Within a short drive from Florence and Rome, Spoleto is a precious gem in the Umbria region. The small town perched on a hill offers picturesque and narrow streets, architectural wonders, and a strong culinary tradition. In this post, we have suggested a kids-friendly itinerary and a few events not to be missed.

spoleto_duomo

Instead, this article will give you practical information and useful suggestions to organize a trip to this beautiful part of Italy. Umbria is one of the most visited destinations, but if you are looking for one more reason to visit this region, choose the medieval town of Spoleto. You won’t regret it!

Spoleto Card

If you plan to stay in Spoleto for longer than a day or two, you might want to buy the Spoleto Card, which is valid for seven days and sold at any Museum in Spoleto. This card includes free entrance to 7 museums (Museo Archeologico, Casa Romana, Museo Nazionale del Ducato di Spoleto, Museo Diocesano, Museo del Tessile e del Costume, Rocca, Modern Art Museum),  free local transport (bus lines B, D, AC and shuttle to the centre) and special offers from local restaurants and shops.

Prices:

  • Red Card (standard 7-day card): € 9,50
  • Green Card (from children/young adults from 7 to 25 years old, seniors from 65 years old, and groups of minimum 15 persons): € 8,00

How to move around

The best way to enjoy Spoleto is to explore it on foot. However, being a medieval town, the streets are not always even. There are quite a lot of ups and downs and a few stairs. Therefore, walking around with strollers might not be so comfortable, although I do not think it will be a significant issue. Part of the hassle can be easily solved by using the mechanized walkways, which will bring you from the parking areas to the Upper Town. They might not be very careful to look at and, in some way, do not entirely fit in the wonderful surroundings, but they allow people with disabilities or families with small children to visit Spoleto more comfortably.

scale mobili spoleto

There are two escalators:

  1. The Spoletosfera walkway leaves from the  Spoletosfera parking and gets you in Piazza della Libertà, in the very centre of Spoleto Upper Town. Opening times: weekdays from 7.00 am to 8:30 pm, weekends and holidays from 9 am to 8:30 pm.
  2. The Ponzianina walkway starts from the parking area Ponzianina and gets you up to the Fortress. Opening times: weekdays from 7.00 am to 8:00 pm, weekends and holidays from 9 am to 8:00 pm.

Museum opening times & tickets

  • The Roman Theater and the attached Museum (Teatro Romano and Museo Archeologico) are open daily from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm. Admission is 4€ for adults and 2€ for children (age 7-18) and seniors over 65.
  • The Fortress (La Rocca) is open from March 15 to June 10 and September 16 to October Monday through Friday from 10 am to 1pm and 3 to 7pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 7pm; from June 11 to September 15 daily from 10am to 8pm; and from November to March 14 Monday through Friday from 2:30 to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Please, note that these times might change, so I would suggest checking their website before visiting. Admission is 7.50€ for adults, 6.50€ for children 14 to 25 and seniors over 65, 3.50€ for children  7 to 14 ).

Bikes routes & bike hire

There are lots of beautiful cycling routes in the area. The easiest and most suitable for families with children is the one that follows the river up to the Clitunno Springs. The track is completely flat, is 31 km long, and offers a rich landscape, with several exciting stops to do along the way: the Clitunno Temple, Pissignano Castle, and the Campello Sul Clitunno village.

You have two choices: leave Spoleto and cycle for about 4.5 km with some traffic or start from Pontebari, where the real cycling route begins.

If you need to hire a bike, here’s a useful address: Scocchetti Cicli, Viale Marconi 82, Spoleto. Tel. 0039  (0)743 44 728.

How to get there:

  • By car: if you are coming from Rome, take the motorway A1 to Orte – junction-main road – Terni-Spoleto; if you are coming from, take the motorway A1 Bologna-Firenze-Valdichiana; junction-main road S.S. 75 Bis: Valdichiana-Perugia-Foligno junction: S.S.3 Foligno-Spoleto
  • By train: the station is in the new part of the town. To reach the Old Town centre, take the bus (tickets can be bought at the newsagent at the train station) and catch bus line, A B C or D going to “centro”.
  • By plane: the nearest airports are Rome and Perugia.

Good to know

  • Parking: the best parking area for cars is the underground parking ‘Spoletosfera‘, with two entrances: one from Viale dei Cappuccini and the other one from Viale Martiri della Resistenza. This parking area is open from 7 am to 1 am. From there, you can get the mechanized walkway which will bring you up to Piazza Della Libertà, in the very centre of Spoleto. For campervans or motorhomes, you can head to the Parking Area “Ponzianina” in Via del Tiro a Segno. From here, you can get the mechanized walkway that will take you to the Fortress (Rocca).  If you are looking for an equipped parking area, there is Campo Boario, in Via dei Filosofi: 50 slots, equipped with a drain pit and water, all free of charge.
  • Where to eat: in the Upper Town, there are lots of restaurants with wonderful traditional food. None of them is family-friendly in the most literal sense, but they will all brilliantly cater to children, so no worries.
  • Kids facilities: for a quick runabout, there is a small playground near the car park Spoletosfera. Another playground is located in Via I Maggio.
  • Nearby: there are many beautiful locations within easy reach, well worth a visit: Gubbio, Assisi, Spello, Perugia. Florence and Rome are just around the corner, and for a great day out, do not miss the Marmore Falls, the perfect blend of nature and fun for the whole family. Another good idea for a great day out is Activo Park, only 12 km from Spoleto.

For more information



Booking.com

Spoleto Card:
www.spoletocard.it

The Fortress (La Rocca): 
Tel 0039 (0)743 224952
email: segreteria@assoroccaspoleto.it

Spoleto Tourist Office
Piazza della Libertà 7
06049 Spoleto – Perugia, Italy
Tel.:+39 0743 220773
Email: info@cuoreverdeditalia.it
Website: www.visitspoleto.it