From Spoleto to Monteluco along the hermits’ path

From the Romans, who considered it their sacred forest, to the saintly hermits who spent hours in prayer and reflection here, Monteluco still exudes an aura of sacredness. You can be enveloped by the green expanse of trees and embark on one of the trekking routes in the area, taking you from Spoleto to Monteluco along “la corta”, a scenic trail through the Spoleto forest.

The approximately one-hour route is mostly uphill, so wearing appropriate clothing and shoes is advisable.

The Sacred Forest of Holm oaks

After reaching Fortilizio dei Mulini, where CAI trail no. 1 begins, the road runs along the steep north-western slope, entering an oak grove of great environmental and spiritual value known as the Sacred Forest of Monteluco. A lucus, as the Romans called it, sacred to Jupiter and protected by the rules inscribed in the famous Lex Spoletina, an epigraphic document composed of two steles dating back to the late 3rd century B.C., inscribed in archaic Latin, detailing laws regulating forest cutting and punishments for violators.

Along the route, birdwatchers may spot specimens of green woodpeckers, great spotted woodpeckers, Eurasian nuthatches, and wrynecks.

The path among the hermitages to the Convent of St Francis

Continuing along the path, one reaches the area of the hermitages, now often part of private property, which testify to the importance of the hermitic movement that developed in Monteluco from the 6th century onwards. It is easy to reach some of them, such as the Hermitage of San Paolo Protoeremita, purchased in the 19th century by the noble Marignoli family. Filippo Marignoli made it into a private villa and added the Church of St Francis of Assisi at the back, a small building dedicated to the saint, with a decorated interior and a cosy atmosphere.

Also of interest is the Eremo delle Grazie, now a period residence, which gained prominence in the 16th century, when it was designated as a meeting place for the Romites and the residence of the prior of the congregation, following the abandonment of the hermitage of San Giuliano by the Benedictines.

A little further on is the Hermitage of San Michele Arcangelo, which houses a chapel and three deep caves, one of which has been converted into an oratory.

Once past the hermitages, it is necessary to cross the provincial road to rejoin the path that leads to the summit of the mountain and skirts the Sanctuary of Saint Francis. This place of spirituality dates back to the 6th century, when the Syrian saint Isaac retired here, becoming the first hermit in the area. Tradition has it that St Francis of Assisi himself stopped here in 1218. Today, the monastery preserves many testimonies of monastic life, including a copy of the Lex Spoletina, the original of which is kept at the National Archaeological Museum of Spoleto.

The Belvedere

Avvolti nel rilassante silenzio che permea il bosco, si può proseguire fino al Belvedere, da cui si può godere di una vista che si estende sulla valle. Attorno al Belvedere si trovano diversi romitori, piccoli rifugi ricavati nella roccia, un tempo abitati dai santi e dagli eremiti che qui si ritiravano per pregare. Alcuni di questi romitori sono dedicati a figure sacre, come Sant'Antonio e San Leonardo, i quali, secondo la tradizione, vissero a Monteluco in solitudine e preghiera, contribuendo a diffondere lo spirito francescano e il culto della vita eremitica nel territorio.

On the way back, a stop in the magnificent Spoleto

At the end of the walk, you can return to Spoleto to explore its enchanting historic center. In the upper part of the city, you can admire the Rocca Albornoziana, a medieval fortress dominating the Spoleto Valley and home to the National Museum of the Duchy of Spoleto, or the Spoleto Cathedral, a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture located in the square of the same name.