Holiday apartment in Otricoli: Antiquity, nature and festivals

Otricoli combines ancient history, landscape and local culture. In the Antiquarium Comunale di Otricoli, located in the Palazzo Priorale, the archaeological collection serves as an introduction to a visit to the archaeological park of the Roman city. The Antiquarium also preserves the only cast of the colossal head known as the Jupiter of Otricoli.

Culture between Ocriculum and the medieval town centre

The Archaeological Park of Ocriculum covers 36 hectares. To the east of the park, along the SS3 Flaminia, lies a pre-Roman necropolis dating from the 7th century BC. The town centre also contains traces of various periods: the Rocca trecentesca, a 14th-century fortress, is preserved in the historic centre of Otricoli. The Collegiata di Santa Maria Assunta is a significant example of 7th-century pre-Romanesque architecture and houses archaeological materials from excavations in the ancient city of Ocriculum. In Castel di Poggio di Otricoli, the Castello del Poggio was first mentioned in a document dating from 1237; the Chiesa di San Nicola dates from the late 15th or early 16th century.

During recent restoration work in the Chiesa di San Salvatore, a rare 14th-century fresco from the Umbrian school was uncovered. The church also contains votive frescoes, including three depictions of the Madonna del Latte.

Nature experiences along the Tiber and on the trails

The Tiber is the dominant natural feature of Otricoli’s landscape. It runs along the western edge of the municipal area, beside the site of the ancient Roman city of Ocriculum.

In Bosco Vallefredda, an approximately 850-metre-long, equipped woodland trail runs past eight information boards about nature, flora and forest life. A marked network of trails also leads through holm oak, pine and strawberry tree forests to the summit of Monte San Pancrazio at an elevation of 1,027 m.

Festivals, regional cuisine and special dates

Ocriculum AD 168 is a three-day historical reenactment held on the last weekend of May. Its three-day duration and the last weekend of May provide this event format with a clear timeframe for travel planning. Visitors can take part in themed tours led by guides in historical costumes, who recount the lives of ancient figures from the city while portraying them. The Giornate medievali generally take place on the third weekend of July and bring the colours, sounds and flavours of the Middle Ages back to life. Vinotricolando is a three-day event that usually takes place in August and is dedicated to the culinary traditions of Otricoli. This also includes fallone, a focaccia made with oil, rosemary and coarse salt, which is baked at events such as Vinotricolando.

Discover more places in the surrounding area

For further orientation in the region, you can also explore Monterivoso, Acquasparta, Pornello, Capitone, Civitella Del Lago, Coppe, Collicello and Torreorsina.

For the higher-level travel overview: Terni.