The Best Things to Do in Gubbio, Italy

Buried for centuries, the Middle Ages forgot about this Roman theatre, erected in the 1st century BCE. Now a museum with mosaics and a venue for Sophocles shows, the amphitheatre lies in Gubbio’s southwest under the watch of the Sant’Ubaldo mountain church. Some arched, Roman-typical brickwork colonnades are still intact. Sitting in the fan-shaped arena is like riding a time machine – you can almost hear the 6,000 spectators cheering for gladiators.

Ever ridden a “birdcage” to a mountaintop? Funivia is a ski lift-like cable car that whisks you to Monte Ingino, standing in a rickety, hanging metal basket for six minutes while Gubbio shrinks into miniature below. At the summit, you can enjoy a cappuccino while catching some rays at the café, which is also a perfect place for taking in the dramatic mountain views stretching far and wide. Bolstered by caffeine, you can trek down, stopping for a picnic on the way.

A short hike from the Funivia, the Basilica of Sant’Ubaldo is a Roman Catholic church that overlooks the Umbrian valley. Built on pre-existing medieval structures featuring brick walls, it resembles a citadel. But walk through the arched cloister, and you’ll be gazing at five naves, a semi-circular apse and murals of saints linked to Gubbio’s history. Particularly intriguing are the Madonna and child between saints, and the town’s patron saint resting in a Neo-Gothic shrine above the altar, complete with stained glass windows illustrating Sant’Ubaldo’s life. There’s also a museum.

Constructed over a 13th-century Romanesque church with a pointed portal, the Cathedral of Saints Mariano and Giacomo sits in the foothills of Mount Ingino. The cathedral’s red-brick exterior lends an aura of simplicity, but the contrast inside is stark. The mainly Gothic-style interior boasts a single cross-shaped nave propped up by 10 arches, and practically the whole place is adorned by 16th-century paintings and 14th-century fresco traces. The Baroque-tinged chapel provides an awe-inspiring experience as hushed voices and heeled shoes echo off stone floors.

In the heart of the historic San Martino neighbourhood you’ll find this 13th-century palace, which was the former private residence and public office of Cante Gabrielli, a counterweight to the then-noble political class. The Gothic-style palace with its distressed, monochromic limestone facade features ogival arches and is now a museum displaying torture devices. Opening its doors, you’ll be stepping inside gruesome medieval Europe.

Completed in 1349 to create more public space following Gubbio’s rapid expansion, architectural genius Angelo da Orvieto designed this square palace with a battlement. His name is now inscribed above the portal’s arch. Beckoning in Gubbio’s pedestrian zone, this Gothic masterpiece overlooks Piazza Grande, a suspended terrace (the city’s political hub in the 14th century) and a bell tower rising above the formerly Praetorian town. You can access the palazzo’s arch entrance via fan-shaped stairs and dive into art and archaeology at the gallery and museum.

Formerly the police headquarters, this Gothic palace was built in the early 14th century. Striking though the structure may be – with its natural rock facade and arched windows – the palazzo owes its fame to the fountain at its front. Legend has it anyone who wants to be named a “madman” has to run around it three times and be baptised by a city resident with its water. The crossbow exhibition inside is just as interesting, whether or not you get your “madman” certificate.