Holiday apartment in Massa Martana – history at the foot of the Monti Martani

Holiday apartment in Massa Martana: culture, trails and orientation

Massa Martana is situated on a rocky spur at the foot of the Monti Martani. A holiday apartment in Massa Martana is an interesting choice if you would like to combine historic sites, archaeological traces and nature trails. Roman roads, churches, museums and hiking opportunities shape the possible themes for exploration.

Roman traces and historic sites

The Villa San Faustino Catacomb is located in the village of Grotta Traiana, in the Villa San Faustino district of the municipality of Massa Martana, near the ancient route of the Via Flaminia and the Ponte Fonnaia. The Ponte Fonnaia is a Roman road bridge with one arch; it was built in 220 BC from hewn travertine blocks and carried the Via Flaminia over a small tributary of the Naia.

The historic centre of Massa Martana lies within the castle walls; the well-preserved entrance gate is decorated with hewn stones and the town's coat of arms. The Church of San Felice stands on the main square, whose fortified features have been preserved. The present church building dates from the 15th and 16th centuries, and the bell tower was built in 1637. The Church of Santa Maria in Pantano was built between the 7th and 8th centuries over an existing Roman building and is considered one of the oldest and most interesting churches in Umbria.

The town museum "Spazio Martano: Storia e Territorio" distributes its three sections across two different visitor locations. The Antiquarium includes an interactive multimedia area with maps, backlit information panels and touchscreens for the digital exploration of archaeological sites. The Museo Italiano Presepi d'Arte displays more than forty works. Near Santa Maria in Pantano lies Vicus Martis Tudertium, an ancient Roman settlement where excavations have uncovered structures and finds from the Republican and Imperial periods.

The Abbey of San Faustino was built on a Roman settlement near Villa San Faustino within the municipality of Massa Martana. The stone castle of Villa San Faustino dates back to the 10th and 11th centuries and is associated with the lands of the Arnolfi family. The old Abbey of Saints Fidenzio and Terenzio dates from the 9th century; a Benedictine community lived in the nearby monastery and looked after the complex until the end of the 14th century. Santa Maria della Pace is also located in the surrounding area of Massa Martana, along the ancient Via Flaminia. Construction began in 1521 to protect a fresco of the Madonna del Latte from the mid-15th century.

Trails and practical planning

For active days, there is the Castelliere di Monte Cerchio with its circular, dry-laid rings of limestone. The remains are approximately 2.8 to 3 metres thick and no more than one metre high. From Le Troscignole del Pozzachiolo, the Castelliere can be reached via a 1.6-kilometre-long, gently uphill path. The Martani Trekking routes are equipped nature trails extending through the Monti Martani area.

When planning your days out around a holiday apartment in Massa Martana, the town's practical services are also relevant. Busitalia offers direct bus connections from Perugia to Massa Martana. A smartphone audio guide for Massa Martana is available in Italian, English, Spanish, French and German. The tourist office organises guided visits and trekking excursions by prior arrangement.

Advance booking at least two days ahead is required for visits to the Villa San Faustino Catacomb and the Ponte Fonnaia; visits are offered in Italian and other languages. This allows you to incorporate cultural visits and trails in the Monti Martani into your travel planning in a targeted way.

Further places for orientation

Further places for orientation: Izzalini, Camporeggiano, Ponte Centesimo, Camerata, Palazzo, Badia, Gubbio-Nerbisci, Pian di San Martino.

For the higher-level travel overview: Perugia.