Rieti

It consists in a display of sculptures, coins, goldsmithery and objects from the prehistoric, Etruscan, Hellenistic and Roman periods, including an iron age urn found near Rieti.

It was started in 1109. It has an impressive Romanesque bell tower from 1252. The interior was almost entirely rebuilt in 1639 and hence is mainly Baroque, and hosts several noteworthy paintings and sculptures. The crypt remains from the original Romanesque church.

It is a museal path consisting of the Cathedral Treasury museum, housed in the Cathedral's baptistery; a museum of liturgical furnishings, in rooms near to the Cathedral's crypt; a lapidary in the vestibule leading from the crypt to the Bishop's Palace; and of the Diocesan Art Gallery, set up in the audience hall of the Bishop's Palace.

Built in 1288, it has been the residence of several popes and hence is also called "Papal Palace". The exterior is severe and in Romanesque style; inside, the ground floor, always open to the public, houses a beautiful Gothic cross vault, while the upper floor contains the audience hall (which houses the diocesan picture gallery) and the bishop's private apartment.

It's a large arch which runs over the street. It was built by Pope Boniface VIII, which witnessed the 1298 earthquake; he was so frightened of collapsing buildings, that he ordered his own palace to be reinforced with this arch.

Built in the 13th century, the church was restored and reopened in the 1990s after being abandoned for two centuries. It preserves the Romanesque exterior, while few has remained of the original interior, apart from some small surviving frescoes. To fill the void, a very large pipe organ has been built inside.

St. Dominic church has an architecturally significant convent, well worth a visit. It develops around the Blessed Colomba cloister, with a beautiful Italian-style garden and a portico decorated by frescoed lunettes illustrating the life of the blessed Colomba. At one side of the cloister, there is the St. Peter the Martyr Oratory, a small chapel that houses an astonishing fresco of the Last Judgment, painted by brothers Lorenzo and Bartolomeo Torresani between 1552 and 1554. Sadly, it is almost impossible to visit the oratory and the cloister, since it's part of the military area of an Italian Army barracks (caserma Verdirosi), and the military allows touristic visits only on special occasions (e.g. "giornate FAI"). This is a real shame, since it is arguably the most important fresco in the whole city!

The so-called geographical centre of Italy might seem like a gimmick to attract tourists, but Rieti was nicknamed "Umbilicus Italiae" ("navel of Italy") even in Roman times. The exact point is at St. Rufus square, recorded by a multilingual plaque and a monument which locals call "caciotta", as it resembles a round cheese.

The small Baroque church is worth a visit mainly because of the painting known as "The Guarding Angel", hosted inside and attributed to Caravaggio or one of his pupils. It is said to be the most important painting in town.

Opened in 1893, it is the city's main theatre and opera house, held as one of Italy's best theaters for acoustics. The elegant interior holds art nouveau decorations by Antonino Calcagnadoro and a large painting on the dome by Giulio Rolland, depicting the triumph of Rome's emperors Titus and Flavius following the victory over Jerusalem.

This church was built in 1620 on a design by famous architect Vignola. Its Baroque façade was never completed: the brickwork surface had to be covered with marble slabs, like Rome's Gesù church. The church has been lying abandoned since the 1970s; its interior is off-limits and has become a refuge for pigeons, stray cats and vandals.

It's a small alley that perfectly represents the typical features of mediaeval cities, with arches, ladders and narrow passages. It's not the cleanest spot in town, although it has been repaved.

The eastern city gate of the mediaeval walls, the largest and arguably the most scenic one, on the Via Salaria consular road to Ascoli and L'Aquila.

16th-century palace designed by baroque architech Carlo Maderno.

A guided visit to the undergrounds of Via Roma's buildings surprisingly reveal that a 3rd-century Roman viaduct is still in place under the street, and supports the weight of the road with its arches. It is also shown how in the past some buildings had a boat access from the Velino river, like in a small-scale Venice. The visit lasts around 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Built in the 3rd century AD, it remained the main access to the town until the 1930s, when it became too low on the water level and had to be demolished. The old bridge was laid out on the riverbed, but can still be seen emerging from the water, while a modern bridge replaced it. The nearby area is a very good spot to enjoy Rieti's natural beauties: Velino's water is clear, the riverside is covered by a nice lawn, and ducks use the old bridge as a nest. There are nice cafes and pubs facing the river.

Built in 13th century over a small oratory founded by Saint Francis, it's indeed his second church ever. It features a simple and clean Romanesque exterior, and a less valuable Baroque interior. It's very important for local believers, as it's the starting point of the procession of Saint Anthony, held every year on June 13.

The euro currency was introduced on January 1, 2002. Italians still have fond memories of their former currency, the lira, despite the fact that they had to count in millions; this monument, sculpted by Daniela Fusco and inaugurated in 2003 by Sofia Loren, has become a cherished tourist attraction.

The southern city gate of the mediaeval city walls, into the Via Salaria consular road to Rome. The current gate was built in 1586 and enclosed the small street Via Porta Romana; in 1930 it was moved at the centre of the square to make its appearance more spectacular, as if it was an arch of triumph. Atop the gate, an inscription greets who is entering the city in Latin Ingredere Omnia Fausta Ferens ("enter bringing good wishes"); another salutes who is exiting the city with I et red feliciter ("go and come back successfully").

A beautiful bicycle path runs by the southern Velino riverside, going from west to east. It is 3 km long and allows for a nice bike ride near the green river shores and far from traffic. Benches and drinking fountains are available along the way.

This is a longer bicycle path that consists of a 21 km circular ring which starts and ends in Rieti. Entirely flat and without climbs, it is immersed in the nature of the Rieti Plain, between cultivated fields and rivers. Rest areas along the way have benches, picnic tables and drinking fountains. For most of the length, the bikeway has an easily recognizable orange colour. Pay attention to the Contigliano-Sant'Elia trait, where the route is not well indicated: always look for the red dashed line at the roadside to be sure of being on the right way.

1.5 km south of the city centre, Fonte Cottorella is a renowned spring of mineral water, used for drinking and for bathing. Near the spring there is the thermal building (sadly in a rather poor state), a restaurant, and a small park with benches, tables and paths that go into the nearby mountain. Its water can be tasted for free in a public fountain, and can be bought in larger quantities at a convenient price.