What to see in Gubbio: Umbria's most intact medieval city

Gubbio is one of Italy's most intact and imposing medieval cities. Perched on the slopes of Monte Ingino, with its towers, palaces and grey stone streets, it seems to step directly out of the Middle Ages. It is about 50 km from Agriturismo Il Barco, reachable in under an hour.

Piazza Grande and the Palazzo dei Consoli

Gubbio's Piazza Grande is one of the most audacious architectural achievements of the Italian Middle Ages: a terrace cantilevered over the city, supported by mighty Gothic arches. The Palazzo dei Consoli (1332), with its bell tower, houses the Civic Museum and the celebrated Eugubine Tablets — seven bronze tablets from the 3rd–1st century BC bearing inscriptions in the Umbrian language, the most important document for understanding pre-Roman Italic civilisation.

The Roman Theatre and the Ducal Palace

Gubbio preserves a Roman theatre from the 1st century BC, still perfectly legible in its structure and used today for summer performances. The Montefeltro Ducal Palace, built in 1470 as a princely residence, preserves an elegant Renaissance courtyard and a collection of period furniture and frescoes.

The Corsa dei Ceri

Every 15 May, Gubbio celebrates the Corsa dei Ceri, one of Italy's oldest and most spectacular folk events. Three teams race three enormous wooden structures — ceri — over 4 metres tall, each weighing 400 kg, through the steep streets of the city to the Basilica of Sant'Ubaldo on the mountaintop. An event to be experienced at least once.

The cable car and Monte Ingino

A distinctive open-basket cable car (no doors) carries visitors to the summit of Monte Ingino, where the Basilica of Sant'Ubaldo stands. The view over the city and the plain is extraordinary. Each December, Monte Ingino hosts the world's largest Christmas tree, formed by lights strung across the hillside.

Where to stay near Gubbio

Agriturismo Il Barco is about 50 minutes' drive from Gubbio — the perfect distance for a day trip, returning in the evening to the quiet of the Umbrian countryside between Spello and Foligno.