Leonessa

Orange Flag of the Italian Touring Club

Leonessa is the largest Italian municipality in terms of territorial extension in central Italy among those located above 900 m above sea level. The municipality is rich in religious and civil architecture of great value, including: the San Giuseppe da Leonessa sanctuary, in Baroque style with the Saint's remains inside; the church and cloister of San Francesco where a demo-anthropological museum is located; the church and convent of San Pietro in Piazza VII Aprile, which preserves works and paintings by important artists. Also worth seeing are the Farnesiana fountain, the Angevin Tower, Porta spoletina, Porta aquilan and Palazzo Cherubini, where the composer Bixio Cherubini was born.

Thanks to an ideal climate, Leonessa is a destination, both in winter and summer, for tourists who can enjoy unspoilt nature to discover and spend their holidays enjoying sports and relaxation.

Typical local products include the potato (celebrated with a festival in October) and cured meats, in particular those of "C'era una volta" (Once upon a time), a small artisan workshop that makes and sells sausages, including top cup, an ancient and endangered sausage. Among the most evocative events are the Palio del Velluto (end of June), recalling the historical period when Leonessa was enfeoffed to Margaret of Austria, the "Summer in Leonessa" summer festival, and the feast of St Joseph (September).