Up and down the hills of Todi

I’ve already written about the wonderful view from the San Fortunato bell tower , and I’ll have future posts on the beautiful squares and churches of this pretty Umbrian hill town.

But today, I want to talk about all the hills a tourist has to climb to visit these picturesque hill towns …. and to make a plea to wear sneakers or comfortable footwear to do so. You’ll be glad you did!

Like many medieval towns, Todi was built to defend against invaders. Unusually, the town of Todi actually has three separate layers of protective walls. They are all clearly marked for visitors “invading” the town today.

But, to be so well defended, you need to be on a  hilltop, with clear views all around. And Todi most certainly is.

The town is located on a  hill 400 meters from sea level, with clear views of the surrounding countryside all around.

No matter where you go in town you’ll be met with a combination of hills and stairs. I watched in admiration as a grandmother, clearly returning from a ceremony with her grandson, tackled one of the steepest hills in towering heels – more power to her, but I don’t have it in me…

You’ll love this well preserved medieval town – but to love it even more, make sure you visit with some good walking shoes so you can tackle all those hills, stairs, and church bell towers on your next visit…

My best advice for visiting Todi? Wear comfortable sneakers.