Foligno is one of Umbria's very ancient towns, though you will have to look quite hard to find the evidence. Sitting on the Topino River, in Umbria region's Perugia province, the city was sacked by the Romans in antiquity, the Lombards in the Middle Ages and has suffered a number of major earthquakes (most recently in 1997). It was then heavily targeted by Allied air strikes during World War II. Unluckily for Foligno, it was not just a major road and rail intersection, but had the maintenance yards for all central Italy's trains. You can adduce the Roman roots of the town in its grid of central streets though.
Notwithstanding the best efforts of the US and Royal Air Forces, there remains a nice little collection of historic sights to see in the centre of Foligno, chief among them the fine Duomo di Foligno. This 12th century Romanesque cathedral, erected between 1133 and 1201 has surprises within, having been entirely reworked (not entirely successfully) within during the 1700s. There is the 13th century Palazzo Comunale, rebuilt a number of times, and the 11th century Church of Santa Maria Infra Portas, the oldest church in Foligno. See too the Trinci Palace, built at the turn of the 15th century, which now has the town's archaeological museum, picture gallery and civic museum. 5km east of Foligno, the Abbey of Sassovivo has a 13th century cloister and is well worth a visit.
To the left you'll find a selection of hotels, to get you in the mood
- see also our full listings of Foligno hotels.
