Monastero del Palazzo Casa Vacanze, apartment with panoramic terrace

Monastero del Palazzo Casa Vacanze — Spoleto

In the heart of Umbria, on the second and top floor of a 14th-century building, the Monastero del Palazzo Casa Vacanze welcomes you into a space where history is not merely a decorative element — it is the very structure of the building itself. The foundations rest on the arches of Spoleto's ancient Roman amphitheatre, upon which the monastery was built in the 14th century for the Poor Clares, enlarged in the 16th century and suppressed in 1860. The apartment is part of the vast Monumental Complex of the Amphitheatre, in the heart of the historic centre. Two thousand years of history beneath your feet.
The apartment sleeps up to 3 guests with two bedrooms — a double bedroom of 15sqm and a single bedroom of 9sqm, ideal for a third guest — a living room with open kitchen, and one bathroom shared between the two bedrooms. But the true distinguishing feature is the panoramic terrace: overlooking the Rocca Albornoziana, the Cathedral bell tower, the cloister of San Nicolò, San Gregorio and the Municipal bell tower, it offers a 180-degree view over the city that few Spoletans have the privilege of enjoying every morning. The perfect place to start the day with a coffee and Spoleto all to yourself.

Spoleto — a city few people truly know
Many visitors arrive in Spoleto without realising they are in one of the most historically rich cities in all of central Italy. For centuries, Spoleto was the most important city in Umbria — and not only in Umbria.
A Roman colony as early as 241 BC, Spoleto was one of the principal centres of Roman civilisation in central Italy. When Hannibal marched towards Rome after his victory at Lake Trasimeno, he attempted to take Spoleto — and was repelled. Legend has it that the city put him to flight at the very gate now known as Via Porta Fuga, whose name leaves little doubt as to how events unfolded.
With the fall of the Roman Empire and the arrival of the Lombards, Spoleto became the capital of the Duchy of Spoleto, one of the most powerful Lombard duchies on the peninsula, which in subsequent centuries passed under Frankish and then Papal control. Throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Spoleto remained the most prominent city of the Papal State in Umbria — so much so that in 1499, Pope Alexander VI Borgia appointed the young Lucrezia Borgia, then just eighteen years old, as Governor of Spoleto, in one of the earliest examples of female governance in Renaissance Italy.
All of this history has left a concentration of monuments that no other Umbrian city can match.

What to see in Spoleto
Rocca Albornoziana — The 14th-century papal fortress dominates the city from above and today houses the National Museum of the Duchy of Spoleto. From here, the view over the Spoleto valley is among the finest in Umbria.
Ponte delle Torri — A medieval aqueduct 230 metres long and 80 metres high, spanning the gorge between the hill of the Rocca and Monteluco. One of the most impressive feats of medieval engineering in Italy.
Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta — Built in the 12th century, it houses the frescoes of Filippo Lippi in the apsidal chapel. The Romanesque façade with its mosaic is one of the masterpieces of medieval Umbrian art.
Church of San Salvatore — A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is one of the best-preserved early Christian churches in Italy, dating from the 4th-5th century — among the oldest Christian churches still standing.
Roman Theatre and Archaeological Museum — The Roman theatre of the 1st century BC is still used for summer performances today. The museum houses finds that tell three thousand years of the city's history.
Casa Romana — The remains of a Roman domus from the 1st century AD, traditionally attributed to the mother of Emperor Vespasian, located in the heart of the historic centre.
Torre dell'Olio and Via Porta Fuga — When Hannibal attempted to take Spoleto and was repelled, legend recalls that the city's defenders drove him from the gate now known as Via Porta Fuga — whose name speaks for itself. Above it stands the Torre dell'Olio, whose name commemorates the tradition of pouring boiling oil on the attackers, though more cautious historians suggest it may have been boiling water.
Arch of Drusus and Piazza del Mercato — The Roman arch of 23 AD, dedicated to the sons of Emperor Tiberius, stands near Piazza del Mercato, which sits on the exact site of the ancient Roman forum — the beating heart of Spoleto in Roman times.
Palazzo Collicola — Gallery of Modern Art — An 18th-century palace housing one of the most interesting modern art collections in Umbria, with works connected to the Festival dei Due Mondi.
Teatro Nuovo Gian Carlo Menotti and Teatro Caio Melisso — The city's two historic theatres, at the heart of Spoleto's cultural life and home to the celebrated Festival dei Due Mondi, founded by composer Gian Carlo Menotti in 1958.

Nearby
A few kilometres from Spoleto lie the Fonti del Clitunno, crystal-clear springs set in a bucolic landscape that inspired Lord Byron, who celebrated them in his Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, and Giosuè Carducci, who immortalised them in his ode Alle fonti del Clitunno. Near the springs stands the Tempietto del Clitunno, a rare example of early Christian architecture dating from the 5th-6th century, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Valnerina, the valley of the River Nera to the east of Spoleto, is one of Umbria's most unspoilt and authentic landscapes, with medieval villages, abbeys and the celebrated Cascata delle Marmore — one of the highest artificial waterfalls in Europe, created by the Romans in 271 BC.
Monteluco, the sacred woodland behind the city, is a place of silence and spirituality, frequented by Saint Francis and the Franciscan friars since the 13th century.

Spoletine cuisine
Spoleto and its surrounding territory express one of Umbria's most distinctive culinary traditions. Not to be missed are strangozzi, fresh pasta typical of Spoleto, served either alla spoletina with tomato and garlic sauce, or with black truffle — the black truffle of Norcia and Spoleto being among the most prized in the world. Among the wines, Trebbiano Spoletino DOC is the local indigenous white, elegant and mineral-driven, while Rosso di Montefalco DOC and Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG — produced just a few kilometres from Spoleto — rank among the most important red wines in Italian viticulture.

Practical information
Air conditioning is available in the living room during the summer season only. The apartment has one bathroom shared between the two bedrooms. Public parking is available on site, not bookable in advance, at a cost of €8 per day. Spoleto railway station is 1 km from the apartment. Upon arrival, payment of the tourist tax is required: €2.00 per person per night, for guests aged 14 and over.