Peter D'Attoma

Spello, il gioiello dell’Umbria, si trova sul Monte Subasio, nella campagna umbra.  Rinomata per le sue bellezze medievali e i tesori artistici e gastronomici, la città si trova a 7 miglia da Assisi e 22 da Perugia. La primavera e l’estate sono le migliori stagioni per visitare questo incantevole paesaggio.  È anche il momento ideale per partecipare all’Infiorata del Corpus Domini, un evento annuale che si ripete puntualmente ogni giugno colorando e profumando  le strade della città.

In March 2008 I attended and participated in the Globe ’08 Travel Show held in Rome. At the completion of the show I was invited by the management of the Relais Borgo Brufa to stay for a few days at this marvelous countryside estate, located in the region of Umbria and situated on a lovely hilltop near the village of Torgiano between Perugia and Assisi.

During my stay I had dinner with the owner, Andrea, and his wife. After dinner we were discussing the beauty and charm of the many towns and villages that make up the region of Umbria. At that point he asked me, “Have you been to Spello?” I replied that I was not familiar with it nor had I ever visited it. In the typical Italian way, he flung his arms in the air and stated, “How could you have come to Italy so many times and not have visited or included one of the most beautiful and charming medieval towns in all of Italy in your itinerary?” He said, “You must promise me that the next time you plan a group tour or individual custom program of Umbria you must include Spello.”

I decided to include Spello in my recent sold-out Classical Tour of Italy from June 19 to July 1. Words and pictures alone do not do justice to the extraordinary beauty and captivating charm of Spello. As you enter through its Roman gates, inscribed in the stone above the entrance is: Welcome to Spello the Jewel of Umbria. As I walked through its Roman gate of nearly 1,500 years ago, I was awestruck and most impressed with its beauty and the warmnth of its people. It was as if I was entering a botanical garden. A sense of peace and tranquility came over me. What I remember most is stumbling up and down its narrow cobblestone streets filled with the perfumery smell of jasmine and thousands upon thousands of flowers clinging to the village’s balconies and walls. The whole town was carpeted in flowers. I was overcome with much joy and emotions. How could anything be so beautiful? It is towns like Spello that makes us very proud of our heritage, culture and our contributions to the world. I could scarcely believe my eyes. How could I have bypassed this town on all my previous trips to this region?

Spello is a lovely atmospheric town that is perched atop Monte Subasio and seems to melt down the hill that it graces. Tiny stone houses that dot the Umbrian countryside form this mesmerizing and charming town, located just about 7 miles from Assisi and 22 miles from Perugia.

Spello offers a wealth of both artistic and gastronomic treasures. In Umbria, only the Basilica of San  Francesco in Assisi attracts the large crowds of pilgrims that visit some of the famous Tuscan resorts such as Florence and Pisa. Perugia, one of the best preserved medieval cities in Italy, attracts a fairly large number of tourists but is still very manageable. Unlike these cities, Spello has virtually no tourists and is unknown. Only occasionally do tourists stop to visit Spello. However, it is one of those places that if you happen to drive past it, you will certainly feel compelled to take a detour and discover it.

Mostly, Spello exists for the approximately 6,000 locals that live here. What will captivate you most in this town is its small town charm and beauty that is the essence of Spello and what the accidental tourist finds endearing. It is a great town for simply walking and admiring its arched stone walkways, countless flowerpots that hang gracefully from its balconies and adorn its streets and historical buildings.

Three well-preserved Roman stone arches form the entry points to the town: Porto Venere with its towers, Porto Urbica and Porto Consolare. Once you are inside, the narrow cobblestone streets meander in and out of its mysterious alleyways that lead to very simple, yet elegant stone houses.

They say that the people of Umbria are some of the friendliest, warm and kind people in Italy. This was very evident in Spello. The locals will welcome you with a smile as they sit outside their houses, knitting, admiring their flowers, sewing or simply chatting to one another. As Carolyn Mandato and I walked down one of the village’s lovely streets, we were greeted warmly by an elderly lady who invited us to take photos of the exterior of her home, of which she took great pride in and was very proud of. If you offer a greeting such as “buon giorno,” you will certainly receive a warm smile and a delightful response.

If you are an art lover, Spello is well known for its beautiful frescos by Bernardino Pinturicchio depicting scenes from the New Testament, which you will find in the twelfth century church of Santa Maria Maggiore near the Piazza Matteotti in the Cappella Baglioni. On the left-hand wall a depiction of the Annunciation also shows a small picture -- a self-portrait of the artist -- adorning the Virgin’s room. In the Chiesa di Sant’Andrea you can also admire the Madonna with Child and Saints, also by Pinturicchio.

Spring and summer are the best times to visit Spello. Potted flowers are everywhere and the barren stone walls are transformed into masses of beautiful colors. It is also a time to visit and experience its famous festival, L’Infiorata del Corpus Domini, which is held every year in June. This is the only time when tourists (mostly Italians) descend upon this town to witness the most beautiful and best smelling festival in Spello. It takes place on Corpus Domini, the Sunday 60 days after Easter. The main streets are carpeted with floral fantasies being laid out on Saturday evening. The images depict religious figures or ornaments. Petals from thousands of different colored flowers and aromatic herbs are used to create pedestrian art. These areas are cordoned off and a week’s worth of preparation is laid out on the streets in one night. That same day, a religious procession passes over the images that adorn the streets. My friend Andrea tells me that this is one of the most spectacular festivals to take place in all of Italy. On the day of the festival, the Corpus Domini procession begins at 11 a.m. You will need to arrive very early in the morning to have a great position to view this spectacular festivity as it can be extremely crowded. Hotel reservations must be made well in advance of this feast or you can just come from Perugia or Assisi and spend the day here.

Another festival here is its Olive Oil and Bruschetta Festival, held the first week of December. The festival includes a unique parade of olive pickers on tractors decorated with olive branches.

If you want to experience the charm of what is truly a picture postcard village and live like a local, then Spello is a great alternative to the more well known touristy towns. When I left Spello, I made a promise that future tours to the Umbria region for individuals and groups will most certainly include this very special and magical town. Life is indeed beautiful in Spello!  

General information for Spello:

Getting there:
Spello is directly on the train line between Perugia and Foligno. Trains run hourly to Perugia and Assisi. Spello is on the SS75 between Perugia and Foligno. Since the station is often unstaffed, buy your tickets at either the self-service ticket machine or at the newsstand Rivendita Giornali (Piazza della Pace).

Best places to stay:
The best place to stay here is in the Palazzo Bocci on the Via Cavour. During my visit, I toured and inspected this hotel and found the staff and management very gracious. This is a four-star hotel and the quintessential resting place with walls and ceilings enrobed in exquisite original frescos. The bedroom ceilings have huge wooden rafters and deep window bays. It also has a wonderful restaurant, Il Molino, which lies across the street in a vaulted ceiling cavern.

La Bastiglia, located on the northern end of the town, is another good choice. It is a luxurious and comfortable hotel with its own Michelin-star terrace restaurant. The view here is exceptional and not to be missed.

Best places to eat:
Il Molino is set in a 700-year-old building. Located at Piazza Matteotti 6/7, it specializes in truffles, legumes, wild asparagus, game meats and local grown herbs.

Bar Giardino Bonci, located on the Via Garibaldi, 10, boasts great light meals and is very reasonable in price. Its back veranda will capture you and you can spend hours admiring the view.

Ristorante La Bastiglia is located on Via dei Molino, 17. This is one restaurant in all of Umbria that cannot be missed! The food here is beyond outstanding and offers the best example of Umbrian nouvelle cuisine all artfully prepared.

Where to shop:
Be sure to stop at the Enoteca Properzio located on the Via Torri di Properzio 8A. This is a fabulous wine shop. It is set in a medieval vault and also sells many edibles.

Peter D'Attoma is president of DaVinci Custom Travel & Tours. He has over 25 years of planning designing independent, custom and escorted tours of Italy for individuals, groups and incentives. For more information call 330-633-2292 or visit www.davincicustomtravel.com.