Umbria is the ideal place for anyone who loves the Middle Ages and its lovely medieval towns. In this green land, where mountains alternate with forests, are some of the oldest towns in the peninsula, for years among the most beautiful villages in Italy. Among Assisi, Perugia, Bevagna, Norcia, Spoleto and Gubbio, to name a few, you’ve surely wondered at least once: but what is there to see in Foligno?
Well, let me tell you right away!
Foligno is one of the most characterful towns in this beautiful region. Here the Middle Ages left indelible traces: at every street corner you’ll find living evidence of its rich past.
But there’s more!
If you want to visit Foligno, you should know that, by tradition, this town is considered the “centre of the world”.
Why?
Quite simply, Foligno lies at the centre of the Italian peninsula, long considered the centre of Europe, and therefore of the world. The locals take it with irony, but the nickname has stuck.
In this post I’ll explain what to see in Foligno; and if you want to discover other medieval Umbrian towns, you should also read my post on what to see in Bevagna.
But enough chatter!
Ready to discover Foligno, its history and its quirks?
Let’s go!
1 – The Cathedral of Foligno, San Feliciano
The cathedral of Foligno is far older than it looks. The present building dates to 1133, but stands on an older one (9th-10th century). And it has an unusual feature: not one, but two façades.
The main façade belongs to the medieval rebuilding; a few decades later the church was enlarged with a new transept, which made it possible to create a second, more spectacular side façade that still faces Piazza della Repubblica today. Focus on that one: here you’ll find the finest decoration, starting with the magnificent Romanesque portal of 1201 (by the masters Rodolfo and Binello), with bas-reliefs depicting Frederick Barbarossa, Bishop Anselmo, the symbols of the Evangelists and the signs of the zodiac.
But the cathedral’s story doesn’t end there. In 1543 Cola di Caprarola reduced the interior to a single great nave, later entirely redecorated in neoclassical style between 1772 and 1819, to a design by Giuseppe Piermarini and Luigi Vanvitelli. In my view the loveliest part is the ancient medieval exterior: the modernisations robbed the interior of much of its original charm. One thing worth noting, though, is the high-altar baldachin (1698), designed by the Jesuit Andrea Pozzo and carved by the Foligno craftsman Antonio Calcioni in imitation of Bernini’s at St Peter’s. Good news: after a long restoration, the cathedral is fully open again with its treasures.
Want a curiosity? According to period documents, the cathedral stands on the spot where San Feliciano was martyred in 251 AD: tradition holds he was the town’s evangeliser, tortured and then dragged to his death by a chariot.
One last thing! Next to the cathedral is the Palazzo delle Canoniche, home to the Diocesan Chapter Museum and the oldest part of the church, the Crypt of San Feliciano (recently restored, dating to the 7th century). Don’t turn up hoping to walk in, though: the museum is closed to the public and can only be visited by appointment, writing to the diocese (museodiocesano@diocesidifoligno.it, 0742 351209). If you plan ahead it’s worth the phone call, because that’s the only way to see the crypt (checked in August 2026).
2 – Palazzo Trinci: between Middle Ages and Renaissance
Also on Piazza della Repubblica, next to the town hall and the cathedral’s side façade, stands the famous Palazzo Trinci, another must-see among the things to see in Foligno.
You won’t find it hard to recognise: it’s an early-15th-century building in late Gothic style.
But why is it so important?
Beyond its fine architecture, Palazzo Trinci preserves its extraordinary late-medieval painted decoration, with frescoes from the workshop of Gentile da Fabriano and of Ottaviano Nelli. Today it houses the picture gallery and the archaeological museum: in the first part you’ll find finds from all over the Colfiorito area (tablets with Umbrian inscriptions, very ancient votive statuettes), and on the upper floors the gallery, with frescoes detached from churches in the area.
What struck me most is how well laid-out it is, with detailed panels in every room: from the Roman domus with mosaics to the frescoes of the passetto that linked the palace to the cathedral. And then there are the famous Hall of the Liberal Arts and Planets, the Hall of Giants and the chapel frescoed by Ottaviano Nelli with stories of the Virgin dated 1424: a marvel that will leave you open-mouthed.
In short, among the things to see in Foligno you can’t miss your appointment with Palazzo Trinci. I’m sure it will amaze you.
3 – Piazza del Grano
After Piazza della Repubblica, explore the town towards Piazza del Grano. Here stands the church of San Giacomo, in Gothic style (1402): impossible not to recognise it, with the striking white and red bands decorating the lower part of the façade.
Not far away, in the Oratory of the Nunziatella, hides a marvel: a fresco of the Baptism of Christ by Perugino, the master of Raphael. One more word of warning: the oratory only opens at the weekend, on Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 13 and from 16 to 19 between April and October, and on the second, third and fourth Sunday of the month (plus public holidays) between November and March. Entry is free, and outside those hours you can ask for it to be opened at the Palazzo Trinci ticket office, 0742 330584 (checked in August 2026).
4 – Piazza San Domenico
In Piazza San Domenico stands one of the oldest structures in Foligno: the church of Santa Maria Infraportas, a splendid Romanesque church. Here too you’ll see the classic white and pink bands, added during the 19th-century restorations; above stands a large two-light window, made with reused elements from an earlier rose window. The small portico isn’t original, but was built at the same time with 11th-century columns and capitals.
And inside? Here too the restorations somewhat penalised the original atmosphere, but along the oldest walls you’ll find beautiful medieval frescoes (the Chapel of the Assumption is a must). While you’re here, admire the church of San Domenico too, from the 13th century, with a fine 14th-century bell tower.
5 – Piazza Garibaldi
I’ve told you almost all the most important things to see in Foligno, but I want to end with Piazza Garibaldi. At its centre stands the statue of the general of the Thousand, separating the church of Sant’Agostino from the Collegiate of San Salvatore. The latter is the more interesting, with an unusual, richly decorated façade: it was originally an ancient Benedictine abbey (10th-12th century) and still keeps much of its medieval charm.
I stayed a while in the middle of the square: what struck me most is the perfect harmony between the ancient structures and the modern buildings. Maybe it was the mild climate and the calm of the evening, but it gave me a deep sense of peace.
6 – The Quintana Joust
Among the things to see in Foligno I also want to point out a wonderful event that every year draws thousands of people from all over Italy: the famous Quintana Joust, a very evocative historical re-enactment that brings the town’s medieval past back to life (it’s run twice a year, in June and September).
No, it has nothing to do with the Gaite Market of Bevagna or the Palio of Siena, but it’s a truly special event.
What is it? You know those old jousts where knights charged on horseback with their long lances? Exactly: the Quintana takes you back in time to those chivalric games, with costumed riders charging at the ring.
7 – S.P.Q.F.: Foligno in Roman times
One thing you’ll notice as you stroll through Foligno is an abbreviation you’ll find just about everywhere: S.P.Q.F.
Like the famous Roman SPQR, here it stands for Senatus PopulusQue Fulginei, “the senate and the people of Foligno”. I found it delightful: it comes from the fact that Foligno (the ancient Fulginia) was a Roman municipium and then a free commune until the Middle Ages.
Did you know?
And you, in Foligno will you be won over first by Palazzo Trinci or by the atmosphere of the “centre of the world”?
