In addition to thousands of years of history and fascinating monuments, in Spoleto you can enjoy Mother Nature at her best in centuries-old woods and crystal clear rivers, the ideal environment for any type of excursion or for a simple walk in the great outdoors. There are many paths to take pedaling a bike, walking or jogging or riding a horse. You can immerse yourself in the evergreens of the “Sacred Wood” that covers Mount Luco and discover the numerous hermitages and caves scattered thereabout, before reaching the Sanctuary of Monte Luco founded, according to tradition, by St. Francis himself. Or pedal along the Spoleto-Norcia track, an ex-railway line that today has become a splendid cycle path, 51 kilometers long, with tunnels and high viaducts from which to enjoy fabulous views. Furthermore, Spoleto is also a stop on the “St Francis Walk”, the itinerary that retraces the places in the life of the poor monk from Assisi. While in the city, you can opt for tours with our professional guides to the old buildings, churches and museums, or try your hand at an unusual treasure hunt that will turn into a “sculpture” hunt. The 1962 edition of the Festival dei Due Mondi (Festival of Two Worlds) accepted a proposal by Giovanni Carandente for an exhibition of sculptures throughout the city; fifty-three sculptors, among the most famous of the time, participated and contributed 104 sculptures placed here and there in the city’s streets and squares. Most of those artworks are now kept at the National Gallery in Washington D.C., but, with a little patience, you can still admire some of those masterpieces that still adorn the Spoleto streets. These are the sculptures that you can find in the city: Teodelapio by Alexander Calder (Piazzale Polvani), Stranger III by Lynn Chadwick (Piazza del Duomo), Colloquium Spoletino by Pietro Consagra (Via Salara Vecchia/Via Filitteria), Spoleto 1962 by Nino Franchina (Piazza del Comune), Il dono di Icaro by Beverly Pepper (Piazzale Roma), Colonna del Viaggiatore by Arnaldo Pomodoro (Viale Trento e Trieste).
In the northern part of the city is the Villa Redenta Public Park, the large gardens of a luxurious estate built on the site of an ancient Roman quarter, which is today a green area open to everyone and ideal for a peaceful stroll. Nearby you will find one of the most famous monumental complexes in Spoleto, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011, the Basilica of San Salvatore and the Monumental Civic Cemetery within which, if you are not too superstitious or fearful, you will be able to admire the tombs of many wealthy and well-known citizens. Last, but not least, you can simply enjoy that marvelous combination of nature and architecture that creates such an exceptional panorama here – one that even enchanted an author of the caliber of Wolfgang Von Goethe when, in the eighteenth century, he visited the city. The view will include the stunning bridge, the Ponte delle Torri (Towers Bridge), a monumental work composed of ten arches that connect the St. Elia hill with Mount Luco and, high above it, the imposing fortress, the Rocca Albornoziana, that dominated and defended the city from atop the St. Elia Hill. The building now houses the National Museum of the Duchy of Spoleto.