Inside tips and tricks for a fun tour of Todi – Part 1

I am often asked why I love living in Todi so much. Aren’t you bored? Wouldn’t you like living in a bigger and busier town, with lots of cool and stylish shops, with multiplex, discos and so on?

Well, definitely NO!

It’s maybe hard to understand, but every day, every time I walk along Todi’s streets there is always something that inspires and amazes me with its beauty, its simplicity and genuinity… I can’t help but take photos with my phone and share the beauty of my town on Instagram!

Why should I live elsewhere? I was born here, and have every intention to live here forever. This is the town I love most to show visitors.

Todi is a quite small town, full of famous monuments, such as the amazing medieval Piazza del Popolo (among the biggest medieval squares in Italy) and the Renaissance Consolazione Church (project attributed to Donato Bramante).

But I’ll challenge you! Turn the corner, and explore the ancient and narrow alleys where you’ll discover thousands of hidden little treasures that will surprise you and remain etched in your memory.

Now I’m going to give you some help…follow me!

Inside tips and tricks for a fun tour of Todi

1. The famous legend of the friar and the nun

Here we are, just in front of the stunning gothic gate of San Fortunato Basilica (13th-14th century). Take a look at the base of the last small column to the right: oh yes, there is a lonely naked man! Now follow that column: on the opposite side you will find a half-naked woman! Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to the protagonists of the most famous legend known in Todi.

We use to say that “even pigeons know this story”!

According to the legend, the sculptor who carved the marvelous entrance door had a dispute with the Franciscan friars regarding payment, and as revenge against the friars, he carved a pornographic image right on the facade…a naked friar and a half-naked nun!

You can imagine how eager everyone is in Todi to tell this funny story to friends and visitors, but you have to also understand that this is just a legend! If this unusual image was so offensive to the Franciscans, it could have easily been removed. But after centuries the couple is still there and everyone can clearly see them…why? What is the real meaning behind the couple?

Well, come visit Todi and I’ll tell you!

2. The Mythological eagle and its nest

Todi stands proudly on top of a lovely hill. Why right there?

Once upon a time, before the Romans, a Trojan prince named Eneas escaped from Troja after the war against the Greeks, and landed on the shores of the Tyrrenean sea with a small group of loyal companions. Eneas remained there and soon after Rome was founded (just to summarize!): a friend of his, Tudero, decided to head north to explore the new land. He was looking for an special place where he could found a new town and give it his name: Tudero , Tuder…Todi!

He arrived in the Tiber Middle Valley and probably fell in love with the beauty of this place (and it still happens to many visitors!) and thus he decided to stop down there in the green valley. According to the legend , after 3 days, while he was projecting the structure of the new town, which had to be built near the river, a huge eagle came down to Tudero and his companions, took a table cloth and brought it up on the hill!

They all said “Tudero wait! The Divinities want us to build the town not in the valley but on top of the hill!”. Thus Todi today stands on the hill, 410 metres above sea level.

Still after centuries the coat of arms of Todi features a big eagle with open wings and a table cloth in its claws. Take time to explore the medieval district, Nidola, right behind the Duomo, and you’ll get to two stunning panoramic terraces named Lucrezie Balcony and Nido dell’Aquila, Eagle’s Nest, the place where the legendary eagle had its nest! Enjoy the splendid and breathtaking view.

3. Help for poor spinsters

Few steps from the Piazza del Popolo there is a small precious church named Nunziatina, unknown to almost all visitors. The Baroque church was built at the beginning of the 17th century and run by the Brotherhood of SS. Annunziata.

They administered a hospital, took care of the poor and also had a very special task. They had to collect money to give the dowry to the poor spinsters of Todi! Back then, a woman could not get married without a dowry and some poor women were sometimes condemned to remain spinsters for ever! Thanks to this brotherhood many pretty but poor women had the possibility to get married.

About the church… well, it’s really very nice, and if you want to visit it I can ask for the keys!

4) Fresh water

For centuries, the subsoil of Todi is rich in water: kilometers of underground tunnels brought drinking water into cisterns, wells and public fountains. Around 1911 the municipality of Todi decided to modernize the water supply by building a new public aqueduct.

Thousands of men started to work with shovels, pickaxes and wheelbarrows: they kept on digging for 20 years and built about 30 kilometers of tunnels between Todi and the Martani Mountains, where there were 3 sources of fresh and pure water. This water was led up on the hill and around 1930 the work was completed.

The water cisterns were put under the Rocca, the big playground on the highest point of Todi’s hill. It’s always touching to think of all those men who worked with their bare hands, without power tools or cranes. And here’s the fascinating part: the aqueduct is still working!

Our great grandparents not only built a new aqueduct, but they also created an amazing municipal park for their future grandchildren by planting pines, cypress trees and so on. I spent my childhood up there and now my children are enjoying the same place. And so it will be. Tradition is our greatest treasure.

Part 2 coming soon!

Author’s Bio: Elisa Picchiotti lives in Todi and works as a Licensed Guide of the Region Umbria. She founded the website Todiguide.com ,together with her colleague Luca, that shares insider tips on Todi. Follow her on Twitter @todiguide to get the latest updates on Todi.