The entire valley is dotted with small fortified villages, which in the past gave Spoleto such a hard time that they were subjected to a law requiring them to return to being open villas and demolishing their defensive walls. Some of them suffered this sad fate, while others fortunately managed to preserve their structure as castles and came to us more or less intact.
Among the 'castles of the plain' in the Spoleto area, that of San Giacomo, about 5 km from Spoleto, is worth a visit. The castle, with a rectangular plan, was built in the 14th century and is among the best preserved in the area. Don't miss the parish church, whose apse is entirely decorated with a marvellous cycle of frescoes by Giovanni di Pietro known as Lo Spagna.
Continuing northwards, you will reach Beroide, a village known for the Church of San Michele Arcangelo, probably dating back to the 13th century, which contains interesting frescoes and uses a polygonal tower of the castle as its apse and bell tower. The village’s traditional feast is the Eel and Crayfish Festival, which is usually held in August.
The Spoleto valley can also be easily travelled by bicycle, thanks to the Spoleto-Assisi cycle lane, which, following the banks of its many streams, allows you to explore the area without haste and discover little-known places of great artistic and natural value.
