Visiting Rasiglia can be a short, pleasant stop on the way to Tuscany. Tuscany is great for a weekend, but Umbria is also a beautiful region. That’s why, along the way, we stopped for a few hours in the town of Rasiglia in Umbria.
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Rasiglia, a Tiny Village Built on Water
Rasiglia, a tiny village with just 60 houses and 40 inhabitants, is nicknamed Little Venice; surrounded by the Fogliano Mountains, it was built on water in the Middle Ages.
For me, comparing lesser-known places to famous ones, even if in theory it should help the place attract more visitors, is ridiculous, if not foolish. Firstly, pretty often places advertised this way have not a lot to do with the well-known ones, and you might be disappointed. Secondly, mass tourism changes places, and usually – for worse
Anyway, since medieval architecture means stone houses and narrow streets, I was really happy to see this miniature town.
Visiting Rasiglia: Stone Houses, Bridges, and Flowing Water
The houses in Rasiglia are built from local rock; some of them are decorated with flowers and plants. And all this is interwoven with wooden bridges, under which rushing streams flow.
Add to it small waterfalls falling down here and there, and 2 or 3 big pools surrounded by stone walls where you can just sit and enjoy the view. It’s an absolutely charming place.
A Brief Look at Rasiglia’s Past
Although tiny, the town historically played an important role in trade and exchange between the cities along the Adriatic coast and Rome. When this ended, Rasiglia relied on agriculture and crafts; local artisans specialized in the production of fancy textiles.
What There Is to See in Rasiglia
For history enthusiasts the town offers a few monuments such as the stone Roman Bridge from the 3rd century BC, the ancient fountain in the centre, the ruins (really ruins) of a castle, and the Rocchetta watermill.
The latter has been restored and now there’s a workshop/shop selling handmade stuff.Another interesting attraction is the laundry; years ago women worked there washing and dyeing fabrics.
Food in Rasiglia: More Choice Than Expected
What surprised me while visiting Rasiglia was the amount of all kinds of restaurants, bars, and food stalls. In some larger towns you won’t have such a choice. Local cuisine includes pork and capocollo sausages, black truffles, and desserts made with/from almonds and walnuts.
Lunch at a Family-Run Farm Near Rasiglia
We decided to try Fattoria Monte Puro, – a local, family-run farm producing cheese, cold cuts, and yogurt. The family runs a small shop, or perhaps it’s better to call it a tasting room with outdoor tables.
We had lunch there: a tray with cheese, ricotta, cold cuts, yogurt, and beer. Among the so-called yellow/hard cheeses, the farm sells Pecorino made from sheep’s milk, which I don’t like when it’s fresh because it’s bland. But I really like Pecorino that matures for several months and develops a really great sharp flavour. I’m also OK with Pecorino flavoured with truffles, onions, or herbs.
Cold cuts and cheeses are bought by the slice; we ordered a slice of each cold cut (I don’t eat them) and two cuts of each of five different flavours of pecorino. We were also given rather awful bread at the checkout; in the north of Italy they don’t add salt to it, so it has no taste.
We also bought two jar of yogurt and a bottle of beer to share; for everything we paid 34 euros. And we felt full; not stuffed, just okay. We were also given a plastic bottle to take water from the fountain.
Is Rasigila worth visiting?
Rasigilia is a somewhat picturesque open-air museum, where you for sure can stay longer, especially if you like hiking. There are many trails in the surrounding mountains. However, visiting Rasiglia in just a few hours was enough for me.
I almost forgot: the region is famous for its legumes, so if you want to buy really good chickpeas, beans, or lentils, this is the place to go.
Then we headed to our four-day base, Pistoia, where we began our Tuscany Weekend Adventure.
If this post made you laugh, made you angry, or simply reminded you of your own travel, let me know in the comments or by email. I love reading about your experiences in similar places.
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