The Legends of Saint Valentine

The story of Saint Valentine of Terni is shrouded in mystery and folklore, with various legends intertwining over the centuries.

Saint Valentine is revered as the patron saint of lovers, and his feast day on February 14th is celebrated worldwide. Valentine was a Christian bishop from Terni, who died as a martyr in Rome on February 14th, 273 AD. He was laid to rest in Terni, in the Basilica where his relics can still be found today.

One of the most famous legends tells that Emperor Claudius II in the 3rd century AD had issued a decree that prohibited the marriage of young men, believing that singles made better soldiers. However, Valentine disobeyed this decree and continued to perform secret weddings for young couples. When his disobedience was discovered, Valentine was arrested and brought before the Emperor. During his imprisonment, legend has it that Valentine healed the blindness of his jailer’s daughter and that, before his execution, he wrote her a farewell letter, signing it “From your Valentine.”

This story has helped to cement Saint Valentine’s association with romantic love. Another version of the Saint Valentine story suggests that he might have been martyred for aiding persecuted Christians during the reign of Claudius II. Yet another legend tells of Valentine witnessing two young lovers arguing and giving them a rose, urging them to hold it together as a way to reconcile, and then having doves fly around them, hence the term “lovebirds.” In any case, the figure of Saint Valentine quickly became a symbol of love and devotion, and his feast day became associated with romantic love over the centuries.

Carnival Recipes in Umbria

#COOK WITH UMBRIASI

We told you about Carnival, its origins and traditional Umbrian desserts.
Today here we bring you the recipes of the Carnival:
Prepare the apron, the work surface and ready to knead and then enjoy!

FRAPPE

Ingredients
500 g of 00 flour
3 eggs
Lemon peel to taste
1 teaspoon baking powder
250 g of butter
100 g of sugar
1 pinch of salt

For frying
1 liter of peanut oil

To decorate
Powdered sugar/honey or alkermes

Method
Create a fountain of flour on the work surface and arrange the baking powder in the centre, start mixing flour and baking powder, then always in the center add the eggs, the lemon peel (pay attention to the white part of the lemon which is more bitter) and the pinch of salt. Once the ingredients are mixed, add the butter at room temperature and the sugar. The dough will be ready when it is smooth, homogeneous and will come off easily from your hands. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes covered with cling film.
After 30 minutes, roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it forms a sheet that is not too thin. With the washer, cut the dough into rectangular strips with a small cut in the center where you pass one end of the frappa through the middle, simulating a bow.
Fry the frappe in hot oil for about 5 minutes. Once ready and cooled, decorate them with icing sugar, honey or alchermes as you like

CASTAGNOLE

Ingredients
230 g of 00 flour
2 eggs
½ sachet of baking powder
4 Tablespoons of sugar
1 small glass of liqueur (mistrà, sambuca)
50 ml of milk at room temperature
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Lemon peel to taste
1 pinch of salt

To frying
Plenty of peanut oil

To decorate
Icing sugar/honey or alchermes and colored sugared almonds

Method
Break the eggs into a small bowl and mix with the sugar until you have a frothy and light consistency. The sugar must be well mixed. Add the sambuca, slowly add the milk and oil and finally the grated lemon peel (pay attention to the white part, as above!). Mix everything until all the ingredients are well blended. Then add the flour and baking powder until you get a batter-like consistency.Let the mixture rest covered for about 10-15 minutes.Pour the batter into hot oil (help yourself with a spoon to form balls) and turn them halfway through cooking. Once ready, decorate with alchermes honey sugar and colored sprinkles

N.B There are variations that also include filling them with cream, chocolate cream or cream!

STRUFOLI

Ingredients
400 g of flour
6 eggs
6 tablespoons of sugar
1 small glass of Mistrà or Sambuca
1 lemon peel and lemon juice
1 cup of milk
25 g of baking powder
6 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil

To frying

2 liters of peanut oil

To decorate

Honey

Method

With a whisk, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until you obtain a frothy consistency. Whip the remaining egg whites until stiff and add them to the yolks and mix well. Add the lemon peels and slowly add the oil and milk.
Gradually add the flour, baking powder, lemon juice and liqueur. Knead until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough. Sprinkle it with oil and cover it with a cloth to let it rest for at least 2 hours.
Slide the balls of dough into the hot oil (again with the help of a spoon). To help the dough remain round, slowly rotate the pan (with the handles) in which you are frying the strufoli (be careful! )
Once cooled, sprinkle them with honey melted in a bain-marie.

CICERCHIATA UMBRA

Ingredients
300 g of 00 flour
30 g of butter
3 eggs
1/2 grated lemon peel
Alchermes to taste

To frying
2 liters of peanut oil

To decorate
400 g of honey
colorful candies
dried fruit like almonds cut into strips
100 g of candied fruit

Method
On a pastry board, mix the flour with the eggs, the lemon peel, the butter at room temperature and the liqueur until a homogeneous and smooth consistency is obtained. Create sausages from the dough from which to obtain the irregular balls cut with a knife and fry them in hot oil. Heat the butter and once melted, pour the fried balls and mix well. Then add the sugared almonds, candied fruit and almonds to taste.
Then cut into strips 150 gr. of peeled almond

 

CRESCIONDA SPOLETINA

Ingredients
50 g of 00 flour
70 g of sugar
4 eggs
500ml of milk
200 g of macaroons
50 ml of mistrà liqueur
100 g of dark chocolate
1 grated lemon peel

Method
With a whisk or mixer, blend the amaretti biscuits. Then proceed by beating the yolks with the sugar until you get a frothy consistency; then add the minced chocolate, the liqueur and the milk slowly. Finally, the amaretti biscuits and the flour little by little, together with the grated lemon. Whip the egg whites until stiff which will then be joined to the mixture from bottom to top. Grease and flour a baking tray (24 cm in diameter) and bake at 180° for 60 minutes.

Credit photo
UmbriaTourism
Forchettiere.it
Antonio Gravante
2Amiche in Cucina
Fonte Cesia
Kasanova

Carnival sweets in Umbria

The ancient Latin saying reads
“semel in anno licet insanire – once a year it is permissible to go crazy”

Carnival Origin
The common thread that binds Carnival, the mask or masquerade party par excellence, all over the world seems to be precisely the concept that is furthest from what the Romans called mos maiorum, good morals, morality.

But before we get to the Romans, let’s take a few steps back.
The origin of the Carnival dates back to 4000 years ago with the Egyptians and the rites in honor of Isis, the goddess of fertility.

With the Romans, the Carnival Festival coincided with the Lupercali, in honor of the God Luperco, symbol of Roman fertility. The period, for both Egyptians and Romans, is celebrated at the end of February.

Sacred and Profane
The Carnival, between banquets, parties and masks, thus becomes a sort of social “level”: a disguise that hides the status of belonging and allows everyone to set aside moral rigidity for a day.
With Christianity, Carnival from the Latin “carnem levare”, Shrove Tuesday becomes the last day to eat meat before abstaining from consuming it during the period of Lent but also the last opportunity to fill your belly with sweets rich in sugars!

Tipical sweety food in Umbria
Whether it’s Egyptian, Roman or Christian, the “reasons” of Carnival are disguise (masquerade) and the consumption of food, especially sweets!

Let’s see what are the typical ones in Umbria:

  • Frappe
    Strips of sweet puff pastry in the shape of a bow. Covered with alchermes sugar or honey, they can be either fried (as per the original recipe) or baked in the “lighter” variant. In any case, the result is a crunchy, sweet and tasty pastry.
  • Castagnòle
    The name derives from the memory of the small chestnuts with their rounded shape. The dough is composed of flour, eggs, sugar, yeast and an aromatic liqueur. Also these sweets, as per tradition, are fried paying particular attention to making them golden on the outside and cooked well inside, helping them to remain round during cooking by moving the pan in a rotating direction. Then covered with sugar, honey or alchermes.
  • Strufoli
    Traditional from Perugino, they resemble castagnole with the difference of having a softer texture and are, on the other hand, larger in size. They are then covered with sweet dripping honey.
  • Cicerchiata umbra
    From the name of the Umbrian Cicerchia, a rounded legume, the cicerchiata is a crown of sweet balls covered in honey.
  • Crescionda spoletina
    With this dessert we move to Spoleto with its Crescionda.
    Originally prepared with chicken broth, or lard, in fact also known as “grescia unta” for being particularly fat, sugar, cheese, chocolate and breadcrumbs were then added. Or the version prepared with apples and dried fruit. Today his recipe marries modernity using chocolate, milk and amaretti biscuits. It is also recognized as a Traditional Umbrian Agri-Food Product.

Credit photo
UmbriaTourism
Forchettiere.it
Antonio Gravante
2Amiche in Cucina

The Sanctuary of Merciful Love of Collevalenza

Umbria, with its picturesque hilly landscapes, medieval villages, and deep spiritual roots, is one of Italy’s gems. Among the numerous attractions this region has to offer, the Sanctuary of Collevalenza stands out as a place of devotion, hope, and reflection.

Located just a few kilometers from Todi, the Sanctuary of Collevalenza was founded at the behest of Mother Hope and built by the Spanish architect Julio Lafuente in 1951, with the intent of creating a place that represented and expressed God’s Mercy for all the faithful who had committed a sin and were seeking forgiveness and spiritual comfort.

An Enchanting Architecture
Beyond its spiritual significance, the Sanctuary also captivates visitors from an architectural standpoint: it has a circular plan with two large sacred halls, the crypt, and the upper church, which converge into a single architectural entity.

The Sanctuary creates a serene, welcoming, and bright atmosphere, thanks to a huge concave glass window.

Pilgrims visiting this sacred place are greeted with genuine smiles and a kindness typical of Umbrian hospitality. They can always confess, in the name of the same Mercy that the Sanctuary represents.

The Message of Water and the Famous Pools
Since March 1, 1979, the Water of the Sanctuary, coming from a nearby well, has been flowing into the pools (separated for men and women) and open to pilgrims or for the immersion of the sick, who could immerse themselves during the “Liturgy of the Waters” by the priests of the Sanctuary.

Currently, the “Liturgies of the Waters” are still active, while due to post-pandemic restrictions, immersions have been temporarily suspended, but at the same time, pilgrims who go to the Sanctuary and participate in the liturgy will be accompanied by the priest to the feet of the statue of Mary the Mediatrix to drink from the small fountains while reciting the prayer of the proper use of the Water and its spiritual meanings as “refreshment to the body and health to the soul and renewal of wonders for healings,” as always said by Mother Hope.

The Water of the Sanctuary is still considered a sign of Grace and an instrument of the Lord’s Mercy.

 

The Story of Saint Costanzo

Il 29 gennaio si festeggia San Costanzo, primo Vescovo e di Perugia e uno dei patroni del capoluogo umbro insieme a San Lorenzo e Sant’Ercolano. La storia della vita di San Costanzo e ciò che ne aleggia intorno è ricco di meraviglia, stupore, fede e misticismo con un pizzico di romanticismo e di dolcezze. Vediamo perché.

On January 29th, Saint Costanzo is celebrated, the first Bishop of Perugia, and one of the patrons of the Umbrian capital, along with Saint Lorenzo and Saint Ercolano. The story of the life of Saint Costanzo and what surrounds it is rich in wonder, amazement, faith, and mysticism, with a touch of romanticism and sweetness. Let’s see why.

 

Saint Costanzo, the Martyr

In “Mille Santi del Giorno” by Piero Bargellini, a collection of stories about the lives of saints, the description of Costanzo can be traced back to around the 2nd century AD. He was a man dedicated to faith, kindness, and generosity towards the poor, with a strong sense of duty to the Christian Church, especially during the persecutions of Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

 

It is narrated that Costanzo, under the rule of Marcus Aurelius, was martyred and brutally persecuted: confined in the calidarium (ancient Roman baths) at extremely high temperatures, he miraculously emerged unharmed. He was arrested several times and forced to walk on burning coals, but nothing could shake the faith of Saint Costanzo. Around the year 178, he was arrested again and beheaded in Foligno. His remains were then returned to Perugia, where he found rest in what would later become the first Cathedral of Perugia, outside the gates of San Pietro, now known as the Church of San Costanzo.

 

The Tradition of the Wink

For lovers of romanticism, here’s a legend that during the celebrations of the Saint, the image of San Costanzo can “wink” at unmarried girls (and virgins according to medieval tradition) who present themselves in the Church where the Saint rests, to inquire if they will marry within the year. Of course, it’s a play of lights and shadows that makes the whole thing magical with a hint of love.

 

For young ladies without the foresight of a happy event predicted by the Saint, the boyfriend will give them the typical Perugian sweet, especially associated with the Feast of San Costanzo, the Torcolo.

 

The Torcolo of San Costanzo

The typical sweet of the tradition to celebrate San Costanzo is indeed the Torcolo, behind which many legends and mysteries related to the Saint are hidden, making this sweet still charming and full of history today.

 

It is handed down, in fact, that the torcolo is shaped like a ring to recall the crown of flowers placed on the Saint’s body after decapitation, or that the hole represents the severed head of the Saint, and finally, that its donut shape refers to the crown removed from the head of the Saint once decapitated. This is why a sweet studded with colored candied fruits, in memory of the precious stones of the crown! The five cuts on the donut can be traced back to the entrances to the five districts of the historic center of Perugia: Porta San Pietro, Porta Sole, Porta Eburnea, Porta Susanna, and Porta Sant’Angelo.

 

The Torcolo of San Costanzo, despite its great importance during the celebration on January 29th, is a sweet that is now enjoyed in Umbria throughout the year!

 

Photo Credits

Regione Umbria

Umbria Tourism

Come di Perugia

On the Trail of Don Matteo in Spoleto

Spoleto, a hidden gem nestled among the green Umbrian hills, is a place rich in history, culture, and charm. Besides being an ideal destination for art and gastronomy enthusiasts, Spoleto is famous for the Festival dei Due Mondi and as the city where the popular Italian television series “Don Matteo” is filmed. Let’s explore together the enchanted places in Spoleto that provide the backdrop for the adventures of our beloved detective priest!

Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and Palazzo Bufalini The majestic Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, also known as the Duomo di Spoleto, is the iconic location of the series. This masterpiece of Romanesque architecture houses extraordinary works of art and represents one of the holiest places in the city. In the plot of “Don Matteo,” the cathedral serves as the Rectory, the Carabinieri barracks, and the Parlor. Not far away, you can admire Piazza della Signoria, where many scenes of the fiction were shot. Palazzo Bufalini was used for external shots of the Carabinieri barracks.

Basilica of Sant’Eufemia and the Caio Melisso Theater Located inside the Episcopal Palace, built on the foundations of the ancient residence of the Lombard dukes, is the setting that hosts the Church of “Don Matteo.” Nearby is the Caio Melisso Theater, which, for the purposes of the fiction, becomes the prison parlor.

A Journey into the Heart of Spoleto Exploring the locations where the “Don Matteo” series is filmed is a fascinating experience that allows visitors to fully immerse themselves in the magic of the show. Spoleto, with its rich history, charming architecture, and mysterious aura, offers an unforgettable journey into the heart of Umbria.

If you are a fan of the series, there is no better way to experience the adventures of Don Matteo and his faithful friend Cecchini, played by Nino Frassica, than to personally visit these enchanted places. Spoleto will welcome you with open arms, offering not only the beauty of its monuments but also the opportunity to relive the exciting moments you loved on the screen.

So, get ready for a journey into the world of Don Matteo, exploring the same winding alleys and bustling squares that served as the backdrop for his most thrilling investigations. Spoleto awaits you with its secrets and stories to tell, ready to enchant you with its timeless charm.

From Spoleto to Marmore by bike

A three-day proposal in one of the most beautiful areas of Umbria, which combines the beauties of Spoleto and villages such as Sant’Anatolia, Scheggino, Ferentillo and Arrone, with the uncontaminated nature of the Valnerina, before ending in front of the stupendous spectacle of the Marmore waterfall.

The Lace Makers of Irish Lace on Isola Maggiore

In the early 20th century, Marchesa Elena Guglielmi introduced the technique of Irish lace-making to Isola Maggiore in Lake Trasimeno. Inspired by traditions originating in Irish monasteries in the late 19th century and following the ancient art of Venetian lace, the Marchesa’s vision was to bring this artistry to the island.

Unlike traditional lace made with needles and bobbins, this lace is crafted with a crochet hook using an extremely fine thread. The foresight of the Marchesa also led her to bring a teacher from Turin who could pass on the art of lace-making to the first island teacher, Elvira Tosetti. Elvira was entrusted with the foundation and direction of the lace school on the island for young women, daughters of fishermen, who, until then, engaged in various activities during the day without receiving any payment. The school provided them with the opportunity to receive professional training, learning various techniques for creating tablecloths, sheets, clothes, handkerchiefs, gloves, etc. This offered them a certain economic independence (earning about 390 lire in the first year and around 2300 lire in the second year) and the ability to contribute to family expenses.

They could be seen sitting at the doorstep of their homes, engrossed in crocheting and lacework. These young women and their creations soon gained esteem from noblewomen, regular customers of the school. The crafted items were soon exhibited at the permanent market show of Italian Decorative Arts in Perugia, and sample books were sent to Industrie Femminili Italiane in Rome, ultimately being sold throughout Italy and abroad. The Irish lace from Isola Maggiore became famous and highly appreciated, positively contributing to the island’s economy, especially during fishing crises.

Later, in the 1930s, with changes in fashion and influences coming from America, Irish lace fell out of style, leading to the closure of the school. However, the island women continued to work on lace for their personal trousseaus and as an inheritance.

In 1963, Isolana Maria Vittoria Semolesti revived the activity by founding a cooperative of lace makers for the sale of Irish lace. Although the cooperative closed in 1975, the lace makers continued to work individually. Via Guglielmi, with its lace makers, became one of the attractions on the island, drawing tourists who admired the lace-making process. Even today, you can find a few lace makers working at their doorsteps.

The last lace makers of Isola Maggiore, all descendants of Maria Vittoria Semolesti’s school, still operate today. In the center of the island, in the palace that once housed the Brotherhood of Santa Maria dei Disciplinati, the Lace Museum was established, showcasing the works created by the women of Isola Maggiore from 1904 to the end of the 20th century.

Discover Campello sul Clitunno

The Campello sul Clitunno district is divided into Campello Alto and Campello Basso: the first fortified around the Castle dating back to the 9th-10th century and wanted by the knight from Burgundy, Rovero di Campeaux and the second near the Fonti del Clitunno.

A natural jewel: the Fonti del Clitunno
Crystalline springs at the foot of Mount Brunette, with bright colors that shine with the sun’s rays, creating plays of light, shadows and reflections of the vegetation that is reflected in these waters, sending an image of absolute purity and spirituality.

Already known in Roman times and many poets and writers such as Pliny, Virgil, Propertius, Juvenal, extol their praises in their legacies, speaking of an absolutely suggestive place. The river was revered as a natural element personified by the God Clitunno: its waters so pure as to make those who immersed themselves in it immaculate.

Again the Sources taken up in Corot’s paintings and praised again by Lord Byron in the fourth canto of Child Harold dedicated to Umbria:

“But you, or Clitunno! from your sweetest wave of the brightest crystal that ever sheltered a river nymph, to look inside and bathe her limbs where nothing hid them, you raise your grassy banks along which the milk-white bullock grazes; O thou – purest God of mild waters, and most serene of aspect, and most limpid, indeed thy current was not desecrated by carnage – mirror and pool for Beauty’s youngest daughters”

The very rich vegetation and biodiversity make the Fonti del Clitunno a small paradise among cypress poplars and weeping willows which with their foliage adorn the landscape and frame the waters, are strongly linked to Napoleon: in fact, it is said that they come from the place where the ‘Emperor on Saint Helena. The vegetation on the seabed is also rich such as: wild sedanine, aquatic horsetail and aquatic nasturtium.

Temple of Clitunno
Not far from the Fonti del Clitunno, there is the small but wonderful Tempietto del Clitunno, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011.
Built in the early Christian era (it is assumed between the 5th and 7th centuries) with salvaged elements from the pagan sacellums (from the Latin sacellum, dim. of sacrum “sacred enclosure”) of the god Clitunno, today it is part of the seven jewels of ” The Lombards in Italy. Places of Power”.
On the tympanum it is still possible to see the decorations showing pomegranate and a bunch of grapes: if the first symbolizes fertility, grapes and more particularly wine is the symbol of the Eucharist.

“And on your happy shore a Temple, of minute and delicate structure, still keeps the memory of you on the gentle slope of a hill; beneath it flows your placid current; often leaps forth from it the darting fish with glittering scales, which dwells and plays in your crystalline depth; while perhaps some lost water lily flower floats by where the less deep wave still repeats its bubbling tales”
Lord Byron

In Green painted Green
In addition to the natural wonders, the historical ones and still those linked to Trebbiano Spoletino, the hills of Campello are adorned with green olive trees which are still cultivated today with traditional methods and make Campelli one of the paths of the olive grove.
The olive tree has Etruscan origins and was later spread by the Romans as a luxury item. Pliny the Younger himself had several hectares in Umbria dedicated to the cultivation of olive trees.

What remains of this story is the hope of being able to experience a place absolutely full of beauty accompanied by a glass of Trebbiano Spoletino and a slice of warm bread with local oil and admire, as Lord Byron, Carducci did and Pliny, the marvel of Campello sul Clitunno.

Discover Campello sul Clitunno Couple emotions on the road

Gualdo Tadino: a “forest” of Museums

The city of Gualdo Tadino, originally known by the Umbrian name of Tarsina, fell under Roman rule and was given the name “Tadinum”, becoming an important trading center and point of reference along the Via Flaminia. During the Roman period it experienced many wars following the conflicts for power between Caesar and Pompey.
Other known devastations are those related to the figure of Hannibal and the resistance against the Goths fighting against the Lombards in the famous battle of Tagina.
The name GUALDO derives from the reconstruction dating back to 996 after the destruction of Otto III of Saxony, Emperor of the Eastern Franks and Roman Emperor since 966; starting from the reconstruction of the 11th century, the city assumed the Longobard name of Gualdo, “forest, wooded place” – from the German “Wald”. The formal recognition of the name “Gualdo Tadino” will only take place in 1833 by Pope Gregory XVI.
In 1237 it was destroyed again by fire and rebuilt by Frederick II and the Benedictine friars, mainly around the large structure of the Rocca Flea, on Colle Sant’Angelo.
In order to be able to experience Gualdo Tadino immersed in time, in the marvelous stories of the Gualdo citizens, in the architectural constructions and in the culture that has distinguished the Umbrian town, the City of Gualdo Tadino Museum Pole has enclosed the entire legacy of the city in a circuit of museums .
Not to be missed are the Rocca Flea Civic Museum, the Ceramics Museum, the Emigration Museum…Discover them all HERE

But let’s look at some of them in detail:

Rocca Flea
On the top of Colle Sant’Angelo, stands Rocca Flea, an exquisite military architecture dating back to the XII century and rebuilt by Frederick II in 1247. Inside, since 1999, there is the Rocca Flea Civic Museum.
“Its name, derived from the nearby river Flebeo, later called Feo, already appears in documents from the 12th century. With the succession of different dominations imposed on the city, the militias of Federico Barbarossa first settled there, then those of the pope and in 1208 those of the Guelph Perugia. Damaged by many conflicts, it was restored by Frederick II around 1242. In the 16th century it became the residence of the papal legates, while in 1888 the Rocca became a prison. Restored to its previous appearance thanks to recent restorations, the fortress has become the seat of the civic museum since 1999 “

Museum of Ceramics
“The Ceramics Museum of Casa Cajani is part of a large project which aims to exhibit and enhance the city’s heritage: the civic collection of ceramics, coming from the public, from acquisitions and donations. A project linked to the artistic, productive and economic history of this area, which documents the prestigious goals achieved over the centuries by the Gualdo ceramic manufacturers.
Some rooms of the Museum are entirely dedicated to Alfredo Santarelli, a tribute to his majestic work with artefacts from important factories born in the 1900s from the imprint of Santarelli, such as Luca della Robbia, the Mastro Giorgio Ceramic Society and the Angelo Pascucci Ceramic Industry. Another section is dedicated to the prestigious manufacture of Paolo Rubboli who reintroduced the technique of gold and ruby ​​lustres of the Mastrogiorge tradition in Gualdo Tadino”.

Emigration Museum
“The Pietro Conti Regional Museum of Emigration was created to underline the historical, cultural and human heritage linked to the great emigration exodus that involved Italy from the end of the 19th century and which involved more than 27 million departures. Made with the video projection technique, it involves the visitor in an exciting backward journey: the arrival, the journey and the departure. Documents, images and stories from all regions of Italy. A choral journey that has the emigrant as its protagonist: the farewells, the meeting and the clash with the foreign country, nostalgia, the daily joys and sorrows, the integration into the new reality, the defeats and the victories, the confrontation and reflection on today’s immigration”.

On the Path of Ceramics

Discover Gualdo Tadino

Discover Bevagna with UmbriaSì

In the flourishing valley of Umbria stands the city of Bevagna, originally populated by Umbrians with Etruscan influences. The original name, Mevania, is perhaps due to an Etruscan noble named Mefana, which became Mevania with the arrival of the Romans.
The bond that unites Sagrantino and Bevagna with deep-rooted origins is important and strong:
in fact, we read in the Historia Naturalis of Pliny the Elder, of a black grape variety produced in the municipality of Bevagna.
Enclosed in its walls, Bevagna experienced a flourishing building development with the construction of an amphitheater and Roman baths adorned with beautiful mosaics. The amphitheater itself, in medieval times, was then transformed and became part of a craftsman’s workshop on the ground floor with his residence on the upper floor: hence the famous saying “house and workshop”.
Among the Umbrian historical events and re-enactments, the one linked to the Mercato delle Gaite is singular and very fascinating, which for over 30 years has been proposing what medieval everyday life was like between 1250 and 1350: how people lived, what they did in the alleys of drink.
The event takes its name from the four main districts of Bevagna, the Gaite, and every year, at the end of June, it brings back to life the ancient uses and customs of the drinkers engaged in four competitions, Gastronomic, Trades, Market and Archery. Music, food, instruments, clothes…everything recalls the Bevagna of that century, a historical leap in time that fascinates and amazes.
Another experience is the Circuit of Medieval Crafts: real laboratories to be able to experience the arts and crafts of that time, among ancient machinery, engineering instruments, which have made the history of commerce and artisan production of Bevagna: the Setificio , the painter’s workshop, the Mastro Cecco paper mill and the wax factory.

Stroll along the streets, among taverns, clubs, wine bars and more modern wine bars where you can sip a glass of Montefalco Sagrantino or even in its sparkling version to have vivacity and freshness on spring days when the sun is still shy but warms up just enough to make you enjoy a walk in the open air.

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Visit Bevagna

Tasty weekend in Umbria among the villages more beautiful in Italy