Regional Features

As mentioned in the Introduction to the Region, day trips to Umbria are quite feasible from Rome. Orvieto, especially, is very accessible. I would wholeheartedly recommend adding it to your itinerary if you have at least a week in Rome, as it is a way to experience another region without the inconvenience of moving to another hotel.

Orvieto

Part of the fun of visiting Orvieto is the funicular ride up to the old town from just outside the train station. Once you have arrived on high, you will be delighted with gorgeous views over the Umbrian countryside.

Descend into the Pozzo di San Patrizio. ‘Pozzo’ means ‘well’ in Italian, and this one was built between 1527 and 1537 at the instruction of Pope Clement VII. This Pope had come to Orvieto during the Sack of Rome in 1527, and was worried about the water supply in Rome under siege. The experience of spiraling down into this deep well is as compelling as the history. The architect, Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, chose a double helix design to allow mules to carry water up and down at the same time. Now, the aesthetics make for interesting pictures if you choose to take the 248 steps down and back up.

Eat at the Duca di Orvieto or Trattoria del Moro Aronne. Orvieto has no shortage of quality restaurants serving authentic regional cuisine. These are two highly regarded ones that I have dined at during day trips from Rome. Duca di Orvieto is located just a little outside of the city center, but it is a nice opportunity to explore more of the hill top town. The restaurant feels cozy and local, and the food was delicious. I was also delighted by the food at Trattoria del Moro Aronne on a day trip with my parents a few years ago. Although personal experience is important, the most recent reviews for both restaurants are still ‘rave’ so take your pick and enjoy what Orvieto has to offer in culinary terms.

The interior of the Orvieto Cathedral, facing the back

Visit the Duomo. The cathedral is often referred to as 14th century, but the construction took almost three centuries. Started in 1290 under the orders of Pope Nicholas IV, it was finally completed in 1591. You will want to spend plenty of time just staring at the facade. There are golden mosaics, bas relief sculptures, and the intricate central rose window which make this facade one of the “great masterpieces of the Late Middle Ages.” There is so much to take in as work continued to for centuries and artistic styles from the Romanesque to the Gothic and beyond are represented. The cathedral also features the striking use of black and white stripped marble on the exterior and interior; this aesthetic recalls the great Siena Cathedral in Tuscany, and in fact, in 1309 the Sienese sculptor and architect Lorenzo Maitani was employed, and he is responsible for these artistic similarities. Be sure to visit the interior and admire the stained glass window in the apse and long nave with the same striped marble columns.

Assisi

Assisi is famously the birthplace of St. Francis, a very popular Catholic saint as he represents our loving animal friends. I visited Assisi over 10 years ago, thus, I have kept my recommendations to the art historical and scenic and not the culinary. Here is an article from The Culture Trip, published in 2017, which recommends 10 restaurants in the town of Assisi.

Visit the Church of San Francesco, Assisi. The town of Assisi, and in particular, this church became an UNESCO World Heritage site in the year 2000. The church seems massive in scale and in fact it is discussed in terms of a ‘lower church’ and an ‘upper church.’ Construction began just after St. Francis was canonized in 1228, and it was finished in 1253. The most important painters in Italy were brought to fresco the lower and upper parts of the church. Read more in the Encyclopaedia Britannica article here. The painter Giotto is probably the most famous name associated with the church. (Read more about his Scrovegni Chapel in the city of Padova featured in the Veneto region.) Giotto is a superstar for revolutionizing the history of Western art according to writers and critics since Dante Alighieri. He came to Assisi, however, with his master (teacher) Cimabue. Cimabue is regarded as one of the last great Byzantine painters, yet his pupil outshines him in terms of innovation. This cathedral is so important from an art historical perspective, however, because you can see (and compare) their work in the same space.

Hike up and down the streets. I remember the streets of Assisi being particularly steep. Acclivitous (or declivitous, depending on your perspective) streets are a convention of Umbrian towns, but these are intense, in a good way! Out of curiosity I just started to read a Rick Steves forum in which people discuss Assisi and the difficulties of traversing the streets with knee problems. The consensus was you can still have an enjoyable experience in Assisi and avoid the worst inclines, if necessary. I remember the panting as part of the fun. I love this picture at right, rescued from Facebook, which features my best friend and I mid-stride on an incline in Assisi at night.

Admire gorgeous panoramas from the Rocca Maggiore. This existence of this fortress has been documented since 1173. It has been built upon in the centuries hence, lived in by future kings, and subject to conquerors attempts. Ironically, it was “devastated by the population as a result of the unification of Italy” in 1859; read more on the Visit Assisi site. Reconstructed again, it is open to visitors. The views from the towers are stunning.

Perugia

I mentioned the connection with the tragic murder of Meredith Kercher and imprisonment of Amanda Knox in the Introduction, but I want to divert attention from this 21st century horror story and focus on the beauty (and chocolate!) that Perugia has to offer.

Explore the Etruscan, Medieval and Renaissance architecture around the town. First, there are some ancient archways around the city. The Arch of Augustus and the Porta Marzia. The Porta Marzia in the south of the city now appears as a blind arch, integrated into the 16th century Paolina fortress. Thus, here you can see distinct architectural traditions, separated by centuries, yet united here. Be sure to seek out the Via Maesta delle Volte as well; you will see “a small red and white striped arch is all that remains of the gothic portico of the 14th century” according to Perugia Online.

Shop around the city center. You can start on the Corso Vannucci which is the main shopping street. Here and off the side streets, you will find some of the more upscale Italian brands such as Luisa Spangoli and Max Mara, and then some of the Italian classics, Intimissimi, Tezenis and Calzedonia. There are other international stores such as Foot Locker and M.A.C. cosmetics too. As expected, there is a large Perugina chocolate store on the Corso Vannucci. Perugia is the home to the famous Italian chocolatier, so even if you do not have the chance to visit Perugia during the famed annual Chocolate festival, you can still indulge your sweet tooth and take some treats home.

Eat at Al Mangiar Bene. I got very lucky when I ate here many years ago, as it was before I starting investing heavily in restaurant research. I remember being intrigued as we walked down an alleyway to discover a large pizza oven at the front of this spacious restaurant. It was a good thing there is a lot of space because we were accommodated without a reservation. (I don’t know how much the situation has changed over the years, but the reviews are still very positive, so I would make a reservation to be sure.)

I like to include the NY Times “36 Hours In” articles in my research for a place, and here is a Perugia edition from 2017 for additional ideas, especially more recently opened restaurants and bars.

Restaurants in Spoleto