A beautiful day and an enthusiasm for walking: ever thought of taking a trip in the environs of Norcia? The town, whose ancient name is Nursia, is located between the two rivers of Sordo and Torbidone. In Roman times, it was a politically very relevant place.

Sadly, many important monuments and sites have been damaged due to numerous earthquakes in this area. Today, inside the walls, it's worth visiting the gothic church of St. Benedict, the first Christian monk, who was born here. Also not to be missed is the Duomo, dating from the Renaissance, and the Castellina, a fort designed by the architect Vignola, which today houses the museum of the diocese.

Exiting from the city gate, we move towards Preci, entering the path of the Patino valley which leads to the homonymous cave, hidden among the beech trees. This mysterious-looking grotto used to be a great refuge for herdsmen, quite possibly since prehistoric times.

We find ourselves not far from mount Patino, a highly-recommended viewing point from which to admire the might mount Vettore in its entirety. We thus arrive to Monte Fusconi and then to Poggio di Croce, which originated as a castle but with time was transformed into a country village; only the entry-way and the formwork remain of the original settlement.

In the distance, we can now begin to see Castelluccio, set in the Sibillini Mountains National Park.

The town, famous especially in spring for the blossoming of its many plants and flowers, is an excellent destination for those wishing to do sport, in particular mountain-biking, horse-riding, and – in the wintertime – cross country skiing.