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Our villas in |
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Tips for renters |
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About Italy |
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| It is hard to put one’s finger on the differences between Tuscany and Umbria. Certainly Umbria is less well trodden, which means that it is lightly less expensive and that its towns have retained their authenticity: with few exceptions, they exist because Umbrians live and work there, not for the tourism industry. In Tuscany, you are a client; in Umbria you are a guest. |
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If Tuscany’s most influential historic figure was a Medici, with a purse full of gold in one hand and a sword in the other, Umbria’s, unquestionably, was the gentle, fundamentally earthy St. Francis of Assisi.
And in some ways the region’s economic statistics bear this out: Umbrians have one of the highest levels of education in all of Italy, and are near the top in terms of life expectancy. But their per capita incomes are only average.
There are different ways of interpreting this but the one that seems to fit the Umbrians I know best is that they’re happy, smart people who place equal value on their work and their recreation. Or maybe they just have better medical care. |
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| Umbria is one of the smallest regions in Italy and one of the few that is completely landlocked. It compensates for the latter with one of Italy’s largest freshwater lakes, Trasimeno, and an endless number of rivers, as well as in the region’s far east, some of the highest peaks in the Appennine Mountain range. For all that you will not notice any dramatic change in landscape from the Tuscan side of the border to the Umbrian and, since it is seldom marked you are unlikely to realize that you had crossed it. The A1 Autostrada, the motorway which runs the entire length of Italy, snakes between the two, oblivious to the administrative boundaries. |
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In the Middle Ages, when Tuscany was being torn apart by the wars between the Florentine and Sienese republics, northern Umbria was governed by a handful of noble families - in reality, war lords - who were to a large extent less concerned with territorial loss or gain than with basic survival.
The south, as well as Perugia, was until the Unification of Italy in 1870 under the steel-fisted control of the Catholic church as it lay within the territories of the Papal States. The remnants of the Roman empire are more in evidence here, particularly along their old road to the Adriatic coast, the Via Flaminia, parts of which still exist and show the ruts of their wagon wheels.
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Ancona to Todi 2 hours 20 minutes |
Rometo Bolsena 1 hour 45 minutes |
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Florenceto Bolsena 2 hours |
Rometo Orvieto 1 hour 30 minutes |
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Florenceto Perugia 1 hour 40 minutes |
Rometo Perugia 2 hours |
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Orvieto to Siena 1 hour 40 minutes |
Rome (FCO)to Rome (CIA) 20 minutes or |
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Orvieto to Todi 45 minutes |
with traffic, up to 2 hours |
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Perugiato Orvieto 1 hour 10 minutes |
Rometo Sabine Hills 1 hour |
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Rome´s two airports are the most practical points of entry to Umbria and lazio. Fiumicino (FCO), immediately west of the city, is the larger, for international flights; Ciampino (CIA) caters to the discounters and other European airlines and has decidedly fewer facilities. Both are just off Rome´s ring road, the GRA, and equally convenient to the motorways.
At the time of writing, the new airport at Perugia (PEG - Sant´Egidio), in Umbria, was receiving domestic Italian flights and discounters, similar to Ancona (AOI - Falconara) on the eastern coast of Italy. |
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Hotels, flights, car rentals, and tailored tours. For more information |
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| Orvieto walking map: |
We are proposing two different walks in Orvieto, both allowing time for lunch. The longer route makes an extra loop through the oldest section of town at the western end, with terrific views and a possible wine tasting along the way at the Enoteca Regionale (must be booked ahead).
Park in the Piazza Marconi, just behind the Duomo but on market mornings, Thursdays and Saturdays, in the summer we suggest parking in the Campo della Fiera lot at the south-west of town instead; an elevator and escalator bring you to the top ... |
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| Exit the Piazza Marconi by the Via Nebbia Cesare (the striped back of the Duomo is to your left), then turn left into the Via Scalette and enter the Piazza del Duomo... |
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| Leave the Piazza del Duomo by the Via del Duomo. In front of you at the end of the street will be the 47m/480-foot Torre del Moro, which has a viewing platform on top... |
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. Tiny Torgiano is the HQ of Lungarotti, Umbria’s biggest wine concern, and site of Maria Grazia Lungarotti’s gem of a wine museum. The state-of-the-art display includes 3000 years’ worth of priceless, often quirky, drinking vessels, gorgeous terracottas, illustrations and documents. Down the street is her equally personal take on olive oil. |
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Museo dei Capitani di Ventura (Museum of the Captains of Adventure) Castello d’Alviano - 0744 905028; www.sistemamuseo. it. Weekends/holidays April-September 10:30am-12:30pm and 4:30-7:30pm; in August also Tuesday-Friday. |
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Museo del Fiore (Museum of Flowers) Exhibits and botanical garden. Località Torre Alfina - 0763 730246; www.museodelfiore. it. Friday-Sunday 10am-1pm and 3-7pm (in winter 10am-5pm). |
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Tomba Etrusca degli Hescanas Località Settecamini. By appointment at ✆ 338 2929520 |
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General information: www.bolsenalake. com - Museo Territoriale Rocca Monaldeschi - 0761 798630. Tuesday-Friday 10am-1pm; weekends also 4-8pm - Basilica and catacombs of Santa Cristina Via G. Mazzini 1 ✆ 0761 799067; www.basilicasantacristina. it. 9:30am-noon and 3:30-6:30pm (in winter 9:30-11:30am and 3-6:30pm).
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Infiorata Corpus Domini. Flower festival Hydrangea Festival Last weekend of June - Santa Cristina Scenes from the saint's life (and slow death) are acted out in five piazzas. |
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Umbria Jazz Winter 4 days, Christmas to New Year’s. www.umbriajazz.com |
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Handmade contemporary jewellery. Via Adolfo Cozza 11/13 0763 341594; www.spaziomanasseigioielli. com |
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Cardeto Perfectly good wine sold from converted gas pumps. Via Angelo Costanzi 51 - 0763 300594 - Orvieto Arte Antiques+ Via Monte Cimino - 0763 301627. |
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Tenuta Sergio Mottura 0761 914501; www.motturasergio.it |
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Castello di Montegiove - 0763 837473; www.castellomontegiove. com. Tours, tastings and meals for groups of 8+. |
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' Wonderful tour and lunch with A Big View.' 2010. Località Rocca Ripesena 0763 344921; www.palazzone.com. Monday-Friday 9am-6pm - Tenuta Le Velette ‘Excellent wine, great people.’ 2008 Località Le Velette 23 0763 29090; www.levelette.it |
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Cisterne Romane Piazza Matteotti - 0744 978436; www.ameliasotterranea. it. Saturday 4:30- 7:30pm (3-6pm in winter), Sunday/holidays also 10:30am -12.30pm. Carsulae - 0744 334133; www.carsulae.it. Daily 8:30am-7:30pm (to 5:30pm in winter) . |
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Il Mercato delle Gaite 19-28 June. Medieval market and fair. |
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Giostra della Quintana 1st Saturday in July and 2nd Sunday in September. Medieval fair and tournament. www.quintana.it |
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Giostra dell’Arme 2 weeks beginning the last Sunday of September. Tournaments and parades - 334 3494689 |
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Vini nel Mondo Last Sunday in May. Wine festival. www.vininelmondo.org - Spoleto Festival Late June through mid-July. Concerts, opera, ballet. www.festivaldispoleto.com - Flea market 2nd Sunday of each month. |
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Flea market 2nd Sunday each month - Rassegna Antiquari d’Italia End of Marchearly April. Annual antiques market.
www. rassegnaantiquariaditalia.it |
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If you would like to add your “best finds” and comments, send a note to |
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Lorenzo and his team based in Orvieto offer a fantastic chef service. private dinners, parties and cooking classes can all be arranged.
For more information |
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An invaluable assistance from our experienced and friendly staff at no extra cost. For more information |
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