left. Well here we are in 2023 and we are returning.
Font Sala
photo: mytravellinglens.com
We had such a relaxing time at the Fonte Sala, located a few km from Montefalco. Our kitchen, cucina, two bedrooms and bathroom were located on the ground floor, and our living room, dinning room and bedroom and bathroom on the second floor. It was such a big well appointed kitchen to cook in. We could walk out the doors to our garden area.
Font Sala
photo: mytravellinglens.com
Fonte Sala's history is well over a hundred years. It was in 1913 that Carmilla Montalcini bought the Fonte Sala, a farm with cultivated fields. It continued operations as a farm unil 1997 and Fonte Sala was renovated and converted into a residence for tourism. It took five years to renovate and that included added two independent houses and the swimming pool. Today the fourth generation of the Montalcini Family operates Fonte Sala.
Fonte Sala
S. Marco di montefalco (Perugia)
Convento di San Fortunato
About a kilometer away from the historic centre, the Convento di San Fortunato is located on the road that goes from Montefalco to Castello di Fabbri and Trevi. It was built on the site where, in the 4th century, a Roman basilica once stood. The convent is small but with impressive frescoes.
San Terenziano, l'antico palazzo dei Duchi
San Terenziano is an ancient village whose origins date back to the 1st Century of the Roman era when it was called "Locus Petrosus" from the Latin stony place due to its abundance of Travertine quarries and Calcareous stones. There are many places to visit including the famous Castle built in the 14th century with local stone with a squared plan. The entrance door still has the coat of arms of L'Aquila and is flanked by a large square tower, to get to the castle the road is very simple leaving the farm "La Casella" you take the main road leading to San Terenziano (+/- 3km). At the first crossroads of the village you turn left to the center you will be able to park in the main square in front of the Castle.
Montone
photo: mytravellinglens.com
I look forward to return to the scenic town of Montone, it is about a 35 minute drive from Gubbio. It holds the status of one of the most beautiful villages in Italy - I Borghi più belli d’Italia, and the prestigious Orange Flag of the Italian Touring Club - a status given to small towns of 15,000 people or less with excellence in tourism, hospitality and the environment. I liked the town, although I was there very early in the morning so it was pretty quiet. Piazza Fortebraccio, pictured above, is the heart of the village. The former Convent of San Francesco is now the Municipal Museum.
Citerna
About an hour's drive from Gubbiio is the town of Citerna which sits on a hill overlooking the Upper Tiber Valley. The town is famous for its unique medieval walkway or Camminamento Medievale - a set of covered passageways that date to the Middle Ages. They are an ancient walking route below the buildings that make up the defensive walls of the village.
San Giustino
About an hour from Gubbio is the town of San Giustino, it is near the boarder of Umbria and Tuscany and noted for the imposing castle in the heart of the village. Originally a fortress, the Castello Bufalini was turned into a grand castle by the Bufalini family. What we see today are the results of renovations in the 16th Century. The gardens were added in the 17th C. The castle is open for visist on the weekend.
Città della Pieve
Yet another hilltop town, almost an hour and a half from Gubbio is the town of Città della Pievem located south of Lago Trasimeno. A Medieval village, also earning the Orange Flag status from the Italian Touring Club, the town is full of narrow streets and alleys to wander and expore. There are a number of walks noted, and I hope they are marked if I get there. The Alleys Walk, Percorsa dei Vicoli, goes along quaint and interesting alleyways. The Landscape Walk, Percorsao del Paesaggio, goes along the ancient walls.
