Visiting Umbria This huge garden, known as Italy’s “Green Heart”, is replete with wildflowers, berries and fruit trees. Red fruits: cherries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries cover the hillsides.
Olive groves abound, and their produce is of extremely high quality, due to its low acidity. Delicious Porcini mushrooms are native to the area, as is that most valuable and elusive member of the fungus family, the truffle.
Naturally, this sunny region produces excellent wines, both red and white. The best known reds are Sangiovese and Montepulciano, while Orvieto is famous for the white of the same name.
All this adds up to a wonderful yet simple local cuisine. Roasted meats of all kinds are favoured: porchetta, a whole roast piglet stuffed with rosemary, roasted guinea-fowl, chicken, pigeon, rabbit, and lamb are common dishes.
Trasimeno Lake supplies fresh fish for delicacies such as roasted queen carp, eel with fresh tomatoes, fillet of perch, and roasted trout with wild fennel.
Finally, we cater to the sweet tooth. Fruits make their contribution; cakes are made with local produce, particularly almonds. Above all, try the Baci Perugina that have made the name Perugia famous for its chocolate. | Towns in Umbria Franciscan monks, feuding duchies, Gothic architecture all contribute to the special atmosphere in this small and landlocked region of Italy. Hilltop towns with fortified medieval origins, still have grace, charm and beauty, with fountains, gardens and elegant design.
The towns are all within easy reach:
Perugia, enclosed by its Etruscan walls, boasts the Prior’s Palace and Major Fountain in the Piazza Grande.
Gubbio, on the slopes of Mount Ingino is one of the most ancient towns of Umbria, extremely well preserved, with numerous points of interest. The Roman Theater, the Consul’s Palace and the Duke’s Palace are of particular interest, as are the town’s churches.
Assisi, home to St. Francis, rests on the mountainside of Subasio. The saint’s life is commemorated in the frescoes in the basilica bearing his name. The defensive nature of the town is characterized by its eight fortified entrance portals.
The church of St. Peter in Spoleto is another focal point. The church enjoys a wide panorama of the town and the impressive Bridge of Towers (ten arches with a total height of 80 meters and 230 meters long). |
 Umbria FestivalsFine crafts and arts are time honoured, with work in ceramics, wood, lace and linen to the forefront. Shopping for these items can become fascinating expeditions.
More energetic appetites can be satisfied with golf (four courses including one on Lake Trasimeno), water skiing, windsurfing, cycling, tennis, walking, horse riding, trekking and swimming.
Towns celebrate with many seasonal festivals and fairs. "Umbria Jazz", the "Two World Festival", the "Sacred Music Festival, the "Nations Festival" and, of course, Perugia’s “Eurochocolate” (a nine-day “choc-in” for chocoholics) are growing in notoriety.
You don’t have to be a history buff or an art student to enjoy Umbria. You can soak up the atmosphere and the views while strolling through the narrow streets and enjoying the local cafes.
The region caters to many interests. If you enjoy the outdoors, the area around Lake Corbara is a fine example of how man’s intervention in nature can create a unique and natural habitat. This area, which has been artificially flooded into a lake by a dam placed along the river Tiber, is rich in plant life and dense woods. The panoramic road that runs around the lake and connects Orvieto with Todi offers stunning views.
The Etrusco-Roman Wine Trail runs from Orvieto to Amelia past the lake and the WWF nature reserve of Alviano. The wine trail runs along some of the best DOC wine producing areas of Orvieto and Amelia, as well as including what can only be ranked as the finest monuments and artistic sights in the area.
Visiting Umbria is a remarkable experience. From the Orvieto vineyards to the Perugia chocolate, your palate is sure to be satisfied. For sightseeing visit Assisi, tour the church of St Peter in Spoleto, and go out of town to check out the massive Bridge of Towers in Spoleto. Fishing in Trasimeno Lake is a favoured activity, and walk the Etrusco-Roman Wine Trail to sip on Umbria's bold reds and crisp whites. For the more active traveller, trekking around Mt Ingino provides lovely panoramic shots, as well as great exercise. Your Umbrian holiday awaits! |
