If you’re not tired of churches and monuments yet, inside the walls you can visit the Museo Civico at the Palazzo dei Consoli (split into two sections: the Pinacoteca (picture gallery) and the Museo Archeologico) and the Museo della Ceramica di Porta Romana in Via Dante, inside the tower (it has a very rich collection of over three hundred pieces of maiolica with metal-like glaze (lusterware), made between the Renaissance and the 20th century). Do not miss the masterpieces kept at the Museo d’Arte del Palazzo Ducale and, nearby – just below the Cathedral – the wonderful collection at the Museo Diocesano, which houses the famous ‘Botte dei Canonici’ (a huge barrel and must-see rarity for wine lovers) and wonderful paintings and sculptures from the 13th-14th centuries. A single ticket will give you access to the museum and the churches of Santa Maria dei Laici and Santa Maria Nuova, which are also part of the same museum tour called ‘La via dell’arte e del culto’. If you like antique weapons don’t miss the Mostra Permanente della Balestra (Crossbow Exhibition), a tribute to the famous folk celebration of the ‘Palio della Balestra’. If you prefer a nice regenerating walk, why not stretch your legs in the Teatro Romano and Ranghiasci town parks. Lovers of trekking and walking can follow in the footsteps of St Francis Assisi, retracing his fascinating journeys. The most famous of all is certainly the Sentiero di S. Francesco, measuring some 192 km, from the Santuario de La Verna where Francis received the stigmata and up to Assisi, passing through Gubbio. On the town’s southern border, you can visit the beautiful Parco della Vittorina, with the small church that stands inside, linked to Gubbio’s traditional devotion to the Franciscan saint. It is here that the friar apparently met and tamed the ferocious wolf that frightened the inhabitants of the town. A few kilometres from the historic centre, on the hill in front of Mount Igino you’ll find the Parco di Coppo, a well-equipped picnic spot with play areas for children, a restaurant, bar and related services. Finally, if you are still hungry for more and you love extreme sports, Gubbio and its surroundings still have a lot to offer, with the Parco del Monte Cucco and the Gola del Bottaccione, where you can go in for potholing, guided visits to the cave, canyoning and even gliding.
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