Stage 3: Monteleone di Spoleto - Leonessa

This ascent-free stage connects Umbria to Lazio, crossing the 1,000-metre high Leonessa Plateau, dominated by the Reatini Mountains. The beautiful town of Leonessa was founded in 1278 by Charles of Anjou on the northern border of the Kingdom of Naples. It reached its peak in the sixteenth century, thanks to the trade of the wool, brought by the king as a wedding gift to his daughter Margaret of Austria. In Piazza VII Aprile, the centre of social life, we come across the Church of San Pietro, two superimposed buildings enriched by a Gothic belfry and the Collegiata, from where it is possible to enjoy an amazing view of the valley. Also noteworthy is the nearby marvellous Church of San Francesco, whose lower part dates back to the time of the town's foundation. Worth a visit are, finally, the Sanctuary of San Giuseppe and the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo, both located on Corso San Giuseppe.