The enchanted village of Montefalco stands on a small hill, from the road appears sly, closed as an oyster to open. It enjoys a beautiful panorama, made of vineyards cared for like Persian carpets, bell towers of small churches that peep out … it ranges from Perugia to Spoleto.
Montefalco must be found, it must be searched, it must be studied, this small village of about 7000 thousand inhabitants, contains priceless artistic treasures (such as the pictorial cycle of Benozzo Gozzoli in the chisa of San Francesco) and gives the name to one of the most famous Italian fine wines, the Sagrantino di Montefalco.
Its name derives from Frederick the Second of Swabia, who noticed the large concentration of hawks in the area, hence Montefalco. Once parked the car, in the unexpected huge car park, we meet the first skin of the town, that is its walls and its doors, including the gate of St. Augustine and the crenellated tower of Verziere that for centuries has watched and defended the entrance to the village.
I called it enchanted because the moment I visited the village, right from here, the tour of Italy had passed, a blaze of bright pink flowers was swarming the main street, restaurants, buildings and windows, creating a picture frame to this village. It sounds to me of refined, similar to a precious stone polished in every aspect, cured in every corner, this is the feeling I felt walking through the alleys of this village. The May sun reflected in the town square and exalted the beauty of the thirteenth-century town hall, in my opinion one of the most beautiful buildings in Italy.
The arctic route is unlimited, despite the small village, the works are of international character, you can get lost in the museum complex of the church of St. Augustine that at the price of 7 euros, offers us incredible works by Perugino, Melanzio, a native painter of Montefalco, and the beautiful chapel frescoed by Benozzo Gozzoli, Florentine painter who with a cycle of frescoes dedicated to the life of St. Francis, has left a very important Renaissance imprint. The other church worthy of importance is the church of Santa Chiara da Montefalco, which preserves the saint’s body and is decorated with frescoes of the Umbrian school. To recover we can sit down and enjoy the delicacies offered by many typical restaurants along the main street of the village. The restaurants, they are small incorporated in the houses, so you have to hurry in choosing them, almost all have a back, from which you can enjoy a wonderful view of the Umbrian hills.
Absolutely do not miss the bruschette, to taste the oil that is produced at zero kilometer, and the honey always native of the place, on delicious cheeses. Here halfway between Assisi and Spoleto, there are all you need to spend a weekend of art and good food. You will be enchanted by the precision with which this village rich in history is managed.
