Between Toscana, the Marche and Lazio in central Italy is Umbria, one of the smallest regions and the only one that is completely internal – i.e., with neither a national border nor any coastline.
Although it’s not as obvious a destination for British tourists as Tuscany is, Umbria is every bit as beautiful as its neighbour and generally less crowded. Apart from the sea, Umbria has everything anyone could want from an Italian holiday: reliable Mediterranean climate, rolling green hills, picturesque medieval towns, great food, great wine... and, if you love water, there is Lake Trasimeno, the fourth largest in Italy.
If Umbria is not the most progressive of regions, the flip side of this is that much of it remains unspoilt.
What to see and do in Umbria
Enjoy the hills and mountains
The Umbrian hills, leading up to the Apennines on the eastern side of the region, are wonderful for hiking and biking.
Enjoy Lake Trasimeno
Lake Trasimeno is a peaceful expanse of water, with three islands in it, one of which is inhabited. It has beaches around its edge and is good for lots of watersports.
Visit the cities and towns
There are many ancient, beautiful towns and small cities to visit in Umbria, most of them built on the tops of hills. Some to consider are:
Perugia, the regional capital and a cultured, happening university town- Assisi, from where St Francis/San Francesco came, patron saint of animals and one of the two patron saints of Italy (along with St Catherine of Siena). This town does get horribly clogged with tourists but you’ve got to see it all the same. I first went there when I was in my early teens and not remotely interested in art or culture but, even then, I was struck by the sumptuous beauty of the churches and, particularly, the Basilica di San Francesco.
- Spoleto, worth seeing in itself but also for the impressive arts festival held there every summer, the Festival of the Two Worlds (See also Spoletofestival.it)
- Orvieto, a stunning town, famous for its white wine
- Todi, a beautiful medieval hilltown
- Deruta, home of the famous, lovely ceramics
- Gubbio, which dates back to pre-Roman times but also has Roman and medieval sights to see. On 15th May, huge wooden candles are carried aloft in the Corsa dei Ceri, a race that has taken place annually for over 800 years.
Study Italian
If you’re interested in learning Italian, I suggest (as you might expect) you begin with Accurate Italian, the Italian course for beginners that I wrote with some Italian colleagues.
I also recommend you take a course at the University for Foreigners in Perugia. This is a well respected establishment that has got many now-native-level Italian speakers started, including Jeremy Dummett, author of an excellent historical guide to Siracusa in Sicily.
Eating and drinking in Umbria
The local specialities in Umbria are wild boar (cinghiale) and black truffle mushrooms. You'll also find great pasta in this region.
Perugia is known for its chocolate and is home to the Perugina confectionary company, which makes the famous Baci (kisses) chocolates. The city also hosts an annual festival in October called Eurochocolate.
White wines predominate and, even if you're normally a red-wine drinker, you've got to try them.
For more information about Umbria…
Buy a local map and guide book for travelling around Umbria.
Check out these websites:
Umbria