Umbria

Holidays In Umbria

Gubbio, once dubbed the ‘city of silence’, is a delightful, historic hill town and lies at the mouth of a gorge on the steep slopes of Mount Ingino. The town seems hardly to have changed for centuries, the medieval buildings forming a fitting backdrop to ancient ceremonies and traditions still performed with enthusiasm by the town’s inhabitants. There is much to see in Gubbio itself and, outside the town walls, is a first century Roman theatre.

Montemelino, a tiny, ancient hilltop hamlet, just 11km from Lake Trasimeno (Italy’s fourth-largest lake) and 14km from the medieval university town of Perugia (the cultural centre of Umbria) is set admist olive trees, vineyards and woods. The village church is the Sanctuary of ‘Our Lady of Lourdes’ a destination of pilgrims for over one hundred years. Montemelino serves as an ideal base from which to explore the town of Orvieto, a medieval town built on a plateau and dominating the surrounding valley. Famous for its wine, the Duomo and the Etruscan necropolis, the city is rich in historic buildings, good restaurants and bars. Rome can easily be reached on day trips by train from Montemelino.

South of the region lies the medieval town of Spoleto, one of Umbria’s most enchanting treasures. Its grandeur dates back to the 9th century when the Lombards, the early rulers, had laid claim to the Imperial throne, making Spoleto, for a short time, the capital of the whole Roman Empire. Today, the historic town is known more for its impressive 240 metre span bridge, designed by the Gubbian architect Gattapone and extending across a beautiful panorama of Umbrian countryside. Another attraction is the annual arts festival ‘Festival dei Due Mondi’ which is comparable to the Edinburgh ‘Fringe’ Festival, drawing crowds from near and far throughout early July. Visit Spoleto at the end of May and you will find vast poppy fields surrounding the town.