In June, Jim and I spent twelve days exploring Umbria, the stunning region just southeast of Tuscany. I shared plenty of photos on Facebook of the towns we visited — each beautiful in its own way — but I held back on Spello. Why? Because what we experienced there simply cannot be captured in a few pictures or captions. Spello deserves more. It deserves more — a story.

And that story is about Le Infiorate.

Every year, on the feast of Corpus Domini (Corpus Christi), the streets of Spello are transformed into a living canvas—flower carpets that stretch for meters, designed and laid down entirely by hand using flower petals, leaves, and seeds. No glue or adhesives are allowed; instead, water is misted on to keep the petals fresh and in place. The effect is dazzling: sacred art underfoot, created in the middle of the night, and gone by sunset the next day. The official website is https://www.infioratespello.it/.

Here’s a brief overview of the main events of Le Infiorate:

• Saturday Morning–Afternoon: Local groups mark the street with large design templates and set up tents to cover the designs from wind and rain.
• Saturday starting at 6pm: Volunteers begin work and continue through the night, preparing thousands of flower petals, carefully separating colors and textures, then placing petals by hand onto the designs using tweezers, cards, and their hands — with plenty of chatting, singing, and sharing food.
• Sunday at 8am: All designs must be completed, because the judges start their walk through town assessing each carpet in several categories.
• Sunday at 11am: A religious procession passes over the flower carpets, a symbolic act that also marks the end of their brief lifespan.
• Sunday Evening: The streets are cleaned, and the petals are swept away, leaving only memories—and lots of photos—of this fleeting, floral art.

We arrived on Saturday morning and, to our surprise, discovered that our apartment was right along the procession route. Throughout the day, we explored the town and saw around 60 different flower carpets designs. However, we paid special attention to the one just outside our door. I used photos of that particular design to illustrate the Infiorate process.

There is a tremendous amount of work needed to prepare the flowers, so some groups invite visitors to help. We found one of these groups and helped for about an hour. So much fun to participate in the activity!

The designs are created and judged in four categories:

1. CARPETS / QUADs: flower displays of at least 24 square meters that represent a religious theme in a figurative, abstract, or symbolic manner. These dimensions are reduced for particular narrow streets.
2. FIGURATIVE CARPETS: flowered carpets measuring at least 12 linear meters or 12 square meters, but less than 24 square meters, in which at least one figurative element is present.
3. UNDER-14: flowered carpets measuring at least 12 square or linear meters created by groups whose members are under 14 years of age.
4. GEOMETRIC CARPETS: flower carpets of at least 12 linear meters, in which the repetitiveness of the shapes prevails.

Here are pictures of designs in each of these categories, along with some street scenes.

Another flower contest, Finestre, balconi e vicoli fioriti, is also held that brings color and creativity to windows, balconies, and alleyways. Displays are judged on beauty, originality, and how well they highlight the town’s historic architecture. These blooms give Spello a lasting charm. Here are some photos that capture that beauty.

If you are considering visiting Spello for Le Infiorate, here are a few tips for you:

• Go! It is worth it!
• The 24-hour period from 4pm Saturday to 4pm Sunday gives you an opportunity to watch (and participate!) in the preparation activities, see the completed designs, and watch the procession. If you can only go on Sunday, get there as early as possible, preferably well before 8am.
• Stay in the town of Spello if possible. I made reservations six months in advance and there were few rooms available. Plan early, but also check for openings later if that is your only choice.
• Reserve a parking space online then walk into the city. We brought only what we would need for the two nights, because the hills are steep!
• Be prepared for crowds and focus on the beauty and community spirit instead.

Le Infiorate may last only a single weekend, but the spirit of creativity, community, and beauty lingers all year. Whether you come for the fleeting floral carpets or stroll through flower-filled alleyways in another season, Spello offers something truly special. It’s a town that celebrates art, honors tradition, and welcomes visitors with open arms—and, of course, plenty of petals.

We’re so grateful to have been a small part of it.