Trevi: Villa Fabri, Olive Trails and Regional Cuisine

Trevi lies on the slopes of Monte Serano, on a hill covered with olive groves. The inhabited centre is enclosed by massive Roman walls dating from the 1st century BC. Its historic setting and olive-growing landscape give Trevi two distinct, closely connected perspectives. When looking for a hotel in Trevi, you can plan your trip around whether architecture, walks through the landscape or regional cuisine is your priority.

Villa Fabri and the history of the town

Villa Fabri was built from scratch by Girolamo Fabri towards the end of the 16th century and inaugurated in 1603. Its piano nobile halls retain an extensive fresco decoration from the first half of the 17th century, which is well preserved throughout. The frescoes can therefore be viewed as a unified decorative scheme for the halls, rather than simply as individual paintings. The stories of Saint Wenceslas and Saint Francis are the focus of the richly frescoed chapel. The villa thus offers two distinct artistic highlights: the extensive fresco decoration of the halls and the depictions of saints in the chapel.

Sant’Emiliano is another landmark in Trevi’s architectural history: the church dates from the 13th century. Together with the Roman walls from the 1st century BC and the later Villa Fabri, it shows how different historical layers coexist in the town. The buildings therefore cannot be reduced to a single century: the walls, church and villa each point to different periods and themes.

Olive-growing landscape and trails

The promenade along the historic walls is about 800 metres long, flat and lined with trees. From there, you can look out over the olive groves and the valley below. Its length, level route and views make this a clearly defined way to experience the landscape alongside the historic edge of the town.

The Sentiero degli Ulivi (Olive Trail) passes through Trevi, connects Spoleto with Assisi and is dedicated entirely to the olive tree. It offers a different perspective on the olive-growing landscape from the promenade along the walls. The trail reaches elevations of 500 to 600 metres and passes scattered 16th-century olive growers’ houses. Olive growers lived in these houses during harvest seasons. The route thus connects the subject of olives with a historic use of the landscape. This distinction can help you choose a route: the promenade is characterised by its length of about 800 metres, flat course and valley views; the Sentiero, by contrast, stands out for its connection between the towns, its elevation and the history of the harvest houses.

Sedano nero di Trevi and regional cuisine

Alongside the olive groves, Sedano nero di Trevi (Trevi black celery) is a distinctive feature of the region’s agriculture and cuisine. It has been grown in the area since the 17th century and is one of Umbria’s six Slow Food Presidia. Its stalks can grow up to one metre long. Its characteristic features are dark green ribs, a distinctive aroma and an absence of fibres. The celery therefore has not only a long history of cultivation, but also clearly defined characteristics that help you identify it.

Another culinary highlight is sedani ripieni di salsiccia (celery stuffed with sausage), a dish eaten in Trevi in October. This dish provides a specific seasonal reference for planning, while the cultivation of black celery dates back to the 17th century. These represent two different time frames in regional cuisine: the long history of cultivation and October as the time associated with the dish. If you would like to include culture, landscape and cuisine in your trip, Villa Fabri, the historic walls, the Sentiero degli Ulivi and Sedano nero di Trevi each offer a different focus.

Discover more destinations: Castel Del Piano, Foligno, Pian di Marte, Chioano, Beroide, Macchie, Monteleone Di Spoleto, Vernazzano Basso.

For the main travel overview: Perugia.