The location surrounded by greenery, the ancient architecture, make Todi the ideal destination for a weekend away from the city frenzy.
FIRST DAY
Although it preserves the soul of a medieval and collected reality, Todi has a lot to offer and it is easy, as well as fascinating, to get lost between its uncontaminated nature and its historical-artistic heritage.
The heart of the city is the majestic Piazza del Popolo surrounded by the Cathedral of Maria Santissima Annunziata, the Palazzo del Popolo (1214), one of the oldest municipal buildings in Italy, the Palazzo del Capitano adjacent to the Palazzo del Popolo and connected to it and to close the area of the square, Palazzo Priori with its quadrangular tower.
On the top floor of the Palazzo del Popolo and Palazzo del Capitano is the Civic Art Museum, which through its sections offers you to get in contact with the history of the city. In particular, the picture gallery contains an important artistic heritage collected around some pieces of considerable value: the wooden model of the Consolazione, the Spanish Altarpiece and the famous copy of the Mars of Todi.
Not far from the piazza you can find the temple of San Fortunato, one of the most beautiful gothic churches in central Italy. The church, dedicated to the main protector of the city, houses the tomb of Jacopone da Todi, one of the most famous figures of the Italian clerical and literary scene of all time. From inside you have access to the top of the bell tower from which you can admire the city and realize the magnificence of the countryside.
In the meantime, as you walk through the streets, pay attention: here and there, on the pavement, on the buildings, in the niche inside a fountain you can see the eagle, the symbol of the city.
Next stop on our itinerary is the 15th century Monastery of the Lucrezie developed around its cloister overlooking the green countryside. In the monastery we find the Lapidary Museum where the most important stone pieces of the city, witnesses of more than twenty centuries of Todi history, have been placed.
Finally, it is recommended to visit the suggestive cisterns, an admirable example of the hydraulic art of the Romans who, after reorganizing the urban project, designed and built a system of conduits, cisterns and tunnels to drain water.
SECOND DAY
The handicraft in Todi has very ancient traditions: wood, leather, ceramics and porcelain, fabrics, inlays represent only a part of the workshop activities. We suggest you to enter the ateliers and workshops of the city to admire live the works made by local craftsmen.
At the highest point of the village is the famous Beverly Pepper Park where the 16 monumental sculptures are located, immersed in a naturalistic-urban itinerary that the American artist donated to Todi to create the first monothematic park of contemporary sculpture in Umbria.
Continuing out of the old town centre you can find the imposing Temple of Santa Maria della Consolazione, one of the most important examples of the Italian Renaissance, which began in 1508 on a project attributed to Bramante and ended one hundred years later with the contribution of illustrious architects of the time.
Not far away are two of the many small towns: Pontecuti whose houses stand out against each other on the other side of the bridge and Montenero from whose square stands the fortified Medieval Castle.
Together with the culture and the beauty of the landscape, we suggest you to discover the local flavours. Let yourself be charmed by the most famous wines of Italy, such as Grechetto and Sangiovese, and by the genuineness of the local cuisine: torta al testo and sweet maccheroni are just some examples of the traditional cuisine you can taste.
