Montefalco

By car from Rome, leave the A1 Autostrada at Orte, joining the E45 in the direction of Perugia. After 20 km or so ignore the sign for Perugia and continue straight to Spoleto. From Spoleto you can either carry on along the main SS3 highway before taking a left to Montefalco or explore the back roads between Spoleto and Montefalco. An alternative route is via Bastardo.

There is a railway station at Foligno, a few km from Montefalco, with connections to Rome and Florence.

For many years Montefalco was a closely guarded secret among Italian wine lovers. Good, cheap wine was too valuable to tell others about. But, inevitably, the secret leaked out and the bargains have gone. The main red wine in terms of quantity is the Rosso di Montefalco. This uses the Sangiovese grape that is found in the wines of Chianti but mixes in some of the local Sagrantino grape, which is what makes Rosso di Montefalco special. The Sagrantino grape is said to have more tannin than just about any other grape in the world. You can also find a pure Sagrantino red wine as well as a passito version which is a thick, syrupy wine. Montefalco’s white wine, Grechetto, is also made from a local grape, of the same name as the wine.

The town is small enough to stroll around and has many excellent wine shops. Leave the car outside the town’s walls outside the Porta Sant'Agostino and stroll up the hill to the main square at the top, known as the Piazza del Comune, which is surrounded by some of the town’s main buildings. There are good and extensive views of the surrounding countryside.

• Chiesa Sant'Agostino, Gothic style church built between 1279 and 1285. Several noteworthy frescoes.
• Chiesa San Francesco is a deconsecrated church that houses the town’s museum. It includes works by Perugino and many others. Via Ringhiera della Umbria.
• Convento di San Fortunato. Just outside Montefalco in the direction of Fabbri. Highly regarded frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli, dating back to 1442.

There is a wine shop in the central square where you may sample many of the wines offered for sale. Get a plastic card from the bar, fill it with euros. Wines are kept in machines along the outside wall; choose your wine and enjoy.

Wine!

• Agriturismo Il Borghetto, Via Borghetto n°6, Madonna della Stella, 06036 Montefalco Tel.: +39 338 4887737 - +39 0742 399115 - Fax: +39 0742 399115. Working organic farm with accommodation. Double rooms Euros 60-80.
• Villa Zuccari. Four-star hotel in the countryside at Località San Luca near Montefalco. - Tel: +39 0742 399 402, Fax: +39 0742 399 194. Double rooms €110-150
• B&B in Casale, Fraz. Casale 24, ☏ +39 393 9191274. Nice B&B in Casale, a small village about 3 km from Montefalco. Rooms with private bathrooms starting from €60 per night.