Places: Perugia, Assisi, Orvieto, Spoleto, Bevagna, Montefalco, Spello, Narni, Lake Trasimeno, Norcia, Rasiglia
Tucked between Tuscany and Lazio, Umbria has a quiet rhythm and cocooning greenery! Rolling green hills, stone towns perched like watchtowers, and the hum of church bells every hour, Umbria feels like a pause and a deep breath!
Umbria, one of the most picturesque rugged landscape in Italy
Perugia, the region’s capital, blends old-world charm with youthful pulse. You will feel it in the Etruscan arches, jazz bars, and chocolate shops, if you sit with your espresso at the Piazza IV Novembre. This is where the famous Eurochocolate Festival was born.
Assisi is serene, spiritual, and timeless. Home of St. Francis, the frescoes by Giotto inside the Basilica di San Francesco glow in a soft light. This place also has a reputation for serving world’s best truffle pasta in the most austere settings!
Spoleto is a reminiscent of an ancient Roman settlement with massive arches and the hike to Ponte delle Torri bridge. The view from the bridge is of an endlessly stretching valley with terracotta rooftops of the village below.
Bevagna is an artisan town and Montefalco, the “balcony of Umbria,” opens up to sweeping valley views. Spello is the quintessential flower town. In spring, during Infiorata, its streets bloom with flower carpets laid in intricate patterns.
Spello, the town of flowers!
For nature seekers, Lake Trasimeno stretches wide and calm, its shores dotted with olive trees and quiet fishing villages. Kayakers glide over mirrored waters and cyclists trace the lake’s edges.
My personal favorite is Rasiglia, a tiny town that fits in the palm of your hand, crisscrossed with flowing streams and dotted with charming shops selling everything from hand rolled chocolates, leather goods to designer scarves.
It was a crisp sunny day! We stopped at a humble shop, perched above the valley, for a quick snack! A pair of siblings running the shop greeted us with cured meats, jams, and fresh milk products made daily on their farm 20 km away. We grabbed cheese and milk sweets for Sam, some meat for the rest of us, and settled onto wooden benches. As we took our first bites, the church bells began to toll. Sharing that moment, that happiness with the people I love the most – that’s a memory to be relished forever!
Rasiglia, the smallest village in all of Italy
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