Valfabbrica between history, trails and landscapes

Valfabbrica is situated on a hill above the valley of the Chiascio River. In Valfabbrica’s medieval historic centre, known as “Pedicino”, the town preserves two tall towers and substantial sections of the surrounding wall. Here, elevated terrain and fortified history come together within a compact area – an introduction for travellers who want to get to know a place through its structure and not only through individual sights.

Castle, churches and medieval traces

The remains of the Porta del castello di Valfabbrica can still be seen today in Via San Sebastiano; it can be reached from the piazza via Via Castellana. The church of San Sebastiano is located within the castle of Valfabbrica. It was originally built as a medieval chapel beside the castle tower. The medieval Torre medioevale di Valfabbrica is around 18 metres high and was built in the 13th century as part of the castle’s fortifications.

The Benedictine Abbey of Santa Maria Assunta di Valfabbrica was founded in the early Middle Ages and was a strategic possession of the important Abbey of San Silvestro di Nonantola in the area of Assisi. Another notable work of art is the late-13th-century fresco “Compianto sul Cristo morto”. It is considered the only example of the “School of Cimabue” in Umbria. In December 2023, the church of San Sebastiano also became the town museum.

Franciscan trails and tours around the town

The Franciscan Peace Trail is part of the Assisi–Gubbio Franciscan Way and is also a stage of the Via di Francesco. The northern stage of the Via di Francesco from Valfabbrica to Assisi is around 22 kilometres long. Mountain-bike routes begin directly in Valfabbrica’s town centre and include paved sections, gravel paths and more challenging stretches.

For shorter excursions, there are two routes of around 6.7 kilometres each, with different destinations. The Valfabbrica–Barcaccia loop starts at the fountain in Valfabbrica, follows the Franciscan Way to the village of Barcaccia and returns along the same route. The round trip from Valfabbrica to Pioppo, on the other hand, leads from the town centre along the Franciscan Way to the entrance of the Forre del Rio Grande and back. The Forre del Rio Grande route ends below the Cascata di S. Francesco waterfall.

Mountains and destinations in the surrounding area

Monte delle Croci is located in the immediate vicinity of Valfabbrica. The surrounding area also includes Monte dei Cani, Monte Subasio and Monte Citerna.

Several historical destinations are also located around Valfabbrica: the ancient site of Rocca Maggiore Castle, the ancient site of the Temple of Minerva, the Sacro convento di S. Francesco monastery (Assisi, Italy) and the Abazzia Montelabate monastery. When planning your trip, you can therefore consider local history, Franciscan themes and landscapes as different areas of focus.

A festival with a historical and sociable character

The Palio di Valfabbrica is a ten-day historical-cultural, social and gastronomic festival. Its final day always falls on the first Sunday in September. The “Giostra d’Italia” also takes place every year on this final day of the Palio di Valfabbrica. It includes the competitions Corsa degli Anelli, Corsa del Saracino and Scontro Diretto. Anyone planning a trip around the event period will find a clearly defined date in the annual calendar.

Guidance for choosing your accommodation

The Area Camper Valfabbrica is located at the entrance to Valfabbrica on Via San Benedetto. When choosing accommodation in Valfabbrica, you can therefore first consider which priorities define your trip: the medieval town centre with its castle, towers and churches, the routes of around 6.7 kilometres, the longer stage to Assisi, mountain-bike trails or the landscapes and destinations in the surrounding area. This keeps the choice of a hotel or other accommodation oriented towards your planned activities, without reducing the town to just one type of trip.

Discover more places

If you would like to add more places to your trip, you can find them here: Monteleone Di Spoleto, Pascelupo, Pila, Passaggio Di Assisi, Castel Ritaldi, San Martino In Trignano, Gioiello and Poggiodomo.

For the higher-level travel overview: Perugia.