Vallo di Nera is a small village set on high ground overlooking the winding banks of the Nera River, nestled between the majestic folds of the Coscerno and Maggiore mountains.

The village has become famous for being a treasure chest of history and medieval charm, earning it a place among the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy, in addition to being awarded an Orange Flag by the Touring Club, and recognized as a Bee Friendly Municipality, a Flowery Municipality, as well as a City of Truffles and City of Olive Oil, confirming its cultural and gastronomic heritage.

Historical Notes

The oldest phases of settlement in the Valdinarco valley, as evidenced by numerous archaeological finds, support the theory that during protohistory the territory was occupied by settlements linked to the Naharci people. The name of the municipality, on the other hand, seems to derive from “vallum”, a term indicating a structure with a defensive function and recalling the Romanisation phase of the area.

In the 6th century, it became a Longobard curtis that belonged to the domain of Spoleto. In 757, when King Lothair II divided the territory into three gastaldates, Vallo di Nera fell under that of Pontano.

“Castrum Valli” is mentioned at the end of the 12th century among the possessions in Valdinarco of Duke Conrad of Urslingen. Later ceded to the Church, Spoleto ordered its destruction to reassert its dominion. It was only on 23 September 1217 that the city of Spoleto granted the locals permission to rebuild a new castle on Poggio Flezano, already occupied by a fortress also in the possession of Duke Conrad, on condition that it remained under the dominion of Spoleto.

With the reconstruction, the settlement was provided with a strong city wall, some well-preserved sections of which can still be admired today, together with numerous towers dating back to this building phase.

In the 15th century, the castle expanded further and was provided with a second set of walls, which also included some monastic settlements, such as the Franciscan monastery adjacent to the present-day church of Santa Maria Assunta. In the 16th century, during the town’s demographic peak, the urban fabric expanded outside the castle along the main access roads, giving rise to Borgo dei Casali.

Strolls between stone walls, alleys and towers

The historical centre of Vallo di Nera coincides with the medieval castle; even today, it is still possible to admire numerous sections of the walls with their majestic towers. Among these is the main tower, erected in the 15th century to guard and protect the town, strategically positioned between the two main gates: Porta Ranne and Portella.

The urban layout is an intricate network of circular streets intersecting with radial roads converging towards the point that dominates the castle from above: the square in front of the Church of John the Baptist. Built between the 13th and 14th centuries and partially rebuilt in the 16th century, the church has an interesting Romanesque façade, with a small double-arched bell tower under which a beautiful rose window appears, while the interior features numerous frescoes painted by Jacopo Siculo in the early 16th century, such as the Dormitio Virginis of 1536 decorating the apse wall.

Descending towards the lower part of the castle, one encounters other religious buildings, such as the Church of St Catherine, built at the end of the 14th and beginning of the 15th century, while the current façade is a 16th-century reconstruction.

Close to the castle walls is the true gem of Vallo di Nera: the church of Santa Maria Assunta. Built in 1176, in the 13th century it was handed over to the Franciscan Friars Minor, who built the adjacent convent, enlarged the church dedicating it to St Francis and transformed a defence tower into the building’s bell tower. In the 17th century, after the suppression of the order, the church was rededicated to Santa Maria Assunta.

The exterior, characterised by a façade in Spoleto Romanesque style with a central rose window and an ogival portal decorated with leafy capitals, conceals a veritable treasure trove of pictorial art. The interior walls are a veritable triumph  of frescoes that, despite the passage of time, continue to convey a sense of wonderful discovery. Among the authors, many of whom are of the Giotto school, the hand of Cola di Pietro da Camerino stands out. In 1401, he painted the famous fresco that bears witness to the passage of “The Procession of the Whites” in 1399.

Just outside the walls, along the road that leads to the 16th-century Borgo dei Casali, stands the religious building dedicated to San Rocco, built in the 15th century. Continuing along the path leading to Castel San Felice, we come across the wayside shrine of the Madonna delle Forche, frescoed at the end of the 15th century. Further on, there was once an oratory dedicated to St. Anthony, now almost entirely lost.

The House of Tales and the “Vallanate”

Near the Church of Santa Maria Assunta is the Casa dei Racconti (House of Tales), an outpost of the Ecomuseo della Dorsale Appenninica Umbra (Ecomuseum of the Umbrian Apennine Ridge) dedicated to orality in the Valnerina valley. The presence of this place is linked to a curiosity related precisely to the inhabitants of Vallo di Nera, who have become the protagonists of stories that have become famous under the name of “vallanate”, which feature the local people of Vallo di Nera and their amazing feats.

Vallo di Nera and surroundings

The municipality of Vallo di Nera includes numerous hamlets, some of which, like Piedipaterno, Meggiano and Geppa, still retain the appearance of fortified castles.

Approximately three kilometres from Vallo di Nera is the hamlet of Piedipaterno, a small settlement at the level of the Nera River. As its name suggests, Piedipaterno developed as a hamlet of the castle of Paterno above, of which only a few traces of the outer walls and tower remain today. Archaeological finds and late Republican epigraphs show that this area was occupied as early as the Roman period.

Several religious buildings can be admired in the village, including the Church of Saint Sebastiano, dating back to the 13th century. Nearby is the church of Santa Maria de Ugonis, also known as the Church of the Hermit, located near the cemetery. This sacred building, with a crypt and an adjoining monastery, was founded by Vallombrosian monks in the 11th century on a pre-existing church and remained in operation until the suppression of the Order in 1654.

The hamlet of Meggiano also retains the elliptical shape of a hillside castle, with an entrance gate and side slits to house the drawbridge. Here there is the church of San Michele Arcangelo, which preserves the appearance it has had since its renovation in the 17th century. From Meggiano starts the path that runs along the Fosso di Roccagelli with its small waterfalls, ideal for river water sports such as rafting and canyoning. The entire Vallo di Nera territory is also covered by numerous paths where it is possible to go hiking, trekking and cycling, such as the route that follows the ex Spoleto - Norcia railway line.

Finally, near the hamlet of Geppa are the ruins of the ancient fortified castle, from which the mountain route of the Via Nursina started. The current building, modest in size, preserves the noble residence that belonged to the Zacchei-Travaglini family of Spoleto. In 1752, Geppa was annexed to the municipality of Paterno-Meggiano and followed the administrative fate of the other two hamlets until their annexation to Vallo di Nera in 1881.

Events in Vallo di Nera

The most renowned event across Italy is “Fior di Cacio”, the market exhibition of quality artisan cheese production and Umbrian products, including the Salted Ricotta from Valnerina, a Slow Food presidium. The event, held every year at the beginning of the summer (in June), is designed to celebrate not only to gastronomic excellences such as quality cheeses, but also traditional crafts such as shepherding and cheesemaking, once much more widespread than today, but now being revived, especially among the younger generations.

How to get there

Vallo di Nera can be reached by taking the SS685 “Tre Valli Umbre” road either in the direction of Cascia-Norcia or towards Spoleto, and then driving up along the SP472 until reaching a large free car park near the church of Santa Maria Assunta.