Traveling through Italy doesn't have to mean staying in places that are high-priced and lacking in character. On the contrary, La Residenza dei Cappuccini is filled with character and is well-preserved from ancient Roman times. This home is as quaint and as beautiful as it was a few hundred years ago, with some modern updates and additions, of course.

If you need any further reasons to stay at La Residenza rather than some other hotel in Spello, you only have to look around the town of Spello. There is so much to see and do here that is worth the stay for a few days. Staying in a historic site only adds to the grandeur of your trip to Italy. Here are five really good reasons to stay at the "Residenza dei Cappuccini" in Italy instead of a typical modern hotel in Spello.

1. In "Centro Storico"
Translated from Italian, the Centro Storico means "city center. " In this case, it is the historic city center that was once the very heart of Spello. Many of the homes and buildings here are centuries old and have survived major world wars and natural disasters.

When you want to rent an apartment in Spello, there are many little apartments available here in Centro Storico. However, you may find it less costly to rent an apartment in Spello within the Residenza dei Cappuccini properties instead, especially if you aren't renting for more than a week.

Wooden bridges and sky walks that were once used to guard the city and traverse it quickly when streets were crowded still exist. Many of the city's most popular tourist attractions are here in the heart of the old city of Spello. Staying at the Residence, you can easily walk to Centro and spend all day walking around and exploring things.

2. Torri di Properzio e Porta Venere
Known simply as "Porta Venere" to the locals, this ancient gate was part of the fortress and entryway into the city of Spello. It is unbelievable to see this almost perfect structure that was built hundreds of years ago look so well-kept. The only giveaway to its age are some of the bare bricks on the walls nearby that have eroded slightly over time.

It is revered and built to honor the Roman Goddess of Love, Venus, who had a temple very close by. When Catholicism prohibited worship of the goddess, the temple was abandoned, but the gate stood because it served the purpose of protecting the city from foreign invaders. Take a leisurely tour of the gate and its foreboding towers before returning and retiring peacefully at the Residence of the Cappucchins.

3. La Residenza is the Best Bed and Breakfast in Spello
You can walk all over the city, but you will not find a prettier B&B in Spello anywhere else. Everything is decorated to be very comfortable, and in a vintage fashion that makes you feel like you have stepped back in time. Combined with the ancient history of the place, and its proximity to popular sites and attractions as mentioned above and including Villa dei Mosaici and Baglioni Chapel in Pinturicchio, there's no better place to stay.

4. Holidays in Spello
Italy is predominantly Catholic, with most of its "chiesas" well-decorated for Christian holidays. Christmastime is one of the most incredible times of year to visit Spello, and even Residenza dei Cappuccini is festively decorated for proper celebrations. Most popular are the open-air markets in town selling all kinds of lovely things to buy and give as gifts, and midnight mass at Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore or Chiesa di Sant'Andrea are spiritually moving. Both churches were built during the Middle Ages, and their surviving religious art and frescoes are even more beautiful during the holiday season.

Another religious celebration not to be missed is the Infiorate di Spello. In terms of holidays in Spello, it takes place on the ninth Sunday after Easter, usually in late May or early June, depending on when Easter occurs each year. Flower petals of all colors are used to make the most amazing murals on the streets of the town. All the murals are roped off so that they can be seen but not scattered by tourists that would accidentally walk through them. This celebration is unique to Spello, and most of it can be seen just walking out the front door of the Residenza.

5. Delicious Breakfasts Served Daily
For the tourist that is budget-conscious and needs to conserve Euros, staying at the Residenza dei Cappuccini provides another nice little benefit. Delicious breakfasts are served daily and include tea and coffee, biscotti, breads, and other delights. You can dine in your room, or out on the veranda of second-story lodgings. The cobblestone garden on the property also has some lovely outdoor tables and chairs at which you may sit and have your breakfast. Breakfast is included in the price of your stay.

Make Your Reservations Soon
Currently there are travel restrictions in place that only allow European Union countries to visit Italy. However, as 2021 proceeds, the travel bans are expected to loosen and allow more visitors to come to Spello. If you have dreamed of visiting Italy, particularly the Umbria region, be sure to make your reservations well in advance.

La Residenza is currently taking reservations through the end of this year. Space and availability are expected to fill quickly. If you are wary about traveling from another country that is not part of the E. U., consult with the owners of La Residenza to see what their cancellation policies and fees are. Any other questions you may have should be asked at that same time. If you do not speak Italian, someone at the B&B speaks English and will still be able to answer your questions for you.