Castle on the Hill

On a previous visit to Spoleto, we had taken the escalators from the walls of the city to its summit. This time we took the underground, moving walkways. They would not have looked out of place in a science fiction film, with their shiny tiles and endless horizon. There were breaks at certain points where it was possible to exit at various levels of the city, but we went right to the end where the fortress of La Rocca dominates the skyline. Built in the 13th century to protect the Papal territories, it was associated with, amongst others, both Cesare Borgia and Lucrezia Borgia.

From the fortress there are extensive views across the city, including a bird’s eye view of the cathedral….

….and the mountains beyond….

The piazza outside the cathedral is beautiful, and when the sun shines, the mosaics on the front of the building are golden bright.

It was a dull day, but there are always restaurants to explore. We found a local Osteria at the top of this slope.

Wending our way back down the city’s hills, the lovely, arched streets were a pleasure to visit….

….and we even found a disdainful lion….