Assisi

Distance: 5,4 km (8 min)

Assisi, Saint Francis’ birthplace, nestles on the slopes of Monte Subasio and is a world heritage site of great religious and cultural importance.  A number of well-preserved buildings bear witness to the town’s Roman origins and medieval, Renaissance and Baroque architecture abounds.

Not to be missed:

• The Basilica of San Francesco (13th century) with frescoes by Giotto and Cimabue;
• The Town Square (Piazza del Comune) and Minerva’s Temple (dates back to late 1st century Republican Rome and is now a church);
• The Basilica of Santa Chiara, completed in 1260;
• The New Church (Chiesa Nuova), built in 1615;
• The Dome of San Rufino (bishop, martyr and Assisi’s patron saint);
• Santa Maria Maggiore from the early Christian era;
• Santo Stefano, a small church built during the 12th and 13th centuries AD;
• Eremo delle Carceri, on the slopes of Monte Subasio, Saint Francis’ place of retreat, prayer and meditation.

In the nearby town of Santa Maria degli Angeli, you cannot help but marvel at the beautiful Papal Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Porziuncola.

Events and Festivals: If you happen to be in marvellous Assisi at the beginning of May you can’t afford to miss the Festival of the “Calendimaggio”.  Plays, dance performances, exhibitions and public contests are at the heart of the entertainment on offer.

Perugia

Distance: 20 km (25min.)

Perugia is the capital of the region of Umbria and was founded in about 700BC, thus dating back to the Etruscan era.

City life is vibrant and intense, a characteristic due mainly to the presence of one of the oldest Universities on the Italian peninsula.  It was founded in 1308 and is joined by the most important University for Foreign Students in Italy.

A combination of medieval lanes and breathtaking views (Porta Sole and Viale Indipendenza) take you to the wonderful town centre with its main feature: the celebrated Fontana Maggiore (fountain).

Not to be missed:

• Piazza IV Novembre and the Fontana Maggiore by Friar Bevignate of Perugia is the symbol of medieval Perugia and also one of the most famous fountains in Italy. The Fontana Maggiore was designed by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano and completed between 1275 and 1278 so that it could receive the waters from the Monte Pacciano Aqueduct. Why not try to find two panels depicting two of Aesop’s fables: ‘The Crane and the Wolf” and ‘The Wolf and the Lamb’?
• The Cathedral of San Lorenzo (Piazza IV Novembre), the City Cathedral built in the 14th and 15th centuries is noteworthy for its paintings and its sculptures.
• The Palazzo dei Priori, constructed between the 13th and the 15th centuries, houses the Town Council and the well-known National Gallery of Umbria. The latter merits a visit for its collection of art ranging from the 13th to the 18th century, including masterpieces by Piero della Francesca, Benozzo Gozzoli, Beato Angelico, Pinturicchio, Perugino and many others.
• The Sala dei Notari, formerly the imposing seat of the Notaries of Perugia. Abounds in paintings attributed to Pietro Cavallini and members of his school.
• The Church of San Severo, a small church with frescoes by Raphael and Perugino.
• The Arco Etrusco, (Etruscan Arch), from about 300 BC, is a majestic city gate set in the Etruscan town walls, of which significant remnants remain. Rocca Paolina, a fortress if ever there was one, built on orders of Pope Paul III after the sack of Rome in 1540.  Incorporated in the monumental Rocca walls, is the Porta Marzia, the other city gate dating back to the Etruscan era.
• The Pozzo Etrusco, (Etruscan Well) a masterpiece of hydraulic engineering from the 3rd century BC.
• The Basilica of San Domenico (13th century) and the Church of San Pietro (10th century) are sited along the picturesque Corso Cavour.
• The National Archeology Museum of Umbria, which is housed in the old Convent of San Domenico.
• The Church of San Bevignate, outside the city walls, constitutes a remarkable Knights Templar architectural complex.
• The Oratory of San Bernardino, and various churches: San Francesco al Prato, Gesù and San Filippo Neri.

Events:

• Umbria Jazz: on occasion of this world-renowned Jazz festival in July, the city’s squares are filled with bands from all over the world. Over the years, the genre’s greatest names have graced the stages here..
• The International Festival of Journalism takes place in the month of April.
• Eurochocolate, in October, heaven for chocolate lovers.

Gubbio

Distance: 40 km (45min.)

The splendid medieval town of Gubbio perches on the slopes of Monte Ingino and is among the oldest in Umbria.  Wonderfully preserved, it has survived the many centuries of its existence well and a host of monuments bear witness to its glorious past.

Evidence of its ancient roots may be found in the shape of the Iguvine Tablets (3rd century BC), which rank amongst the most significant italic texts, as well as the Roman Theatre (1st century BC), located just outside the city walls.

Not to be missed:

• The Dome of Gubbio (13th century).
• The Palazzo Ducale built after 1470 on Duke Federico da Montefeltro’s orders.
• The Church of San Francesco (13th century).
• The Palazzi Pubblici and the Piazza Grande, an architectural ensemble of extraordinarily clean lines dating back to the first half of the 1300s.
• The Palazzo dei Consoli, gothic, looks out onto thedramatic Piazza Grande and houses the Civic Museum, amongst its exhibits the prized Iguvine Tablets from the 3rd century BC.
• The Palazzo della Podestà, now home of the town council.
• The Basilica of Sant’Ubaldo.
• The Ranghiasci Park, where the remains of Gubbio’s Patron Saint are kept.
• The Roman Theatre.

Events: the distinctive “Corsa dei Ceri” takes place annually on the 15th of May.

Todi

Distance: 55 km (45min.)

Todi is a medieval town overlooking the enchanting Tiber Valley from its hill top vantage point. The town is of unequalled beauty and elegance and is surrounded by three circles of walls: Etruscan, Roman and medieval.

Not to be missed:

Piazza del Popolo, flanked on by the Palazzo dei Priori, the Palazzo del Capitano and the Palazzo del Popolo and the Duomo dell’Annunziata.

• The Church of the Consolation (Conciliazione), designed by Bramante and built from the 16th century onwards on a central cross plan topped by a lovely dome structure.
• The Roman Cisterns.

Orvieto

Distance: 83 km (1.15h)

One of the oldest cities in Italy, it owes its origins to Etruscan civilisation: the very first settlements date back to the 9th century BC and are located within tuff caves that are hewn into the rock the Umbrian city stands on.

Not to be missed:

• The Orvieto Duomo, a marvel of gothic, Itallian art, and its San Brizio Chapel, a masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance depicting the Last Judgement. The frescoes on the ceiling are works by Beato Angelico and Benozzo Gozzoli, whilst it fell to Luca Signorelli to complete the chapel.
• Pozzo di San Patrizio (St Patrick’s Well)
• Orvieto Undergrond City: a network of labyrinths consisting of more than 1200 caves, tunnels, wells and cisterns, accessible thanks to Orvieto Underground.
• Piazza (Square) del Popolo.

Norcia

Distance: 79 km (1.10h)

At the foot of the Sibillini Mountains, Norcia is considered the most atmospheric of towns in the Valnerina, with many spots of uncontaminated, natural beauty. The high plains around Castelluccio are at their best when in bloom and at that time of year many visitors take delight in breathing the perfumed air and in marvelling at the carpets of sheer colour that stretch as far as the eye can reach.

Not to be missed:

• The Basilica of San Benedetto and the marvellous gothic façade from the end of the 14th century.
• The Cathedral of Santa Maria Argentea, built on the remains of a pagan temple and converted for Christian use in the 3rd century AD.
• La Castellina (The Little Castle).
• Le Marcite (The Meadows): at the town’s entrance are the perennial lawns, which were first irrigated by Benedictine monks taking advantage of local springs.

Around Norcia:

Castelluccio, a small hamlet from where you can admire the plains in bloom, usually from the second half of June to the beginning of July. Every year, 100s of tourists come from all over the world to witness this spectacle of nature.

Cascia, birthplace of Santa Rita, is a major spiritual centre in Umbria.

Preci, boasts the Benedictine Abbey of San Eutizio.  It was built between 900 and 1300 AD. Also: Preci Castle (14th century).

Spoleto

Distance: 54 km (40min.)

Spoleto was once an important Roman colony and the old capital of the Lombardy Dukes. The town’s best known monuments, however, date back to Medieval and Renaisssance times, although evidence of earlier periods is plentiful.

Not to be missed:

• Rocca dell’Albornoz (a Fortress): dominates the city and provides illustrious proof of the presence of Popes and other Rulers in Spoleto.  A system of high walls and square watchtowers encloses the Fortress, which is in fact the symbol of Spoleto.  The Rocca is divided into two distinctive parts: the Cortile d’onore (Court of Honour) with the National Museum of the Duchy and a general purpose space for exhibitions, concerts and conventions, and the Cortile delle armi (Court of Arms) with an open-air theatre.
• Ponte delle Torri (The Two Tower Bridge) links the Rocca with Monteluco via a 230 m long and 82 m highwalkway and is believed to have been built between 1200 and the following century, after Barbarossa’s sack of Spoleto.
• Teatro Romano (Roman Theatre) (1st century AD), still the venue for plays and other performances.
• Cathedral di Santa Maria Assunta, a rare example of Romanesque architecture combined with frescoes by Pinturicchio and Filippo Lippi.

Events:

• Festival dei Due Mondi – “The Festival of the Two Worlds” – is an international event bringing together music, art and culture and takes place in the month of June. An Umbrian festival with worldwide appeal and a long and rich tradition, for a long time the only one of its kind in Italy.  It is noted for being original and unusual and its performances are at times exclusive to Spoleto.

Spello

Distance: 20 km (20min.)

A small town on the slopes of Monte Subasio.

The town centre is a must-see.

Not to be missed:

• The Church of Santa Maria Maggiore (12th-17th century).
• Villa Fidelia (16th century).
• Palazzo dei Canonici.
• Andrea Church (13th century), Church of San Lorenzo (12th to 16th centuries).
• Porta Venere (gate) and Torri di Properzio (towers), from Augustus’ times.

Other Locations

BEVAGNA, MONTEFALCO, TORGIANO for foodies and lovers of good wines.

LAKE TRASIMENE, Italy’s fourth largest lake, is characterised by the beautiful landscapes surrounding it (particularly atmospheric at sunset) and by small lake-side villages. Make sure you take a boat or ferry to Polvese and/or Maggiore Islands.

CASCATA DELLE MARMORE: the Marmore Falls rank amongst Europe’s highest (165 m) and are Roman-made.  This piece of hydraulic engineering was conceived in 290 BC and has inspired poets and artists of every epoch: Virgil in the “Aeneid”, Cicero and Byron in “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage”.

DERUTA, world famous for its ceramics.