About Umbria
Umbria is the green heart of Italy, picturesque and mystical. A land of saints and rolling hills covered in vineyards and olive groves, which has attracted painters, poets and writers for centuries. Visits to the remote medieval hill towns scattered throughout the region will take you off beaten track. Visitors will find numerous opportunities for biking, trekking, horse riding.
If you are in pursuit of art and culture, you will be spoilt for choice: Assisi, with Giotto’s frescos in the Shrine of St. Francis; Gubbio, a small medieval town, known as the City of Silence because of its peacefullness; Perugia, one of the largest and best preserved medieval towns.
The region has a wide range of cultural events and festivals, including the renowned Ceri Race Festival held in GUBBIO. The ‘Ceri’ are three huge wooden towers, on which stand statues of St. Ubaldo, St. Giorgio and St. Antonio. These are carried by ‘ceri-bearers’through the streets to the top of Mount Ingino, followed by a cheering crowd. The ‘Ceri’ of Gubbio appear on the coat-of-arms for the region of Umbria.
The local cuisine is a must for food-lovers, with ingredients as diverse as boar and sausages, the wines of choice being Orvieto and Montefalco. Traditional fare includes the Easter cheese bread, and torciglione at Christmas. Also, in Norcia every year, there is a food fair celebrating in particular the local black truffle, as well as other gastronomic delights.
Umbria is a relatively small region, so you will be able to pick your favourite villa or apartment, and then visit most towns and places of interest without driving for long. Whatever you choose to do in Umbria, we’ll have accommodation to suit your taste. Luxury villas, self catering apartments and rural farmhouses are all on offer from Italian Breaks.
PERUGIA is Umbria’s largest city and arguably the most beautiful. Bordered by remains of Etruscan walls, it has many treasures, including the Palazzo Gallenga, the Great Fountain and the splendid Palazzo dei Priori. The town is an importan cultural centre with high-level events: every July sees the Umbria Jazz festival, while the annual Sagra Musicale Umbra (Festival of Sacred and Contemporary Music) is held in September. The historical centre with its narrow and steep streets, the cathedral with views over the main square and the Baroque churches with their frescoes are all worth a visit.
Near Perugia you could stay at Villa Monte or for large groups Villa Granaio, both with private swimming pool.
34 km away from Perugia is the town of SPELLO, situated on the Southern side of Monte Subasio, on the top of a hill overlooking the valley and comprising buildings of mainly medieval origin, many of which are built of distinctive pink-stone. Of note are the Roman Porta Venere and the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore. The town is also famous for its handicrafts, including lace, embroidery and wrought iron, as well as the many music and dance festivals held during August.
Perhaps the most well known of the Umbrian towns is ASSISI, the birthplace of St Francis, with its Franciscan sites and monuments visited every year by thousands of tourists. The most important of these is the Cathedral of St Francis with its frescos by Giotto and Cimabue; also interesting are the church of Santa Chiara and the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli. It is worth making the trip up Via San Francesco to the Piazza del Comune, from where you can see the remains of the Roman Temple of Minerva. For those looking to relax away from the tourist sites, there is an excellent golf course nearby.
Known as 'the most liveable town in the world' according to the U.S. Kentucky University, TODI was supposedly founded around 2707 B.C. by the Veii Umbri and later developed by the Etruscan population. Both the Etruscans and the old Romans improved the town with their splendid works, gates, walls and theatres. In the Middle Ages the town flourished and numerous gorgeous 'palazzi', gates and churches were built around the main square, which is considered one among the most beautiful squares in Italy. Quiet, clean and safe, the town is the perfect place to stay, live and work or to start a tourist tour around splendid Umbria as it lies in the centre of the region, about 30-minute drive from major towns like Perugia, Orvieto, Assisi, Gubbio and Spoleto.
Todi is famous as the place of birth of great Italian poet Jacopone da Todi, for its hand made ceramics and pottery, handicraft, antique exhibitions and markets, cultural festivals and activities, cuisine, D.O.C. wines and D.O.P. olive oil, and its numerous good restaurants.
There are many tourist attractions around Todi like old Roman town Carsulae, medieval hamlets and castles like Montecastello di Vibio, Titignano, Casigliano, Porchiano, the smallest theatre in the world in Montecastello.
Places of interest include the Romanesque Cathedral in the main square, the Town Museum, the old Roman underground cisterns (below the main square), the panoramic Gothic bell-tower and the church S. Fortunato, the Renaissance church Maria della Consolazione, the 3 belts of town walls and their gates (Etruscan, Roman and Medieval) and the over 30 town churches.
The area of Todi is particularly popular with tourist and there are many properties to choose from: from apartments located in the historical centre (Casa Luce or Casa Arte) to beautiful villas with private pool in the surrounding countryside (Villa Ponte or Villa Uva). Still close to Todi, we offer also lovely apartments with shared pool, like Casa Fronti.
TORGIANO is situated on a small hill at the confluence of the Chiascio and Tiber rivers. It is located 14 km south of Perugia and it was an important defence outpost during the Middle Ages. Today are still visible traces of the ancient city walls, while the Guard Tower is well preserved. The town has an intense craft activity on particular embroidery and ceramics that can be purchased in the small shops and many monuments and churches that are worth a visit. Do not miss the Banquet of Italian Wine Tasting, which is held in November and the Ecological Bicycle Ride on 25 April.
FOLIGNO lies in the plain differing from the region’s typical historic centres, which are perched on a hillside. The town is usually described as being “egg shaped”. Right in the middle is the main square upon which are located the main buildings. The most important are certainly the cathedral with famous paintings and works, the Palazzo Comunale restored between 1546 and 1642, and the Palazzo Trinci, belonging to an old and powerful Umbrian family, which house today collections from the civic museum.
Foligno plays host to the Quintana Tournament (Giostra della Quintana) in which ten knights, representing the ten districts of Foligno, gallop on horseback to try and collect from a wooden sculpture called the Quintana, a series of rings of decreasing size on to their lances. On the eve before the tournament, there is a procession where approximately 600 people parade through the streets in costumes of the 16th-17th centuries.
Let’s not forget LAKE TRASIMENO, offering lively lakeside resorts with restaurants, cafés and bathing lidos. The Trasimeno climate is quite warm, with moderate winters. Summers can be very warm and humid, but in general the lake moderates the climate both in cold and warm conditions because even shallow water gives a moderate thermic inertia. From May to September, the temperature is warm enough to allow swimming. There are three islands in the lake. The largest of these islands is Isola Polvese, almost 1 km2. The second largest, Isola Maggiore, is the only inhabited one. The small fishing village, which reached its height in the 14th century, today has only around thirty residents. Most of the buildings, including the ruins of a Franciscan monastery, date from the 14th century.
There are castles all around Trasimeno, many in the centre of small towns while others are isolated and in ruins. Castiglione del Lago, Passignano, Magione all have castles, as well as Maggiore and Polvese islands, while Zocco Castle, Montali Castle and others are on hilltops.
The Vernazzano leaning tower, around 20 metres in height, leans like the famous leaning tower of Pisa. This unique remnant of an ancient castle was built before 1089. In 1202, it fell under control of Perugia and this city gained control of Northern Trasimeno. It was built on Monte Castiglione, near two rivers. The castle and the surrounding settlement at Vernazzano were damaged by wars in 15th century and two centuries later, by a strong earthquake and after-shocks. Erosion of the foundations by water caused the tower to lean in the 18th century. Vernazzano was rebuilt in the valley, away from this site, which was not well-suited for living in. The Leaning Tower has therefore been abandoned for almost 300 years. To avoid its collapse, a steel reinforcement was recently added, with plates and wires even thicker than 2–3 cm. The Tower is not well known, being located away from the main routes. It is visible from far away, but not easily accessible.
In the Trasimeno area, we offer lovely villas with private pool like Villa Gufo and also apartments with shared pool like Casa Giovina.