Umbria

Umbria, also known as 'Green heart of Italy' is one of the smallest regions and the only landlocked region of Italy. It has a very central, and therefore strategic location, acting both as a north/south crossroads and as a gateway between two seas, the Adriatic and the Tirrenian.

Assisi and Spoleto are Umbria’s loveliest towns and unmissable medieval gems as is the old town of Perugia and the alluring hills-towns of Gubbio, Spello, Montefalco and Todi.

ASSISI with its geranium-hung streets, lovely views and fountain-splashed piazza, is a beautiful, medieval town dominated by Basilica di San Francesco (St Francis). It is his burial place and one of the great Christian shrines receiving vast numbers of pilgrims throughout the year.

Assisi suffered serious damage during the earthquake in 1997, but restoration was completed in approximately two years.

SPOLETO , within its wooded setting, is the loveliest of the Umbrian hill-towns. Its urban atmosphere is enhanced by its superb monuments and by the Festival dei Due Mondi, one of the Europe’s leading arts festivals held annually in June and July.

Spoleto substantially maintains a medieval appearance, due to the period in which it was first a flourishing longobard Duchy, and then an important city within the Papal State.

PERUGIA, chief town of the Region of Umbria, rises up in the region's heart, with its 5 storical quarters closed-in by its Etruscan town walls. These enormous bastions were constructed 22 centuries ago and are still visible for long stretches.

In Perugia there is one of Italy's most important squares, the Piazza Grande of Perugia (now called Piazza IV Novembre) a superb architectural complex where you'll see the Prior’s Palace, the Cathedral and the 13th century fountain Major Fountain at the center.

GUBBIO, laying on the slopes of Monte Ingino, is one of the most ancient towns of Umbria, extremely well preserved during centuries and rich of monuments testifying its glorious past. Along Assisi, Gubbio is Umbria’s most medieval town. The beauty of its twisting streets and terracotta-tiled houses is enhanced by the forest-swathed Apennines.

Dominated from the top by the St.Ubaldo basilica, Gubbio keeps architectonic masterpieces testifying the beauty and the importance of what used to be during the Middle ages, a real town-state.

SPELLO is one of the better known villages in the Valley of Spoleto. It is a classic hill town mainly dating from the middle ages, famous for its 'infiorata' in June when all of Italy seems to come here to see the flower 'paintings'. It is just ten minutes from Assisi and is itself a "Citta d'arte".

MONTEFALCO is placed in a dominating position looking down on the valleys of the Topino and the Clitunno rivers, offers the viewer of a sweeping panorama of the Umbrian countryside.

The buildings inside the ancient town walls which are definitely worth visiting are, without doubt, the Town Hall, church of St. Augustine, the Romanic church of St. Bartholomew and the church of St. Chiara

Among the most important typical products in the city we should absolutely mention the Sagrantino of Montefalco wine.

TODI is one of the most strikingly situated famous hill-towns of Umbria, looking down from its hilltop eyrie over the Tiber valley. It preserves an uncorrupted medieval air, with several tiny churches, three austere public palaces and many sleepy corners. Piazza del Popolo, the main square of Todi, is flanked by the lovely Duomo and the Palazzo dei Priori with linked Palazzo del Capitano and Palazzo del Popolo.

Umbria today is an increasingly popular tourist destination, with the wonders of the Etruscans mixing in alongside those of Ancient Rome and the splendid array of mediaeval towns and hilltop villages.

GETTING AROUND Excellent road, rail and bus links exist in the region.  The A1 from Florence passes Orvieto, which is linked to Todi by the S448.  The S75 connects Perugia, Assisi and Spello, then the S3 continues to Trevi, Spoleto and Terni.