Rome is a city where art and history flow seamlessly together. The grandeur of its Baroque masterpieces is undeniable—ornate, marble-adorned Jesuit churches near Piazza Venezia, Bernini’s monumental fountain in Piazza Navona, and Borromini’s intricate designs all serve as bold testaments to an era that celebrated drama and opulence. Equally compelling is the city’s Renaissance heritage, where the refined elegance of Raphael’s wall paintings in the Vatican Museums and the sublime beauty of Michelangelo’s frescoed ceiling and altar in the Sistine Chapel evoke a time of artistic innovation and humanism.
Beneath these celebrated layers, Rome holds a quieter medieval legacy. In neighborhoods such as Monti and the Old Ghetto, subtle traces of medieval art and architecture emerge amid the modern hustle. Recent archaeological discoveries—unearthing walls and foundations of a long-forgotten housing complex during a subway expansion near Piazza Venezia—offer a rare glimpse into everyday life from centuries past.
For those seeking to immerse themselves fully in medieval charm, a day trip to Viterbo is a rewarding escape. This walled town, home to about 65,000 residents who take immense pride in their heritage, is also known as a “city of popes.” Viterbo’s imposing papal palace once housed five pontiffs, while its medieval quarter—particularly in the San Pellegrino neighborhood—delights with winding cobblestone streets, homes crafted from deep gray peperino stone, and stone lions that echo the town’s ancient symbol.
One unforgettable chapter in Viterbo’s history unfolded during a conclave from 1268 to 1271. In a bid to hasten the cardinals’ decision, locals reduced the electors’ comforts—serving only bread and water and even removing the palace roof so that the cardinals had to take shelter under a tent. Such dramatic measures not only sped up the election process but also underscored the town’s enduring spirit. Even today, traditions like St. Rosa’s feast day on September 3—when locals don white outfits accented with red waistbands and hoist a towering “macchina” in a procession dating back to the 13th century—remind visitors of Viterbo’s vibrant, living history.
In both Rome and Viterbo, history is not confined to textbooks or museums—it is woven into the very fabric of daily life, inviting you to explore a landscape where every street and stone tells a story.
First Roman emperors, then pontiffs. Throughout the ages, when the powerful and the privileged wanted to escape the summer heat of Rome, they headed for their villas in the hills — the Alban Hills, that is, southeast of Rome. Contemporary citizens of Rome still follow that tradition, flocking to the hill towns known collectively as the Castelli Romani (Roman Castle towns), or more simply, I Castelli, for cooling breezes, fine wines and panoramic views.
Visitors in Rome in the summer months would be wise to take the Romans’ lead and consider taking a day trip — or making an evening of it — by dining in the historic centers of quaint towns or strolling near scenic lakes.
While relaxing vibes and centuries of history permeate the Castelli Romani, each town boasts its own charm, gastronomic specialties and eagerly awaited annual festivals known as sagre.
Rather unspoiled by mass tourism, Umbria is an unassuming region of gentle hills commanding valley views, hill towns steeped in history and art, and kitchens serving wonderful meals with prized local gastronomic products like truffles and sausage. One of Italy’s few landlocked regions. and, with not even 1 million residents, one of its least populated, Umbria is too often overlooked by visitors bound for its better-known neighbor Tuscany.
But people in the know have long looked to Umbria for relaxing retreats and its pervasive air of gentleness. Many Romans have weekend homes there, and expats a few decades ago started buying up farmhouses near charming Umbrian towns like Todi, with its remarkably intact medieval historic, adding swimming pools to villas overlooking peaceful valleys and shopping for ingredients for local dishes their friendly neighbors have taught them to prepare.
While the region has no big urban centers exercising gravitational pulls on tourists — like Florence or Venice or Naples — Umbria’s towns invite days of slow-paced exploration.
Perhaps in keeping with Umbria’s easy-going character, three of its towns are particularly associated with peace or openness. Followers of this newsletter might recall our portrait of Assisi, the tranquil hill town with a mystical air and imbued with a spirit of simplicity and welcome befitting its namesake saint. That its basilica is home to Giotto frescoes, some of the art world’s most acclaimed works, enriches any sojourn there.
Then there is Perugia, famed for its university which draws foreigners from around the world and awes visitors with a 13th-century exquisitely carved fountain in a main square. Another Umbrian town of world renown is Spoleto, celebrated for its Festival of Two Worlds, with early summer offerings of music, dance and theater. The festival was begun in the 1950s by composer Gian Carlo Menotti with the goal of connecting the artistic and cultural worlds of Europe and the United States. Like so many of Umbria’s towns, Spoleto has ancient Roman roots and fine medieval architecture, and, in its case, the fame of once having repelled an attack by Hannibal. Spoleto’s Bridge of the Towers, an Italian landmark, crosses a deep ravine.
Another magical name in Umbria is Narni, a medieval town with vistas of castles on surrounding hills. The town boasts that its setting inspired C.S. Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Narnia.” With roots dating back more than 2,500 years, Narni’s attractions include an ancient Roman domus, or residence and aqueduct.
While not as famed as Assisi, Narni is the birthplace of two saints — twin siblings Benedict and Scholastica — has a 16th-century castle and a gourmand’s reputation for its prosciutto and black truffles, which top pasta, or is worked into a pate as an excellent spread for local bread.
And who could resist such as charmingly named town as Gubbio? Its ancient Roman theater is the venue for summer performances of the classics, while the town is popular with Italian visitors for its annual pageantry dating to medieval times.
For many tourists, Umbria means a day-trip to Orvieto from Rome. While easily reachable from Rome, the riverside Orvieto deserves a leisurely visit. Why rush through a town famed for its white wine and splendid decorative pottery? Orvieto’s star attraction is a Gothic-style cathedral, imposing in its perch on a bluff. In the countryside outside Orvieto is a spectacular inn with origins as a Benedictine monastery.
Many of Umbria’s most delightful sights are in hamlets and village a few miles outside the region’s more visited towns. These are well worth an afternoon’s detour, for it’s in these off-the-main-path places where one frequently happens upon churches with stunning art and can savor some hearty Umbrian fare in a countryside trattoria or perhaps at an innkeeper’s lunch table.
For a break from Umbria’s magnificent art and churches, Umbria offers many possibilities to enjoy nature. Walks in the woods abound, and the region is home to one of Italy’s much-visited waterfalls.
