Historic rental house in Umbria Italy

Day Trips from Gualdo Tadino

Fabriano

Fabriano in Le Marche is only 24 kilometers (15 miles) away. It was one of the earliest places to make high quality paper on an industrial scale, starting in the 13th century. which made it a very prosperous town in the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance.  There are many churches and monuments, as well as a great deal of medieval architecture to be discovered by the history buff, and it's fun to stroll through the town center and visit the shops and restaurants.

Gubbio

Beautiful ancient Gubbio is only 16 miles (26 km.) northwest of Gualdo Tadino.  You can find a lot going on there at all times of the year - here are just a few:

In May check out the "Racing Silk of the Crossbow" and the "Ceri Race Festival".

Every Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. enjoy the local market, selling everything from local specialties, crafts, flowers, clothes, and  antiques.    

The permanent show of artworks and sacred objects related to St. Ubaldo, bishop and patron saint of Gubbio, is open in the Basilica of Sant'Ubaldo.    

The ceramic works of Aldo Ajò are on display at the artist's studio home in Via della Cattedrale 20 from January 1st to December 31st by appointment only, from 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.

The National Exhibition Market every year from the end of October until the beginning of November, celebrating local truffles, exquisite foods, and local handicrafts (ceramics, wrought steel, embroidery, wood, leather, stucco...)

Periodic concerts and literary events at the Sperelliana Library Music and Literary Evenings at the Pub.

Gubbio market (Tuesday mornings)

By the mid 1400's pilgrims were flocking to Assisi from all parts of Europe and today the walled medieval town and its grand basilica are among the most visited of Christian shrines.

The entire town and particularly the Basilica have a definite atmosphere of peacefulness that awakens and stimulates that same characteristic in the human heart. In this regard it is perhaps more fitting to call such sacred sites empowerment places rather than power places. 

Calendimaggio: the Thurs/Fri/Sat after May 1st

The origins of the Assisi festival of Calendimaggio, the equivalent to Walpurgis Night, the eve of May Day, are related to the ancient customs of many different European peoples, and especially to the Roman celebrations known as the "Fasti di Maggio" and to the mediaeval tradition of celebrating the arrival of Spring in early May (Kalende di Maggio or Kalenda Maia in the mediaeval latin lyrics) with groups of revelers serenading through the streets of the town.

A more recent historical background to the festival is the long-standing rivalry between the "Upper" and the "Lower" parts of Assisi. This can be traced back to the protracted and bloody feuds for supremacy between the Nepis and the Fiumi families who were the leaders of the two warring factions. The feuding began in the 14 C and continued unchecked for over 200 years. So deep were the divisions that towards the middle of the 16 C, the Papal Governor, Giovanni Andrea Cruciani, was obliged to re-organise the town into three districts to keep the factions apart.

Calendimaggio video:

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.fullscreen&videoid=19419119

Spello

Often called "The Little Sister of Assisi", charming little Spello is only 37 km. (23 miles) from Gualdo Tadino.  Not a big tourist town, it nevertheless offers the visitor pleasurable discoveries and pleasant walking tours.  Three well-preserved Roman stone arches form entry points to the town: Porta Venere, Porta Urbica, and Porta Consolare.  Within these arches, you can wander through cobblestone streets and alleys, and visit intriguing little shops, including a wonderful little shop that specializes in ceramic lamps and chandeliers.  (One of these chandeliers can be seen in the photo of the living room of Porta San Donato.)

The biggest event of the year in Spello is the Infiorata, the flower festival.  Flower petals are used to create amazing works of art in the streets or in abbeys, a really beautiful sight. Several different panels are created, each with a different picture, but often centered around a theme. In 2010 the Infiorata will be on June 5 & 6.

The town's Pinacoteca, or art museum, occupies part of the city hall, and contains works by Umbrian masters including Perugino.

Spoleto's Roman ruins include a Roman theatre, just off Piazza della Liberta. An archeological museum next door houses statues and artefacts found locally. There are also two Roman arches visible, the Arco Romano and the Arco di Druso, and a Casa Romana or Roman house - an atmospheric spot with attractive mosaics.

The Duomo is one of Spoleto's finest sights. Begun in the twelfth century, the delicate-looking cathedral is set against a backdrop of hills and valleys. The Duomo is an amalgam of styles, and boasts an apse frescoed by Fra Filippo Lippi, whose tomb lies in the church.

High above the town is the Rocca, a Papal fortress which was used as a prison until the 1980s. Guided tours (Italian and English) escort visitors around the fortress. The views are incredible, and the interiors are also interesting. There are some good surviving frescoes (sadly most were whitewashed out of existence during the prison era), including one that portrays Arthurian-type chivalric myth. As well as original and restored features, you can also see where the former cells were, if you fancy a twinge of horror (although, given the setting, the views and the local cuisine, this surely can't have been the worst prison in which to be incarcerated).

There are many other possibilities for day trips from Gualdo Tadino.  Perugia's website (www.perugiaonline.com) is one of the best sources for information for the city as well as for the whole region, from events to monuments and museums and shopping hints.