Let’s start this journey from Eggi, one of the many villages that you can find along more than 40 kilometers of olive groves  of the “Fascia Olivata Spoleto – Assisi”
Born during the Roman Age, this fortified village begins to take on its current configuration from XIV century, by the construction of the homonymous Castle, that has got the characteristic triangular shape of many fortifications built on slopes. Thanks to its position among the Valnerina and the Umbrian Valley, since XV century this village had a long period of richness, which brought to a halt the expansion of the residential area beyond the walls and it has repercussions on an artistic level, in decorations of its places of worship.

The first one you’ll meet, to the front door of the Castle, it is the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel: despite the works that many times modified the building, inside it you can admire the frescoes by the anonymous “Master of Eggi”. Going away from the old town, you’ll find the Church of Our Lady of Grace, which behind the poverty of its structure it hides several rich frescoes, representing the Virgin and they were realized by the school of Giovanni di Pietro, called “Lo Spagna”. Among these ones a singular Virgin on horseback, by the Master in person. Finally, a few hundred meters, you’ll meet the Church of Saint John the Baptist, where it can be recognized the hand of the Spagna into the frescoes that embellish the apse.

After visiting Eggi, run along the small centers of Bazzano Inferiore and Bazzano Superiore. For this short itinerary to discover some fortified villages of the Spoleto zone we are going to stop at “Bazzano di sotto”: at the foot of the Mount Giove it is dominated by the Castle, on its entrance door you will spot a small shrine with a Virgin with her Son. Despite the signs of aging, you can still imagine, in the high walls of the castle and in its four towers, strategically positioned so as to dominate the entire surrounding area, the defensive importance this fortification had to have during the Middle Ages.

Then leave Bazzano Inferiore and head towards the third stage of our journey. The small district of Silvignano which, just like Eggi, falls under the category of “fortified villages”: since XIV century, indeed, it was fortified due to its position between the Flaminian Way and the old Passo della Spiga (which through the Valnerina leads to Marche region), that made it an important piece of Contado di Spoleto defensive system.

Volendo chiudere l’itinerario per ritornare al punto da cui siamo partiti, Eggi, potrete percorrere un tratto della via Romano-Lauretana, un percorso che collega due grandi mete di pellegrinaggio, Assisi e Loreto, e fa parte di un antico tracciato di origine medievale che portava fino a Roma, lungo la direttrice Spoleto-Camerino-San Severino: più che un cammino, è un museo a cielo aperto di natura, luoghi e memorie, che ricalca i passi di pellegrini e viandanti che nel tempo l’hanno percorso.
Questo tratto della via Romano-Lauretana, di circa 9 km, ha un dislivello in salita di 290 m e uno in discesa di 560 m.