Excursions include cooking classes, art and farm tours, lessons in local cheese and honey production, and treks to a truffle cave to undearth the black truffle so prized by chefs from around the world. Norcia itself is a top draw thanks to its wealth of religious processions and festivals —including those celebrating black truffles, saffron, jazz, and flowers. Or, just take off on foot and see where the streets take you—the hotel is a few steps from the main square of St. Benedict, between the Castle of Vignola and the convent of St. Francis. The onsite wellness center, with its massage and water therapies, is the perfect way to unwind after a busy day. As is dinner at Vespasia restaurant. Opened and operated by Vincenzo and Federico Bianconi, the family’s latest generation of restaurateurs, it is a tribute to Norcia’s immense culinary richness. Flickering candlelight, sparkling silverware, crystal glasses, and spotless table linens create an elegant backdrop to the refined dishes prepared by Chef Valentino Palmisano and his staff—each a celebration of the colors, scents, and flavors of the region.