Discover Cortaccione: Archaeology, Bridges and Trails

Cortaccione can be explored through its archaeological heritage, historic routes and varied landscape. When planning your trip, cultural history, bridge building and outdoor trails offer different perspectives on the same place.

Archaeology, Bridges and Museums

The protected Cortaccione-San Beroide archaeological site is the cultural focal point. It encompasses a 39-by-37-metre Roman funerary enclosure. The Ponte del Cortaccione is a viaduct over the Cortaccione River; it has four arches and is 70 metres high.

The area around Cortaccione is home to the Racani Arroni Palace, the Street Art Spoleto Museum, the Galleria D'Arte 1631 Antiquariato D'Alta Epoca Museum and the Museo Diocesiano. The natural arch Arco di Druso e Germanico is also nearby. The cultural spectrum therefore ranges from Roman funerary architecture and historic structures to art and ecclesiastical collections.

Walking Trail and Former Railway Line

At the Ponte del Cortaccione, the municipality of Spoleto has installed a counting device to record bicycle and pedestrian traffic on the Spoleto–Norcia route. The Giro dei Condotti is an approximately 1-kilometre-long, almost level walking trail from the Fortilizio dei Mulini to the Ponte Sanguineto. In places, it follows the route of the aqueducts to the Ponte delle Torri.

The section of the former Spoleto–Norcia railway line from Spoleto to Sant'Anatolia di Narco is 23.5 kilometres long and classified as moderately difficult. The former route passes tunnels and viaducts before reaching the large open area behind the Ponte del Cortaccione. After the former Cortaccione station, it passes through a short, unlined tunnel and then a second short, also unlined tunnel before continuing to climb towards Matrignano.

Landscape Between Slopes and Mountains

The first section of the former Spoleto–Norcia railway line climbs uphill along the slopes of Licina. In places, it is surrounded by olive groves and native evergreen vegetation, including holm oaks and Aleppo pines. The mountains Monte Cannaiola, Monte della Croce and Monte Felcito are also located in the area around Cortaccione.

Water Management with a Long History

The Ponte delle Torri has a complex history of water management. According to one view, it was built between the 13th and 14th centuries on an older Roman aqueduct that probably carried water from the springs of Cortaccione to Spoleto. For centuries, older conduits from the Fosso di Cortaccione to the north and from Patrico to the south carried water into the city of Spoleto via the Ponte delle Torri.

When choosing a hotel for Cortaccione, you can focus on archaeological and museum heritage, the almost level Giro dei Condotti, or the historic routes of the former Spoleto–Norcia railway line. Bridges, aqueducts and the slopes of Licina each add a different thematic focus to your planning.

More destinations for planning your trip: Colle Umberto I, Pierantonio, Piazzano, Sigillo, San Secondo, Villa, Armenzano, Civitella d'Arna

For the higher-level travel overview: Perugia.