Perugia
Perugia is a beautiful city with a large student population. You can easily reach the center by train, but I have driven in as well. As you move about the city there is a series of escalators that take you through ancient, buried streets – very cool. This is a great walking city with the requisite Duomo and the Galleria National dell’Umbria. This place buzzes and it is worth a day trip from other cities in Umbria or as your base as it is centrally located. It is also a great base for day trips to other towns in Umbria.
Hotels
Sina Brufani
This 5 star is a centrally located beautiful hotel with great views from many of the rooms. It offers up well appointed rooms at very reasonable prices for a 5 star hotel. This is one example that you can get a lot more for your money here than in Tuscany.
Eats
Dal mi Cocco
You will see Dal mi Cocco stickers around town. This is a very reasonably priced trattoria with daily specials. It gets busy as it is frequented by tourists because of the 13 Euro fixed menu. Fun little place for lunch.
Gubbio
I love this town. It is mysterious, beautiful and quiet except for church bells - more on that later. There are some interesting sights including a funicular to the top of the mountain. It is also a great base for seeing other towns in Umbria. It seems the throngs of tourists have not found it for some reason and I am thankful for that. This town makes you feel like you are in the real Italy with plenty of townspeople around to hear mostly Italian being spoken. The main Piazza is a site to behold with beautiful landmarks and a fantastic view from its walls.
Palazzo dei Consoli
This is the centerpiece of the incredibly impressive and awe-inspiring Piazza Grande. Dating from Medieval times, this place whisks you back in history. This used to be the seat of government in the Middle ages. It is now a museum that boasts seven bronze tablets written in the ancient Umbrian language. There is a Loggia that offers up breathtaking views. It is worth the entry price if for only those views and to see the inside of this magnificent building.
Duomo
No town worth its salt would not have a Duomo, and Gubbio is no exception. This is located at the highest part of the town. This is a simple building with an ornate Baroque facade, which lends to its charm and authenticity. This building dates back to the 13th Century.
Palazzo Ducale
This Palazzo has a charming Cortile or Courtyard. It used to be inhabited by the ruling family of Gubbio.
Hotel
Relais Ducale
Offers an excellent breakfast that includes meats, cheese, pastry and other options. Room 402 is large and has beautiful views down into town from the hilltop perch. If you like church bells, then you will love this place. The only issue we had was church bells going off at all hours of the night. Somehow or another we seemed to get used to them and it was no problem. I am just putting this out there for information purposes. This is located right on the Piazza Grande closer to the Palazzo dei Consoli.
Eats
Taverna del Lupo
An expensive choice whichI highly recommend, this eatery is located in a beautiful medieval building in the center. It is associated with Hotel Relais Ducale so we were not sure about the recommendation but the food is excellent. They offer Menu Degustazione if you want to go all out. We opted for the tasting menu and it was fantastic. One dish that you should not miss whether it is the tasting menu or a la carte is the Guinea Hen. This was literally the best I have ever had. Not gamey at all with crisp skin and peppercorns. The dessert was also delicious. This is one of only two places that we have been to in Italy that we repeated for dinner. A couple of dys later we went back and were greeted like long lost friends by our waitress. This time we opted for an A La Carte dinner but I still got the Guinea Hen.
Federico di Montefeltro
An excellent restaurant with the added benefit of a garden for outdoor seating with views of Palazzo dei Consoli. They often have truffle dishes for you to sample as well as grilled meat dishes. Don’t miss the Lemoncello Slushes as a dessert drink.
Things to do
Gubbio is great as a base but one day should be dedicated exclusively to the town. The medieval streets and buildings are worth exploring at a relaxing pace. listed below are some sights to see.
Monte Ingino
There is a “cable car” that will take you to the top of the town to Monte Ingenio. It is really a cage that you jump in and out of like a chair lift. It may not be for the faint of heart. The view from the top is spectacular.
Basilica di Sant’Ubaldo
Located at the top of Monte Iginio. If you are there on the first Sunday of May you will be able to check out the festival that carries three huge pillars with the likeness of Santi Ubaldo, Antonio and Georgio at the top down to the Palazzo dei Consoli. Like most Italian festivals this is a wild time with much merriment during the move. I have attached a link to a youtube video.
Assisi
A must for the faithful but also very worthwhile no matter what your religious inclination. This is a hilly town so be prepared with good walking shoes. It is not as crowded with tourists as you would expect or at least it wasn't while we were there in September. It is a lovely town.
Sights
Basilica di San Francesco
Most people come here for the cathedral and it is a do not miss attraction. This is basically two churches in one. The lower cathedral is where the tomb of St. Francis is located and was a pretty emotional experience for us. The upper church is much more light-filled than the lower church and it is also the place where Giotto’s famous cycle of frescoes depicting the life of St. Francis are located. There is some controversy about whether these were done by Giotto or not, but they are impressive no matter who painted them.
Be aware that the dress code is strictly enforced. As mentioned previously in this website, shoulders and knees must be covered or they will not let you in.
Basilica di Santa Chiara
This Basilica is located on a beautiful wide piazza that is a great place to stop and have a drink. The Basilica is named for St. Claire, a devout follower of St. Francis. The bones of St. Claire are located in this structure.
Orvieto
Easily reachable by train from Rome, Florence or Perugia. This is a must-visit when in Umbria. It is a beautiful and walkable city. The star of the show is the Cathedral.
The Cathedral here is stunning. The façade is one of the prettiest in Italy. Within the walls of the Cathedral is the Capela di San Brizio which hosts an extraordinary series of frescoes from Michelangelo, Fra Angelico and Luca Signorelli. The ones that struck me the most were the Signorelli frescoes displaying the horrors of being damned to hell. I saw this for the first time many years ago and the vividness of the frescos has stayed with me ever since.
There is also an Orvieto Underground Tour that leaves from the Duomo. There are Catacombs and rooms going back to the Etruscans and Romans.
Hotels
Villa Ciconia
Located Outside of town, this is a nice quiet location away in the countryside of Orvieto. This is a nice place for a relaxing time in the country with a good restaurant.
Todi
About a 45 minute car ride from Perugia stands this very pretty hill town with many beautiful views that is worth a day trip. If nothing else, I would say do not miss the Duomo or the Piazza del Popolo.
Eats
Ristorante Umbria
Excellent choice for traditional Umbrian dishes. They have a fireplace that they use for some grilled meats. Breathtaking views from a great outside terrace. Also has an excellent wine selection. A fantastic place for lunch during a day trip.
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