Umbria Places to Visit

Umbria is also a land of cities. The ancient settlements of Perugia, Gubbio, Spoleto, Todi, Orvieto, Assisi, Spello, Trevi, Cascia and Norcia are places of pilgrimage for art lovers. These towns are usually situated on top of hills and surrounded by walls and towers. The alleyways of the old towns preserve the spirit of the Middle Ages. In the churches and galleries invaluable artistic treasures can be discovered. Traces of the Etruscans and Romans are to be found throughout the region.

Assisi

Assisi is a Mecca for many people with religious origins going back many centuries. In this historic and religious old city it is a must to visit the Basilica of St Francis in Assisi, one of the most famous churches in the Christian world. It was decorated by Giotto and restored after the catastrophic earthquake of a few years ago. The Basilica of St Francis is exactly the right spot from which to watch the sun go down. Its facade is sparsely decorated but beautiful, having a simple elegance quite in keeping with the spirit of the saint to which it is dedicated. In the interior of the Chiesa Inferiore the works of Simone Martini, Pietro Lorenzetti, Cimabue and Giotto can be viewed.

As you walk through the city you may perhaps notice a nun opening an automatic garage door in a 13th century wall or a monk in brown habit and sandals will walk silently past you. At the northern end of the town, around the Roman amphitheatre, housing has been built in the original, oval style. The Rocca Maggiore, watching gloomily over the town has been destroyed and rebuilt several times

Perugia

Perched high on a hill, the town, founded by the Etruscans, dominates the Umbrian plain. The Romans enclosed it with walls made of rectangular blocks. The settlement was extended during the Middle Ages. From the characteristic paved alleyways, charming views of the fields or of squares in front of old palaces unexpectedly open up. On the Piazza San Francesco the 13th century church of San Francesco al Prato can be seen, as well as the Renaissance church of San Bernardino.

Todi

Todi has the heraldic right to the title of city, and today has around 17,000 inhabitants. It is said to have been built on two hills (corresponding today to the Temple of San Fortunato and the Cathedral) originally separated by a deep river valley. The eastern and western ends of this were walled up by the Romans, and the space thus gained was used to house six large tanks, which supplied water to the entire town. Todi developed in three successive epochs, Etruscan, Roman and Medieval, each of which left a ring of walls behind.

Orvieto

The origin of the town of Orvieto is not clear although recent archaeological discoveries indicate settlements dating back to the Bronze and Iron Ages. As far as can be established, the Etruscans were the first inhabitants on this chalky hill, settling after they had opened an access, which for a long time remained the only one. The location in the centre of a river valley and its prestige (perhaps as the holy city of the Etruscans) contributed to its blooming trade and importance.

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