Nocera Umbra, Italian comune
Nocera Umbra is a commune in the province of Perugia, set on a hilltop that overlooks the Topino River valley. The medieval old town is made up of narrow lanes, stone walls, and old gates that lead up to the Piazza Grande, where the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta sits at the top.
The ancient Umbrians founded the settlement, which later became a stop on the Roman Flaminian Way. After being destroyed by the Goths in the early Middle Ages, it passed to the Duchy of Spoleto and then joined the Papal States in the 1400s, remaining there until Italian unification.
The name of the town recalls the ancient Umbrians who first settled this hill. Today, religious life is shaped by several churches and devotion to the local patron saint, while the Satriano Cavalcade held each September keeps the memory of Saint Francis alive.
The town is best explored on foot, as the narrow lanes and steps of the hillside make it hard for vehicles to pass. Those with limited mobility will find an accessible trail called Oasi del respiro and a sensory garden called Giardino dei colori just outside the town gates.
The town is known as the city of waters, thanks to three mineral springs nearby: the Sorgente Angelica, the Sorgente Flaminia, and the Sorgente del Cacciatore. Water from the Angelica spring was once shipped as far as Istanbul.
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