Spello - How to spend a perfect day in Italy

Ep.39 Spello is one of those places that treats your eyes to so much beauty and fills your heart with so much peace, you may never want to leave. Join us on the special day we spent in this romantic city.
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Finding Gina Marie is where we share our lives as full-time travelers and the connections we make along the way.
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📹 VIDEO EQUIPMENT
* Primary Camera: Sony FX30
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[@michelledamiani6254]

Oh my blessed, I am so honored. A friend just forwarded me your video and WOW, I can’t tell you how much it means to me that my words spoke to you and that you allowed yourselves the magic of settling into a day in Spello.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Oh Michelle! I absolutely loved reading your book, "Il Bel Centro: A Year in the Beautiful Center" so much, and when we decided to visit, I literally just tried to do the things you mentioned! We had such a magical day in Spello and so appreciate that you shared your adventures with the world so that we could duplicate some of its very special qualities during our travels. I am working towards dual citizenship in Italy and, although it's a small town, it's someplace we might actually consider settling. I'm not such a fan of the hills, but as you say, the dolce is worth the climbs! Thank you for watching and for taking time to comment on our episode! -Judy

[@NoPisces]

I am ready ♥️

[@FindingGinaMarie]

I hope you have an amazing time! It is a very beautiful and special place! You might enjoy the rest of our Italy series as well. In fact, we'll be headed to Italy for over three weeks very soon and then again in the fall. -Judy 🎥 Italy video series: kzbin.info/aero/PLNT98lWfwdF1Tj_VCjUNQTJBMtKpkz5Sk

[@jonlucas52]

I was there in early Oct - and can vouch for your views that this town is absolutely delightful. Recommended by me!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

We are so glad to hear you had a wonderful experience in Spello, too! You might enjoy the rest of our series from Italy, which I'll link below. We will be back in Italy in the spring and are looking forward to explore more parts of that beautiful country! -Judy Italy video series: kzbin.info/aero/PLNT98lWfwdF1Tj_VCjUNQTJBMtKpkz5Sk

[@elizabethwalker6145]

Spent 2 weeks in Spello as a solo traveler studying Italian & fell in love with this little town. Now I’m going back taking 7 ladies for a week.. can’t wait to see my American friends who live there.. You hit the highlights.. I had lunch several times at Bar Bonci.. We also hung out at Bar Tullia, a pasticcheria just up the street.. for cappuccini e gelati..

[@elizabethwalker6145]

I too love & am inspired by Michelle’s books..

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi Elizabeth, Thank you for sharing this with us! We would have loved more time in Spello, and it's cool that you are bringing a group of women there to enjoy a week in this lovely town! You might also enjoy our episodes from Italy, especially Genoa and Turin, which we loved. Thank you for watching. We love hearing about the travels of people who enjoyed the and spent time in the same places as us! -Judy

[@FindingGinaMarie]

What a small world! ♥️♥️♥️ -Judy

[@cheriewhite976]

You guys remind me of my life with my beloved and much missed KC. Enjoy your lives together. I travel alone now for the last 7 years. I’m looking also for that heart center town or village in Italy. Although I do have to say, after spending the whole winter in Vienna, I am in love with that absolutely amazing city. I so look forward to your videos! See ya on the train sometime in the future. CJ from Santa Fe.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Wow, CJ, what a sweet comment. We're so sorry for your loss and can't imagine how hard it must be. But good for you to not let that stop you from traveling. Best of luck on your search for a new home. We'll be in Vienna for a month this summer and before that a few additional places in Italy-Turino and Genova. We are so glad you are traveling with us and we'd love it if our paths could cross! -Judy

[@val.clan.ginger3281]

I super appreciate this video! I had several people recommended Spello so far and this video probably sealed the deal. I have 2 nights to fill and I wanted to fill it with a lesser known less touristy town where we could just relax and enjoy a more local hill town. This place looks like all of my Italian dreams come true! Thank you again!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

We are so glad to hear you enjoyed our video. Spello really is a very special place. If you do end up going, we’d love to hear what you think of it! Thanks for watching! -Judy

[@claudiahansen4938]

Carbohydrate loading to fortify yourselves for the walk up the hills!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

EXACTLY! Although we're told that dessert is the reward for the climb, which I also don't mind (not that I ever need an excuse to have dessert in Italy!). Thanks so much for watching, Claudia! -Judy

[@JosephHeck]

Absoljutely love that sculpture of the olive tree as tree of life!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hey Joseph, we fell in love with it, too, even though it was modern. It is very special and has so many nuances to it. Thanks for watching! -Judy

[@v.5799]

What a lovely little town. Thank you for the video. And the hosts were so enjoyable to watch, Judy 'must' be Italian? Her hands never stop 'talking.' xox Spello is definitely on my list, now.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Thank you so much for watching! We are so glad our video of Spello captivated you. We'd love to know what you think of it when you finally are able to visit. And I have been working on the hand waving! It's much better now beginning with our last two videos in Egypt, but yes, I am *definitely* Italian! -Judy

[@MadeinEataly]

Welcome to Umbria 😉

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi Mario, we had such a lovely time! We previously had worried that you needed a vehicle to travel here, and perhaps you do if you want to spend a significant amount of time here, but we were delighted that it was such an easy train ride. And the food was so amazing! -Judy

[@PaperDiva67]

I’m heading to Naples/Sorrento/Amalfi Coast in about a week to visit our Foreign exchange student and his family (they live in Ferrara) in a month. Next trip we will visit other areas like this! We will have hit the major cities after this visit, our third trip. Thank you for the suggestions ❤

[@FindingGinaMarie]

I've heard great things about Ferrara, but we've never been. What I love about our viewers here is that you all give such great recommendations about places to visit and are helping us to prioritize where to go next. We could spend all our time touring Italy and still not see all of the special places! I'm glad to reciprocate and hear that you may consider visiting Spello at some point! And how cool for your family to be hosting a foreign exchange student. -Judy

[@PaperDiva67]

@@FindingGinaMarie The hosting happened serendipitously about 10 years ago. It was a special experience for our whole family! Ferrara is a small medieval city that is kinda a bike capital because it’s so flat. It was home to the Estes family and has a lot of interesting history. Our students family lives in the city center and they played host to us. When we visit Italy our student joins us for several days and assists us around which really spoils us! His family came to California (we live in San Luis Obispo County) and we had a wonderful time hosting them too! We’re blessed!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

@@PaperDiva67 What a cool story! I think this is a great experience for everyone from both families! And what a great language-building opportunity for everyone as well. Thank you so much for sharing this! -Judy

[@FindingGinaMarie]

@paperdiva67, We are potentially considering a visit to Ferrara this spring or late fall. Someone recommended it to us because it fit much of our criteria as a place to eventually live when we settle down. What do you think of it as a place to stay long term? Is the architecture beautiful? We had been prioritizing Verona and Torino, but due to the cold and pollution, we want to give ourselves a few more options. We have a long time before we're at that point, but we are trying to consider/rule out places in the meantime. Thoughts? -Judy

[@PaperDiva67]

@@FindingGinaMarie I only visited once and while a nice town I think it’s probably a lot smaller than Verona from the looks of the videos I have seen. It’s got the historic midevel city center and the newer areas outside of the delineation of the old walls, they’re still unexcavated as they serve as part of a interesting bike path. We visited in the late fall so it was rather gloomy. Judging from videos Verona seems more beautiful than Ferrara. That being said, the history is pretty significant in its own right based upon the period of time in which it seated some respectable regional power and the people are very proud of their city. It’s apparently the bike capital of Italy because it’s so incredibly flat. My exchange students family bikes had no gears because they’re unnecessary! The location is a bonus though. Close to Bologna (airport) and about an hour train ride to Venice as well as only a 30 minute drive to the Adriatic. Of course it’s all about the highest quality food in Emilia Romagna! Our friends are very proud of it! The father of our student runs the “Chamber of Commerce “ in Ferrara now. Of course it’s functional is different than a US Chamber of Commerce which focuses on Small business. You are probably aware that their chamber is more broad encompassing all of the Italian economy, with each chamber representing their regions and towns. All that to say, I will be seeing them in a week when we will meet in Paris and I can see about connecting you to them to answer any questions you may have. Regards - Adrienne

[@MsMariaSierra]

Now you’re making it really difficult!!! Spello sounds enchanting and will have to add it to the list!! Really enjoyed this video!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Spello truly is a magical place. You'll have to let us know what you think of it if you ever visit! We are so glad to hear you enjoyed this video! -Judy

[@dansouth2088]

Millions of people have traveled from across the world to visit Assisi, but most never venture to its neighbor towns such as Spello. Love that you had a great adventure there, and it brings back memories of my trip to Spello some 25 years ago. It's a beautiful place to visit for sure. Thank you for sharing!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

How cool that you visited Spello, Dan! Fortunately for us, it was easily accessible by train. There are a lot of small towns not well connected and we don't typically rent cars. I wonder how different it would be from when you visited, but I have a feeling that it wouldn't be so different-the people seem like they have lived there for generations. Thank you so much for watching and for sharing about your time there! -Judy

[@dansouth2088]

@@FindingGinaMarie - You can actually just take the bus from Assisi to Spello, which is probably easier than catching the train. I agree with you on the not driving thing, but some places I will rent a car, such as the Mediterranean islands where there is lots to do but not always good transport options.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

It actually was surprisingly easy to catch the train and it was super fast. Sometimes bus lines are trickier or unreliable and trains rarely are in our experience, but you are probably right. We've made it a rule not to rent a car, but that's not to say rules can't be broken. Rental cars tend to come with their own baggage that we'd prefer to avoid, but we realize that we sometimes will miss out on places as a result of that choice. Again, rules are made to be broken, though! -Judy

[@stefRish]

Bravi , ho visto e ascoltato molto volentieri il vostro racconto . Avete colto perfettamente la bellezza e le tante sfumature che , una gita a Spello o ad uno degli altri , tantissimi borghi italiani , può offrire. Io stesso che abito in Umbria ,faccio le stesse vostre esperienze , girovagando con la mia compagna ,per i borghi dell'Umbria, del Lazio , della Toscana e tornando a casa , sempre con tanti bei ricordi. Ciao

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Thank you so much for watching and for your lovely comment. We are so happy to hear you enjoyed our Spello episode. It was such a lovely place and we are thrilled to have spent time there. Here's a link to our Italy series, which includes our most recent episode from Turin, which we absolutely loved as well! -Judy Italy video series: kzbin.info/aero/PLNT98lWfwdF1Tj_VCjUNQTJBMtKpkz5Sk

[@lisap0204]

What a beautiful city! I had never heard of it but it sounds magical. Thanks for sharing. Your videos always make me feel like I'm there with you.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Thank you, Lisa! It really was a great day there! We would absolutely visit again. It's a small town, but the people were first rate! Thank you so much for your comment. You are too sweet! -Judy

[@erinaustin9968]

Thank you for introducing Spello to me. It looks so charming and relaxing.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

So glad you enjoyed it, Erin! It truly is a magical place! We loved it. ♥️ -Judy

[@Elle-kr8od]

I've only watched a couple of your videos so far, so you may already have solved the skirt problem. If not, I recommend Ripskirt Hawaii. They have three lengths of quick-drying wrap skirts, in a variety of colors and patterns. One of them might just tick all the boxes for you.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi Elle, I've actually been looking at Ripskirt Hawaii since it keeps coming up in my Facebook feed! It wasn't an option in Egypt, but I did order a couple to be delivered here in Cyprus. Unfortunately, the cost of shipping and VAT are ridiculously expensive, but it's the downside of living internationally-some things are much harder or more expensive to buy than in the US. Thanks for watching and for helping to provide a solution. I'll let you know how they work out! -Judy

[@Elle-kr8od]

@@FindingGinaMarie Fingers crossed!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi Elle, Great news! I bought two sizes of Ripskirt length 2 and they both fit! I was prepared to exchange one or the other when I got to Scotland, but there's no need. I love how flexible the sizing is! I bought pearl batik and plain black, and I love them already! I'm short, but the length is perfect! The cost for both including expensive shipping was $186.32, but worth it! I've pitched my heavy black denim skirt in Egypt and I'm now ditching my heavy denim jean shorts here in Cyprus!

[@Elle-kr8od]

@@FindingGinaMarie Glad to hear it! And yes the price is well worth it, considering they're just right for your travels. Comfort, style, easy care--great combo. And they'll lighten your load. :)

[@FindingGinaMarie]

@@Elle-kr8od Agreed! I am thrilled! -Judy

[@itsmetaran]

Never been to Spello but it looks enticing. On the list now. Thanks!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

I hope you enjoy it, Taran. It truly is a magical city. It's got a very special personality to it and just true salt-of-the-earth people there. -Judy

[@Jmcivor777]

Not sure if u are still in the area- Spello reminded me of a mini Perugia -a city nearby we enjoyed very much. There's the Baci factory out of town (there's a public bus) where we took an Easter egg making class in Italian (despite not speaking any Italian!) The best memories!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

I am a HUGE dark chocolate fan. I will definitely add Perugia to my bucket list and check out their factory! It sounds like such a fun jaunt! Thanks for sharing your memory with us, and I am glad our video of Spello could help you hearken back to such special times! We are now in Cyprus, but we'll be back in Italy in mid June for a few weeks. -Judy

[@Jmcivor777]

@@FindingGinaMarie hopefully you post about Cyprus as we are thinking of heading there too once we start to do the Schengen dance. Looks like a good possibility for warm winters.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

@@Jmcivor777 We absolutely will! We have several episodes about Egypt coming first, but I've been posting a few pics of our first days here in Cyprus on Instagram (@findingGinaMarie) while we are getting settled. It always takes a few days for us to catch up on editing and writing before we have time for touring! It's been a bit chilly and rainy the last two days, unfortunately, but I know that will change! -Judy

[@Jmcivor777]

@@FindingGinaMarie some vloggers take months to create and upload so no prob. We appreciate the info! Hopefully Cyprus wont be too rainy for you.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

@@Jmcivor777 We try our best to record videos when we're still in the location of those videos. It doesn't always work that way (we have a few videos about Luxor that we'll be recording from Cyprus), but we are thrilled that right now, we are ahead of the game, which is making staying consistent with our Saturday uploads possible (barring slow upload speeds like we encountered in Luxor!) Cyprus was rainy the last two days, but today the sun is shining! Hooray! -Judy

[@lindacamp8561]

My husband and I will definitely visit Spello as well. We are staying outside of Bevangna in Sept. Maybe I missed this, but did you not rent a car?.... took trains everywhere?

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi Linda, Our home base was Assisi when we went to Spello. And correct, we did not rent a car. We prefer to take trains whenever we can. I know there are places we miss, but we avoid the aggravation of getting lost, having it get stolen or liability for a wreck, and renting/returning it, etc. We'd love to hear what you think of Spello when you visit. I'm not familiar with Bevangna, so we'd love to hear about that as well! -Judy

[@lindacamp8561]

@@FindingGinaMarie hi! thank you for your response! I have been so stressed the last month or so trying to figure out if we should rent a car or not. I do love trains so this will probably be our option. happy trails!

[@FindingGinaMarie]

@@lindacamp8561 Italy makes it very easy to see so many places by train. We've visited various cities there on five separate occasions (with a sixth happening in a month) and have always been able to see what we need to without renting a car. We do miss seeing some small towns/villages that aren't well connected, but there is so much to see that we feel like we haven't missed out so far. -Judy

[@lindacamp8561]

@@FindingGinaMarie that's awesome - thank you for this encouragement for train travel👍

[@FindingGinaMarie]

@@lindacamp8561 Have a wonderful trip! ❤

[@sjcafiero]

What time of year did you visit Spello?

[@FindingGinaMarie]

Hi Salvatore, we were in Spello just before Valentine's Day around February 11. We loved it, although it was reasonably chilly! Have you seen our other videos from Italy? I will link them below. Thanks for watching! -Judy Italy video series: kzbin.info/aero/PLNT98lWfwdF1Tj_VCjUNQTJBMtKpkz5Sk

[@sjcafiero]

Thanks so much for your quick response. I'm planning to visit Italy in the spring of 2024 so, hopefully it will be a bit warmer at that time. I'll be following you for additional information on Italy in the meantime. Thanks so much!@@FindingGinaMarie

[@FindingGinaMarie]

@@sjcafiero We hope you have a magical time there. The time will fly by with the holidays approaching. We'd love to hear what you think about Spello when you return from there. We plan to be back in Italy next spring and fall (no idea where yet though!). -Judy

[@5217tuber]

Spello must be Italian for “quintessential Italian hill town”.

[@FindingGinaMarie]

@@5217tuber In some ways, not really. It is quite different from Assisi, another quintessential hill town in Italy. There really is something magical. People there are incredibly kind, and there is such a community aspect there that we haven’t seen in every part of Italy, which can be very protective against strangers. -Judy