Bastardo: Roman Traces and Mining History

Bastardo combines Roman traces, the memory of mining, and vibrant local traditions. This creates a destination for you where historical themes are not presented in isolation, but made tangible at various places and events. Depending on your interests, culture, regional history, or a sporting stage can become the focus of your stay.

Festivals and Local Life

A regular fixture in the annual calendar is the Fiera di San Francesco. It takes place every year on the first Sunday in October in the center of Bastardo. The Pro Loco di Bastardo also organizes cultural, recreational, and social events. In doing so, it involves the community and promotes local traditions. If you are planning the timing of your trip, October in particular offers a specific opportunity to get to know Bastardo as part of its local events and activities.

Roman Traces in the Surrounding Area

An ancient Roman villa is being excavated near the village of Toccioli. It is located close to the ancient route of the Flaminia Vetus, which climbs from Bastardo toward Montecchio. The excavation of the Villa di Rufione uncovered 18 rooms, including two thermal-bath rooms. Near Bastardo, in the village of Cavallara, there is also the Roman bridge Ponte del Diavolo. In the wider regional area, the Via Flaminia Vetus was used in the Middle Ages by pilgrims and travelers as an alternative to the Via Flaminia Nova, which passed through Spoleto. These connections make the Roman and medieval past an important starting point for your explorations.

Santa Barbara and Mining History

The church of Santa Barbara is dedicated to the patron saint of miners. It was built by miners in the 1930s. Inside, there is a memorial plaque made in 1937 and a plaque listing the miners who died in accidents or from work-related illnesses. The church was reopened for worship once a year on December 4 on the occasion of the commemoration of the victims of the mines. The municipality of Giano dell'Umbria revived the Feast of Saint Barbara for miners in order to preserve the memory of the local mining history. When choosing your accommodation, you can therefore consider whether you would prefer to focus your stay more on culture and remembrance or on outdoor activities.

Traces of Mines, Railway, and Cableway

The Bastardo mines were closed in 1955. A mine railway transported the lignite extracted from the Fontivecchie and Acquarossa mines along the Puglia Valley to Bastardo. A 17-kilometer-long cableway for transporting the mineral extracted from the Bastardo mines was not completed until after the Second World War; it remained in operation until 1955. These historic transport routes illustrate the importance of mining to the region, without implying any present-day use.

A Stage for Gravel Enthusiasts

Sporting interests can also be combined with Bastardo's regional themes. Stage 3 of the “Mount Martani Tour (Gravel) Complete” continues uphill to Giano dell'Umbria and then to a fork in the path where there is a shelter and a scenic resting place. If you would like to combine culture and exercise on your trip, you can incorporate this route information into your personal planning while taking your preferred daily rhythm into account.

Other Destinations in the Surrounding Area

Monte Vibiano Vecchio, Ponte Pattoli, Piazzano, Costacciaro, San Marco, Fontignano, Ripabianca and Buchignano

To the higher-level travel overview: Perugia.