The old Nursia has many reasons to be famous; it gave birth to San Benedetto Patrono d'Europa and many other hystorical persons, It’s municipalità now includes Preci, and is part of the National Park Monti Sibillini.

It is the heart of the truffle region, and it gave its name to the great gastronomic tradition of meat processing and conservation known as "Norcineria".

It holds some other specialties, like the Castelluccio Lentils, grown at the base of Monte Vettore.

That is where our walk will end, at the springs of the Nera.

Norcia is an old territori, capital of the "Norcineria".

Traditional stories tell that jewish slaves displaced in Valnerina, after the distruction of Jerusalem, invented the art of preserving pork meat, as they could not eat it forreligious reasons, and had to preserveit in order to trade with it. However, this art has actually developed in the higher middle ages, when the vast oak tree forests hosted numerous pork herds, largely feed on acorn. Since those days, salting and ageing hams, cold cuts and sausages, became a distinctive activity of the inhabitants of this area. This is where the names "Norcineria" given to that art, and "norcino" to that trade, come from.

Norcia la Vetusta (meaning “the ancient”) has old origins, it was initially inhabited by the Sabini then by the Romans. It still bears rthe signs of those times: despite numerous earthquakes, within the city walls it has retained a regular grid and a peculiar heart like shape.
Getting lost in the streets, admiring a building or a church, a garden or a fountain, is a pleasure. Capolaterra, a part of the city once inhabited by peasants and shepards, has kept its pictoresque aspect. In the surrounding countryside, dotted with small villages each one deserving a separate visit, you will find several observation points overlooking the valley of Santa Scolastica, like a carpet greeting you to the mountains. Its geological origins are similar to that of Pian Grande di Castelluccio,but the roman walls have left a peculiar geometric grid on its surface. Cereals and pasturelan are the main cultivations, while in the lower parts you can still visit the Marcite irrigated wetlands.


The marcite – are evergreen fields, with an irrigation system built by the Benedectine priests through a web of small canals, catching the waters of the Torbidone and Salicone, with a unique feature of constant water temperature.

These water sources used to power several mills, and you can still see the canals running towrds them.

For information on the Mule itineraries E-mail us at info@norciafood.it, or send a fax at ++39 0743.828362.