Embraced by the two branches of the Via Flaminia and furrowed by several minor routes, the Apennine massif of the Martani Mountains, which extends for about 45 km in the centre of Umbria, has been acting for centuries as a hinge between the Tiber and Clitunno valleys, between Etruscan and Umbrian lands.
Several castles can be visited on the ridge, some in ruins, others still inhabited. The eastern slopes of the Martani Mountains are the home of small urban settlements of medieval origin, such as Ocenelli, nestled among olive trees, or Montemartano, with its typical stone dwellings enclosed in well-preserved defensive walls.
The Martani peaks are rich in biodiversity, covered by dense vegetation and vast meadows where grazing animals are still common. As you travel along roads and mule tracks, enchanting views open up over Spoleto and its valley, where you can admire landscapes shaped by time and water, such as the badlands, white limestone rocks standing out against the green woods.
Criss-crossed by a
dense network of paths, many of them marked by CAI (Italian Alpine Club), these mountains are suitable for all types of hiking - on foot, horseback or mountain bike - and attract tourists who enjoy slow travel, hidden corners and the regenerating power of nature.
The entire area is also renowned for the excellent production of extra virgin olive oil, which falls within the Colli Martani PDO certification area.
