Casperia: Medieval Old Town and Stringozzi
Accommodation in Casperia
Casperia, formerly Aspra, reveals its medieval character not only in individual buildings, but also in the layout of the town. Church art in Legarano, the Stringozzi tradition, and outdoor activities add to these perspectives. When planning your trip, you can consider whether you are mainly looking for a historic town layout, regional cuisine, or also a destination in the surrounding area.
Explore the old town on foot
Casperia’s medieval old town is characterized by concentric rings of streets. They narrow along the slopes of the hill and meet at Piazza S. Giovanni Battista, by the parish church of the same name. The lanes, hillside setting, and square together shape the town; the urban layout itself becomes the focus of a walking tour.
Walls dating from 1282 surround the settlement. The old town is completely inaccessible to cars and can only be reached on foot through Porta Romana to the west or Porta di S. Maria to the northeast. For getting around, this means exploring the historic center on foot, not by car. Porta di S. Maria, also called Porta Reatina, has a clock that shows medieval canonical time.
Church history in Legarano
The ancient settlement of Legarano lies three kilometers north of Casperia town center. The church of Santa Maria in Legarano stands there. It was built in the Early Middle Ages over the remains of a Roman villa rustica and served as a parish church until 1409. Different historical layers thus come together in this building: Roman remains and later ecclesiastical use. Its Latin-cross floor plan and single-nave layout add specific architectural features to its historical context.
The adjoining private chapel contains the Last Judgment, a painting by Bartolomeo Torresani from 1561. A municipal notice from 2022 reported that the church had become unusable following the 2016 earthquake and discussed funded work to reopen it. Check current access before visiting.
Stringozzi and local culture
Casperia’s Pro Loco rediscovered Stringozzi in 1983. The Sagra has promoted them continuously as a traditional local product. A specific edition of the festival also offers a glimpse into this connection between food and culture: the 44th Sagra dei Stringozzi Aspresi took place from July 29 to August 2, 2026, combining local cuisine with live music and entertainment for all age groups. In a notice dated March 28, 2024, “stringozzi aspresi” were included among the newly recognized products that characterize agriculture and gastronomy in Lazio.
Other cultural highlights show Casperia from different perspectives. The Teatro Ignazio Gennari is named after local dialect poet Ignazio Gennari. The Presepe Monumentale depicts around a dozen views of the medieval old town in miniature. The miniatures present the same townscape at a different scale from its streets and squares.
Nature and activities nearby
The centuries-old holm oak, Leccio di Aspra, stands in the upper part of Casperia. It is on private land but clearly visible. Trekking and cycling are also among the outdoor activities Casperia offers.
Nearby, a trail described as easy leads from the last stretch of Via S. Maria to Cerro di Valle Ferrara in Valle Ferrara in about an hour. The approximate walking time and stated level of difficulty offer a specific guide to this hike. Alongside the old town’s cultural and historical focus, nature and exercise are therefore other options to consider when planning your trip.
Discover more destinations: Pescorocchiano, Canneto, Greccio, Misericordia, Poggio Mirteto, Ornaro, Salisano, Poggio Moiano.
For the broader travel overview: Rieti.
