Italy 2018: Spoleto - a convent in the mountains

starting the day with a great breakfast, best we had this holiday until now

Tuesday, 12 June 2018: around Spoleto.

Today we took it easy and visited by car the roman Chiesa di San Pietro dating back to the 5th century, although the present shape dates from the 12th - 13th centuries 

details of the facade

arghhh nowadays graffiti 

We continued our way to the convent of S. Francesco in the mountains where Francis of Assisi lived and died. Nowadays only a very old monk lives at the premises. The place is open for visitors till noon. One can admire the small sober cells where the monks use to live.

a cell in the convent

frescoes in the convent

After a short pleasant walk through the forest near the convent we found the grotto's where the famous monks San Francesco of Assisi and San Antonio da Padova used to retreat.

that's where we live now 

We had gotten thirsty and decided to visit the Giuliano restaurant on the top of Monteluco (the mountain of light) which has a super view over the city of Spoleto. 

coffee with a view

Next on our list is the San Gregorio Maggiore church in Spoleto, which was built atop the site of an earlier church during the end of the 11th - 12th century. Traces of the earlier building one can find in the crypt. 

the older church in the crypt

apparently breasts grew in armpits in the middle ages 

fresco on top of an older fresco

When driving through the narrow streets of Spoleto to our home, we passed a cute place where we had a glass of white wine and a small bite. Yeah it sure is a lazy day today. It's not so warm anymore, rain is predicted for this evening as well as tomorrow.  

In the evening we had dinner at another great restaurant; Il Tempio del Gusto in Spoleto (another tip of our hosts).

Our hosts informed us that even people from Rome come to Spoleto to have dinner here. 

The dishes:

1st courses: for Peter a crispy sesam seed roll with white cheese and a spelt timbale and for me a cappucino of cod and pumpkin

2nd courses: for Peter a risotto with truffle, scalops and a shrimp and for me stuffed guinea-fowl with truffle sauce

After dinner we had a nice chat in the living room of the Palazzo with two other guests and our host Lorry, while enjoying a cup of tea, in which we solved all the problems of the world 😏.