I wake up to another Saturday morning in Rome with a new plan—today we’re going on an excursion with la scuola. We head back to Termini train station, and after an hour and a half by train, we arrive in Spoleto.
Spoleto is a small town in the province of Perugia (in the region of Umbria), located on the slopes of the Apennines. According to Cicero, it has existed since 214 BC. The town is also known for hosting the Festival of the Two Worlds, which has taken place here since 1958 , a date with music, dance and theatre.
We’re greeted by a large sculpture by Alexander Calder and trees tinged with autumn colors.
Wandering through its little streets, we come across a plaque that says the Italian poet and philosopher Giacomo Leopardi lived here in 1852.
Like Orvieto, this small town has a strong medieval character, and its narrow streets are perfect for strolling. In one of its squares, we find the Teatro Nuovo.
We begin climbing the mountain to see one of the town’s must-see landmarks. Along the way, we encounter the Ponte delle Torri, built around the 13th or 14th centuries, they are not sure, which, unfortunately, we can’t visit—it was damaged by an earthquake and is currently unsafe.
At the top of the hill stands a magnificent fortress, the Rocca Albornoziana, a castle overlooking the city. It was built between 1363 and 1367 under the orders of a Spanish cardinal, Egidio Albornoz.
Its main courtyard is spectacular. Since 2007, the fortress has been home to the National Museum of the Duchy of Spoleto, and both the interior and the courtyard showcase beautiful works of art.
On the second floor, from the large balconies overlooking the courtyard and through its wide windows, we enjoy sweeping views of Spoleto.
Back in the city center, the Duomo di Spoleto awaits us—its first hall bursts with color, thanks to Filippo Lippi’s frescos.
The main nave and the other chapels do not disappoint. One of them holds a secret in the form of a relic: the first poem written in Italian, a letter handwritten by Saint Francis of Assisi, preserved in dim light for mere mortals like us to discover.
After tasting local cuisine in a cozy restaurant named Panciolle, inhabited by a couple of friendly cats, we return to Rome.
Literary Note
On the way back, I was reading Stefan Zweig’s Little Bookshop by Francisco Uría. It tells the story of Ramón and an encounter that leaves an indelible mark: in 1936, a ship carrying the Austrian writer and author of The World of Yesterday, Stefan Zweig, docks in Vigo en route to the Americas. Zweig disembarks to stretch his legs and stops by the small bookshop where Ramón works. There, they talk about literature, their love for books, post-war Spain, and the risks Ramón takes to get now-banned books into the hands of readers.
A warm literary hug of a book, where books and memories take center stage.
