Umbria - Italy - page 219

century, papal armies constructed the Rocca fortress, which still occupies a com-
manding position over the city. Vatican forces kept the city subjugated under the
intimidating watch of the Rocca fortress, and Spoleto faded from significance--
until Italian-American Gian Carlo Menotti dreamed up the Spoleto Festival and
gave the city a new burst of life.
LAY OF THE LAND
Over a dozen trains reach Spoleto daily from Rome (1 1 ⁄ 2 hr.) and Perugia (45 min.).
The Spoleto train station is about a mile outside the old town, so you'll probably
want to catch the C bus to the historic center or take a cab.
If you're driving, Spoleto is easy to reach, directly on the SS3, about 80 miles
from Rome, 120 miles from Florence. Parking in the old town is nearly impossi-
ble, but you can park for free on the streets just outside the old city walls, on Viale
Martiri Della Resistenza, or Via DonBonilli, next to the soccer stadium.
Spoleto's tourist office is located on Piazza della Libertà, 7 ( % 0743-238920).
It has a good selection of fliers about events in town, and brochures on dozens of
farmhouse stays outside town. It's open Monday through Friday 9am to 1pm and
4 to 7pm; Saturday and Sunday the office opens at 10am.
Note: The Spoleto Festival usually extends over 3 weeks from the end of June
to mid-July. During this time, accommodations need to be booked far in advance.
After the festival concludes, most of the city takes a 2-week holiday, so expect to
see many restaurants, shops, and hotels closed at that time.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Except during the time of its world-renowned festival, Spoleto's hotel rates are
reasonable.

The centrally located Hotel Aurora (Via Apollinare, 3; % 0743-220315;
www.hotelauroraspoleto.it) is a steal, with pleasant rooms for € 70 to € 80 in sum-
mer, and only

€€

50 in low season. Bathrooms are a little on the small side but
functional; rooms are clean, with hardwood floors and air-conditioning. The
breakfast room is especially cheery, with tiled floor and wood-beamed ceiling.
And guests get a 10% discount at the Ristorante Apollinare, with which the hotel
shares its original Roman walls.
€€ Hotel Il Panciolle (Via del Duomo, 3-5; % 0743-45677; no credit cards)
is an even cheaper but satisfactory, and centrally located, option. It's

€

60 for a
double for each of the seven rooms, though only two have air-conditioning. The
friendly manager doesn't speak much English, but can wrangle his grandkids to
help with local recommendations.

€

€€€ Hotel Charleston (Piazza Collicola, 10; % 0743-220052; www.hotel
charleston.it) is tucked away in a square next to the modern-art museum. Like
the museum, the hotel is an interesting combination of old and new, with the
original tiled floors and wood beams. The rooms of this 17th-century villa are
now filled with contemporary art and furniture. The junior suites (

150) are very
nice, and the double rooms are a decent deal at € 100. The Charleston also rents
out apartments in an adjacent building for

€

€

450 per week.