UMBRIA, Italy

REGIONAL CAPITAL:Perugia
PROVINCIAL CAPITALS: Terni
OTHER INTERESTING PLACES: Lago di Trasimeno, Assisi, Gubbio, Spoleto, Norcia, Orvieto, Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini, Cascata delle Marmore

TERRITORY:
Umbria is called il cuore verde d’Italia (Italy’s green heart) and in fact its landscape of rolling mountains and sweet hills covered with flowers is a beautiful attraction. This region also offers many possibilities for agriturismo (holidays in farm accomodation). Almost all the cities are unspoiled and have preserved their medieval centres.

PLACES TO SEE:
Perugia: Piazza IV Novembre: the cathedral; Fontana Maggiore; Palazzo dei Priori; Collegio del Cambio; Oratorio di San Bernardino; Chiesa di San Francesco al Prato; Pozzo Etrusco; Cappella di San Severo; Arco d’Augusto; Chiesa di Sant’Agostino; Chiesa di Sant’Angelo; Porta Sant’Angelo; Giardini Carducci; Rocca Paolina; Porta San Pietro; Ipogeo dei Volumi.
Assisi: Basilica di San Francesco,comprising two churches; Foro Romano; Tempio di Minerva; Pinacoteca Comunale; Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore; Basilica di Santa Chiara; Rocca Maggiore; Eremo delle Carceri; Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli.
Gubbio: Piazza Grande: Palazzo dei Consoli, Museo Civico, Palazzo Pretorio, Palazzo Ducale; Fontana dei Pazzi; Teatro Romano; Basilica di Sant’Ubaldo.

REGIONAL CUISINES:
Very popular in Umbria is the tartufo nero ( black truffle ) which is used in sauces, pasta and rice dishes. Umbria’s funghi porcini ( a type of mushroom) are delicious and very famous all over Italy.
A typical dish is strangozzi, heavy sqare-sized pasta and porchetta, a whole roast piglet stuffed with rosemary. Among the wines try the Sagrantino di Montefalco. And in the end taste some Baci Perugina, chocolate-coated hezelnuts that made Perugia the capital of chocolate.

TRADITIONAL FESTIVITIES:
San Francesco’s feast is held in Assisi on 3-4 October while on the first wek of may the Festa di Calendimaggio celebrates the coming of spring in perky medieval fashion. In Gubbio on 15th May takes place the Corsa dei Ceri (Candles Race) to commemorate the patron Sant’Ubaldo: three teams, each carrying a cero( an enormous candle) race through the city’s streets.

Umbria, Italy - map