Umbria, Italy Area Information
Relaxed and serene, this verdant green landscape, sprinkled with olive groves and stone hamlets, gives Umbria the title of 'Il Cuore Verde d'Italia', or the Green Heart of Italy.
The quiet country lanes of Umbria are made for a leisurely meander. Hamlets, villages, churches and castles, many of which have remained virtually unchanged for centuries, dot the countryside and provide fascinating places to explore, or simply a chance to enjoy the tranquillity of this peaceful rural area where fields are cultivated with sunflowers, maize and vegetables of all types.
Turn a corner and you will see a beautiful stone town perched on a ridge, its walls and houses apparently untouched by time.Enter its 'centro storico' (historic town centre) and you will discover the piazzas and narrow streets are bustling with people and life. Places such as Montefalco, Bevagna, Todi, and Spello are perfect examples.
Whilst essentially rural, Umbria boasts important, historical centres to rival many in Italy. Perugia, its medieval capital, is noted world wide for its magnificent architecture and one of the finest piazzas to be seen. Take some time to stroll along the Corso Vanucci, lined with shops, which leads to the Piazza Quattro Novembre where the impressive Fontana Maggiore plays.
Gubbio, at the north end of Umbria, is less well known but not to be dismissed. Dating back to Roman times, history is present everywhere you turn, and as it clings to the hillside, every turn comes with a view. Make your way to the Basilica Sant'Ubaldo at the very top of the town and you will be rewarded with a far reaching view of the Apennines. Perhaps the most famous of all towns in Umbria is Assisi, its soft pink hued tones dazzling in the sunlight, a stirring sight as you approach across the plain.
The wonderful Basilica, in honour of St Francis, attracts pilgrims from all over the world. On your visit, do not overlook the lesser known basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, just below Assisi, which was literally built around the 6th Century Benedictine chapel where St Francis died. Incredibly, the tiny chapel remains fully intact beneath the great roof of the basilica itself.
Assisi rests on the side of Monte Subasio, an impressive mountain that is part of the Apennine range. It is a protected territory of outstanding natural beauty, a paradise for nature lovers and walkers for its wealth of flora, fauna and walking trails. It is one of the National parks in the region, the others being Parco naturale del Monte Cucco, east of Gubbio, and Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini which straddles Umbria and Le Marche,and includes the spectacular Piano Grande. And finally, a mention must be made of Lago di Trasimeno, the vast lake at the heart of this landlocked region. As the early morning mist lifts, its shimmering waters are revealed, enticing you to take a boat trip, stopping at one of the islands and then making your way to one of the waterfront villages that encircle the lake.
Climate
Spring is a wonderful time in Umbria when wild flowers carpet the meadows and the days become gradually warmer and longer. Summer is generally hot and sunny, often extending into September. Towards the end of September and into October, the air becomes crisper, heralding the onset of autumn.
Festivities
Festivals in Umbria celebrate everything from chocolate (October in Perugia), flowers (on the streets of Spello), to music and art (the world famous 'Festival dei Due Mondi' in Spoleto). In July, jazz concerts fill Perugia with music when the renowned Umbria Jazz Festival takes place, and a water version of the Palio takes place on Lake Trasimeno, where horses are substituted by boats.
Local Cuisine
Umbrian cuisine is hearty and simple with its own specialities demanding to be tasted. Around Lake Trasimeno, restaurants offer fresh carp from the lake, or tegamaccio, a rich eel and perch stew cooked in herbs and white wine.
Black and white truffles are used to flavour pasta and risotto, Porchetta (pork cooked over a wood fire stuffed with minced liver, pepper, garlic and wild fennel) is served throughout Umbria. Olive groves can be seen throughout the region, indicating its importance in the local cuisine.
The most famous Umbrian wine is the Orvieto Classico, a dry white wine which, it has been said, was used as payment to architects working on the Duomo in Orvieto. Try, too, the vintage red wines from around Montefalco and Torgiano.
Getting there
The airport at Perugia is now served by Ryanair with thrice weekly flights from Stansted. Rome's two airports, Fiumicino and Ciampino, offer a wide choice of daily scheduled and 'no frills' flights from the UK. For our properties in northern Umbria, the small airport of Bologna Forli, served daily from Stansted by Ryanair, can be considered.