The starting point for this itinerary is Fornace, the site of one of Compignano’s ancient brickworks. It is worth stopping briefly to visit the site, where explanatory signs illustrate how bricks are produced, an activity that was common in the Marsciano area as early as the Middle Ages. From here we take the unpaved road beyond the asphalt one linking Mercatello and Migliano, heading towards Montelagello. The first part of the route descends to a small bridge.
This marks the beginning of a long climb of average difficulty that crosses countryside characterized chiefly by cultivated fields, interspersed with small thickets composed mainly of holm oaks and oaks. At the end of the climb we come to the castle of Montelagello, which has been completely renovated; most of it is now used as a holiday farm. Restored a number of times over the centuries, this defensive structure erected at the border between the territories of Orvieto and
Perugia was long owned by the Vincioli family and Pietro, its most renowned member, was born here.
We continue on the municipal road of Fiommarino to Monte Vibiano Vecchio. Its history, along with that of Mercatello below it, was long tied to the Vibi family, documented in the 13th century as one of Perugia’s leading families. The Loggiato dei Vibi, whose portico is sustained by slender Renaissance columns, is one of Mercatello’s most distinctive landmarks. The building in which the portico is located was supposedly once an inn.
From here we take the paved road to descend to the built-up area of Monte Vibiano Nuovo and then the village of Mercatello. We then take a dirt road into the valley of the Rigo torrent, which the route skirts and crosses several times. We pass several abandoned farmhouses and come to the wide unpaved road that climbs to Montelagello. We turn left and are only a few minutes away from our starting point.
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