Spoleto
Nestled on the slopes of Monte Subasio, you will find the medieval fortress city of Spoleto. The city's urban planning began before the time of Augustus and was completed by 1 BC. Ancient ruins and three miles of aqueducts penetrate the center and the shell of a Roman amphitheater lies nearby. Thick walls and a magnificent gorge surround Spoleto, and fine medieval and Roman monuments sit along the streets.
Although Spoleto is one of Umbria's picture perfect stops, it was almost unknown until Giancarlo Menotti selected Spoleto as the site for a summer arts festival in 1958, and his Festival dei Due Mondi (Festival of Two Worlds) hasn't left since. Menotti spent months traveling across central Italy looking for a town where the best of modern culture could be displayed against a backdrop that recalled the best of the past, and Spoleto had a remarkable past!
After its prominence in classical times, Spoleto became the seat of one of the most powerful states in Italy at the very beginning of the Middle Ages. It remained splendid through the golden years of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, acquiring its share of lovely monuments and quaint streets.
