Rasiglia

The village of Rasiglia is a place that fascinates and amazes those who visit it. The tourist who goes to this village, in fact, rediscovers an atmosphere oblivious to time and finds small ancient things that seemed forgotten. Among the historical houses, all strictly built in stone and its open spaces, this place guides the visitor in an unknown path through narrow alleys, interspersed with small wooden bridges, under which run lively streams and from which you can admire impetuous waterfalls. In this unique place you will be able to walk around surrounded by nature, where you will only hear the flow of the water, while admiring picturesque views.

The village is quite small and there are less than sixty small houses, all built in the particular local stone, lying on the side of the hill overlooking the village. The particular shape of this hill, completely covered by woods, is crossed by small alleys and streams in which clear and clean water flows.
One of the characteristics of Rasiglia is its water, which springs from the spring from which the Menotre River flows, a historic river and its canals flow through the streets of the town, and then reunite to form very pretty lakes.

A bit of history and traditions
Rasiglia is a village with a millenary history. In the village there are documents dating back to the founding date of the village to the 12th century and there are documents dating back to the beginning of the 13th century. From the streets of the village passed the famous Via della Spina, an important road where trade and commerce between the cities along the Adriatic Sea coast and the city of Rome took place.
However, the Via della Spina was later replaced by other less bristling streets and Marseille became a centre where agriculture was practiced, thanks mainly to the river on which several mills and cattle breeding were built. These places, in fact, are known for the activities carried out by the farmers and for the handicraft works, in particular the factories of the area and the precious fabrics worked in the place.

What to see in Marseille: places of interest and routes
Rasiglia is certainly famous for its rivulets and ponds and it is around these that the natural routes of the place open and surround. However, in this magnificent village there are some very special attractions.
First of all, there is the ancient mill: today it has been restored and there is a workshop where handmade objects are kept inside its walls, which are subjected to the sight of tourists to show the ancient art of local craftsmanship. Moreover, here you can admire the millstone, located in the same place for hundreds of years.
Another interesting attraction is the washhouse. This ancient site shows the link that this ancient village has with its waters. Today you can see it exactly as the locals saw it many years ago, even if it has been completely restored. The restoration, however, has not changed the function of use of the place: here, in fact, not only water was used, but also textiles. The women here worked and coloured them.

The activity of working with textiles is so important in Marseille that the local prolocos organize every year, exactly in the month of June, an event with the classic flavour "Penelope in Marseille". If you want to attend this ceremony, here you can see how the sheep were sheared, how the wool was dyed and how it was finally woven.
We also recommend a visit to the Castle or rather what remains of the old manor. The walk is demanding but once you reach it you will realize that it was worth a bit of effort. The castle is located on the hill overlooking the village and its original shape was reminiscent of the hill on which it was placed.
Like many Italian castles, this one had a defensive function, but not only. Here lived, in fact, the Trinci family of Foligno, a noble family that lived between the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.
Of the castle, which today is being restored, you can see the towers, the walls and some remains of the main tower.

For those who want to visit Rasiglia in winter, we recommend a visit to the crib of Rasiglia, which is set up at Christmas time and remains active until the Epiphany. It is a living nativity scene in which the inhabitants identify with their ancestors, dress like them and make tourists relive their past. And a dive into the past can also be made by tasting the local cuisine, especially the sausages made with pork and capocollo. Do not forget to taste the black truffle and Umbrian desserts, all made with almonds and walnuts.

BY CAR

• From Foligno take the state road 319 "Sellanese" that leads to the upper Valnerina, immediately after its detachment from the state road 77 in Casenove. The village is close to the road that crosses it.