Trevi

Italy / Umbria / Trevi /

Trevi is an ancient town and comune (township) in the province of Perugia in east central Umbria, on the lower flank of Mt. Serano overlooking the wide plain of the Clitunno river system. It is 10 km SSE of Foligno and 20 km N of Spoleto.

As you can see, most of Trevi lies on sharply sloping terrain, and makes a striking appearance over the Umbrian plain: only the very center of town is more or less flat. Even the casual visitor will notice the two sharply contrasting faces of Trevi: it is a densely inhabited, inward-looking warren of narrow streets of decidedly medieval aspect, enclosed in two circuits of walls dating to the Middle Ages; and it commands some of the best views in Umbria, extending over 50 km (30 miles) in most westerly directions.

Trevi has a dozen medieval churches: the most important are the Duomo (S. Emiliano), a Romanesque edifice the interior of which was significantly reworked in the 18th century; the shrine of the Madonna delle Lacrime notable for a fresco by Perugino; the former church of S. Francesco, now a museum; and S. Martino, with paintings by Mezzastris.
Beyond the town itself, the rural areas of the township are particularly rich in Romanesque churches: some of those in the plain, erected on the Roman Via Flaminia when that road was in use, remain as markers of the road's course.
The Renaissance is pleasantly represented in town as well: the acme of Trevi's fortunes was in the 15th century, when its commercial importance was such that this little inland town was called "il porto secco" — the dry port. In 1470 for example, along with Foligno, Trevi became only the fourth town in Italy to have a printing press, managed by the first known printing company. The wealth of this period can still be seen in a number of Renaissance mansions.
Put it all together, add the convenient little train station (on both the main rail line from Rome to Ancona and the line from Florence and Perugia), and toss in the unusual number of good restaurants in town — I'm not one to pass over such things — and Trevi is a very good base for visiting central Umbria, especially for those relying on public transportation.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   42°52'44"N   12°44'55"E
This article was last modified 10 years ago