Umbria+brochure

**Umbria**

**Overview** Located in central Italy, Umbria is known as the 'Green Heart of Italy' Umbria. It provides much of the charms of the rolling hills of Tuscany with the addition of many beautiful lakes.  This privileged condition of centrality has also shaped the character of its people, open and hospitable, as has been witnessed by the many foreign travellers who over the centuries have visited Umbria and dreamed of settling here. Modern visitors particularly appreciate the special quality of life enjoyed in the Umbrian towns and countryside.
 * People **

**Landscape** Umbria falls very roughly into two parts, each with its own distinct landscape. The western part incorporates the flat plains of the Tiber valley and Lake Trasimeno while the eastern part is traversed by the Apennine range of mountains. The Apennines run the length of Italy and form its spine much like the Pennines do in England. The highest mountain in the range where it crosses Umbria is Monte Vettore which rises some 2500 metres above sea level. It is snow-capped for a substantial portion of the year and dominates the Piano Grande The __climate__ in Umbria is very good, with an early spring and late autumn. In winter the cold, crisp mornings are counterbalanced by a bright blue sky and glowing sun. It rarely snows and on the rare occasions when it does, the roads get cleared immediately. Summers are hot, but at night time it always cools down, allowing one a restful sleep. =**History** = Roman rule came to Umbria early in the 3rd century BC and with it trade and prosperity. Umbria is rich with Roman sites - Perugia, Narni, Terni, Spoleto, Foligno, Carsulae just to name a few. The famous site of Hannibal’s victory at Lake Trasimene is just south west of Perugia. Here a village is named Sanguineto recalling the time when the rivers ran red with Roman blood. Umbrians were actually granted full Roman citizenship, a mark of their loyalty and the importance of the region to Rome.
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After the fall of the Roman Empire, Umbria like most of Europe, declined and was invaded repeatedly by Goths, Byzantines, Saracens and the Lombards who owned the Duchy of Spoleto, covering much of today's Umbria. The people retreated into the fortified medieval hill towns which are so representative of Umbrian architecture even today. Places like Todi, Gubbio and Perugia prospered due to their defendable nature. Christianity was flourishing and the church of Sant’Angelo in Perugia, built over a Roman temple in the 5th/ 6th centuries AD, is one of Italy’s oldest churches.

Charlemagne conquered most of the Lombard kingdoms in the late 8th century and gave some Umbrian territories to the Pope. Some cities acquired autonomy but they were often at war with each other, embroiled in the general conflict between the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire. Umbria, despite the conflicts prospered through its trade and art.

In the 13th century Umbria’s most famous son St Francis of Assisi cemented the region's reputation as a centre for spirituality which continues to this day. The fact that the Renaissance didn’t flourish here as it did in Tuscany is what makes Umbria so unique and fantastic to visit. This lack of development in the 15th century meant the hearts of Umbrian towns retained their medieval and Roman architecture which so epitomises picturesque Umbria today.

[| **Assisi**]
 is one of Umbria's most-visited destinations, attracting pilgrims to its sites associated with the gentle St. Francis. [|**Spoleto**]  is a well-preserved hilltown surrounded by attractive countryside, and is famous as the home of the annual Festival dei Due Mondi, when culture junkies descend and the narrow streets ring with music. [|**Orvieto**]  is also a popular tourist destination. An Etruscan hilltop town, it offers fascinating underground archeological tours, as well as an imposing Duomo. The region's capital, [|**Perugia**] , is a very attractive historic town. Lake Trasimeno is Italy's fourth-largest lake, and is another of Umbria's quiet jewels, located to the west of Perugia.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">**Festivals and events** Celebrated on the first Thursday, Friday and Saturday of May every year, the Calendimaggio festival is dedicated to St-Francis, Assisi's patron saint. Flower arrangements adorn the streets and the local townspeople dress in colourful period costumes. The festivities include love song competitions as well as traditional games and events. The festival culminates in the prestigious Palio which is contested by the Magnifica Parte de Sotto and the Nobilissima Parte de Sopra, the two districts which comprise the city. The two opposing teams vie for a valuable prize. This event mirrors the rivalry of the 1300s between the Fiumi and the Nepis families which raged over a period of two centuries. A jury of historians, directors and musicologists make up the board of judges and award the prize of the Calendimaggio festival to the district which displays and interprets the essence of the return of spring with the best love songs, costumes, races and games. The Tournament of the Quintana is an annual jousting tournament held in Foligno between the four regions of Foligno. Knights joust for metal rings hanging from a wooden statue, called the //quintana//. With each challenge, the ring gets smaller and smaller. A historical parade of participants in Baroque-style dress winds through the city centre the night before the contest. The Challenge Tournament is held in June, with the Return Game in September. For centuries, Gubbio's Corsa dei Ceri has been celebrated on 15 May, St-Ubaldo's eve. The festival began after an important victory in a war against enemy cities, when the //comune// decided to host a festival to celebrate and express gratitude to Ubaldo, the bishop of Gubbio. Participants compete as opposing teams representing either St-Ubaldo, St-Anthony or St-Giorgio, and each team carries the "candle" with the statue of their saint attached, through the streets to the Basilica of St-Ubaldo. The candles are large seven-metre high wooden octagonal pillars. Though it is a race of sorts, the candle with St-Ubaldo always enters the church first - the winner is determined by the participants and bystanders to be the team showing the most skill in getting their candle to the church.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%;">Typical Products and shopping <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Umbria is famous for its many good vineyards, which produce excellent quality wines like Rosso di Montefalco and Torgiano. Umbria is also known for its black truffles from Valnerina, which produces 45% of Italy's black truffles. In Umbria, the food industry produces many products like pasta, processed meats and pork and other preserved food items such as cheese, lentils and the aforementioned truffles. The region is also known for its ornamental ceramics, sportswear, clothing and textiles. Anyone visiting Umbria will want to sample the region's typical sausages, cold cuts and salamis. Mazzafegati is one locally produced sausage made from pig's liver that is available in a spicy or a sweet version. The sweet sausages are made with sugar, orange peel and raisins. Capocollo sausage is another that shouldn't be missed. Made with large amounts of pepper and garlic, capocollo is made from pig's head.

Outdoor Shopping <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">The best shopping in Umbria is found outdoors in traditional markets. In most towns and some villages flea markets and open air markets are well kept traditions. Shoppers can find good quality locally made products and handicrafts at very low prices.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">In the town of Perugia, famous for its chocolate, a large market is held in the Palazzo della Prefettura on the last weekend of every month. This market boasts good quality ceramics for everday home use and even precious ornamental pieces. These traditional ceramics are decorated with bright colors and patterns and have been made the same way for centuries. Shoppers interested in antique jewelery should also think of visiting this market. In Bastia Umbra a large market dedicated to the four seasons of Italy is held in March, June, September and December. The market has fifty or sixty stands where visitors can find a number of small everyday items sold at very low prices. Another good market for shoppers to visit is the one held in Castiglione del Lago, held on the third Saturday of every month from April to September in the Piazza Gramsci. This is a good market for those who are interested in purchasing locally made ceramics and archery equipment. Every year in March in the town of Todi there is a large market that brings antique dealers from all over the country. These dealers sell everything from paintings and furniture to rugs, ceramics and bronze figurines. Other interesting markets to visit are held in the towns of Gubbio, Cittá di Castello, Narni, Pissignano and Spoleto. Shopping in Perugia <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Perugia is the capital of Umbria and quite a large town. In Perugia visitors can purchase a lot of unique items the represent the region. The old quarter of the town has many good shops where visitors can find high quality ceramic pieces and there are also many souvenier shops in the town that sell gift items. In Perugia visitors should purchase local textiles and fabrics since these are available at inexpensive rates. Other items not to be missed are good quality Umbrian wines and food products like sausages, ham, cold cuts and olive oil. Of course, no visit to Perugia would be complete without sampling some delicious chocolate! Visitors can tour the Perugina Chocolate Factory and once a year the city also hosts a Chocolate Festival for the chocoholic traveler. Shopping in Terni <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Terni is a quaint town that offers traditional shopping rather than big international brands and fashion stores. Most shops carry local brands and the best things to purchase in the city include good quality fabrics, clothing items, shoes, bags and accessories. Leather products are also available in a few shops. The town also offers many opportunities to purchase beautiful ceramics as well as delicious food products like local cheeses and traditional pastries.

Shopping in Assisi <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">The town of Assisi draws tons of visitors due to its religious and historical importance. In recent years plenty of stores have opened up in the area as a response to the heavy tourist activity. If you are looking for the best prices avoid the tourist-centric stores in the center of town. In Assisi visitors can find plenty of shops that sell locally made items like ceramics, sculptures, paintings and handicrafts. Many specialty stores even sell special antique items like medieval weapons and tools. While in Assisi don't forget to check out the locally made chocolates and embroidered products. Shoppers interested in religious items will also not be disappointed. The best place to purchase religious items is a gift store located behind the famous Basilica of Saint Francis.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Whether shopping at an open air market, purchasing chocolate in Perugia, or selecting an antique item in Assisi the beautiful Umbria region offers a wide variety of options for the visitor who prefers to spend some time in the stores. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">U <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">// mbrias has // <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">a <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">// choice // <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> of accommodation ranging from <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">// family run hotels // <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">to <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">// five-star hotels. //
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<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 200%;">Cuisine Among the pleasures to be enjoyed in Umbria are its __food__, including delicacies such as the //Umbrian black truffle//, //cheeses//, //lentils//, all coming from the Valnerina; the extra virgin olive oil, of specially good quality in the Spoleto area; the wines, with the red//Sagrantino di Montefalco// which has recently acquired a new fame and the renowned //Orvieto Classico//. Of great interest are the two interdisciplinary museums dedicated to oeno-gastronomic products, the //Wine Museum// and the //Olive and Oil Museum// located in Torgiano and, in the environs of Brufa, the road known as the //Strada del Vino e dell'Arte//.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff00ff; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 170%; text-align: left;">Getting to and around Umbria <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Umbria is the heart of Italy also because it can be easily reached from any direction, thanks to its efficient road network: the region is crossed by the A1 motorway, the main artery between Milan and Rome, and by the E-45, the expressway running between Cesena and Orte, one of the international routes from northern to southern Italy. The international airports of Rome and Ancona are only within 2 hours driving distance. The train system is also quite good. Umbria airports and travel <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Umbria's 'regional international airport' is close to Perugia, and is called the Aeroporto Internazionale dell'Umbria, or Perugia Sant'Egidio.