PARRANO, UMBRIA

It seems that no matter how long we've been here there's always someplace new to explore, sometimes places we've never even heard of.  Last week we discovered Torre del Colle, just outside of Bevagna, and just a few days later we stopped in Parrano to check out a festa we had seen advertised.  We'd been to Parrano before, but never into the centro.  There are some caves just outside of Parrano, and the meeting point had been just outside the centro.  By the time we'd finished with our cave visit we were wiped out!  (You can read about that adventure HERE.)

We arrived in Parrano just before the festa got underway, so we were able to wander through the streets as everyone was getting set up.  I haven't done any research to learn the history of Parrano, but one of the stones set over a doorway has the date 1531 carved into it.  I'm sure this little fortified town was one of several in the area, used as lookouts and/or stopover points for travelers. 

Isn't this window - and the ironwork - just gorgeous?
















I have no idea what this little gated area is, or what all the carvings set into the walls are either!












Here are a few more shots:
















And if you have the interest or patience, here's a slideshow of all the photos I took that day. You can click on the small square icon in the bottom of the slideshow screen to enlarge the photos to fullscreen size.