Selci: Art, History and Hiking Trails

Selci combines a historic town centre with public art projects, churches and several hiking routes. When planning your trip, you can focus on different things: the lanes in the centre, the PUBBLICA, Residenza d’arte art route, Residenza d’arte or a longer hike. Local food culture and a traditional August event may also play a role in choosing when to travel.

Historic Town Centre and Churches

The ancient Castru Silice gate remains the only entrance to the historic centre and leads directly into its narrow, long lanes. Rocca Castri is a surviving part of Selci’s first fortifications.

The Chiesa del SS. Salvatore is Selci’s parish church. Check opening arrangements before your visit. The Chiesa di Santo Stefano dates back to the 11th century and was rebuilt in 1945. Only the façade of the Chiesa di Santa Lucia remains; a work created in 2022 as part of the Selci Visionaria urban renewal project now adorns it. The Chiesa di S. Eleuterio is a medieval country church dating from the 11th century.

Public Art

The PUBBLICA, Residenza d’arte project has transformed Selci into an open-air gallery. The art route runs around the main street. From Via Roma, you can see a mural of a woman with “tired eyes” on a building façade; it is part of the PUBBLICA, Residenza d’arte route. The art can therefore be experienced both as part of the townscape and along a named route.

Another cultural point of interest near Selci is the Santuario di Vescovio and its bell tower.

Hiking Trails and Their Different Connections

Selci is one of the municipalities on the Cammino dei Borghi Sabini, a six-day circular hiking trail. There is currently no continuous, dedicated signage along the entire Cammino; following the GPX track is recommended for navigation. Check trail conditions before setting out.

Selci is also connected with the Via di Francesco: the town is designated as a leading town on the Tiber section. The information most relevant to your planning therefore differs: for the Cammino, the circular route and six-day duration are specified; for the Via di Francesco, Selci’s designation for a particular section is highlighted. Which route you explore depends on whether you want to focus on a circular hike with a defined duration or on this connection to the Via di Francesco.

Local Food Culture and August Tradition

Porchetta selciana is a traditional product of Selci; its distinctive seasoning and preparation are passed down from generation to generation. Fallone is a mildly spicy rolled pizza typical of Torri in Sabina, Selci, Forano and Nazzano. It can be filled with Swiss chard, chicory or zucchini. These two dishes represent different aspects of local food culture: the traditional preparation of porchetta and the rolled shape of fallone.

One traditional account places the Tradizionale Sagra Della Porchetta in mid-August and reports that it has been held for almost 70 years. Check the dates for your chosen year before planning your trip around it. This lets you take the August tradition into account without assuming a specific event date.

Discover more destinations: Colle Di Tora, Casperia, Piano, Rocca Sinibalda, Santa Maria, Orvinio, Poggio Bustone, Torri In Sabina

For the broader travel overview: Rieti.