Umbria

Medieval charming, spectacular landscapes, sensational religious buildings and cultural focal point of ancient Europe: Umbria takes it all, offering a wide range of cultural and natural sites, increasing its fame on the world tourism stage. From harsh gorges to rolling hills, wild woods to fertile plains, decorated with oases of crystal-clear spring water, the lush landscape of Umbria nestles between Tuscany, Marche and Latium. Also dubbed the “Green Heart of Italy” by the famous Italian poet Giosué Carducci, Umbria is in fact an area of impressive natural beauty where the passage of time, the past, present and what can be gleaned of the future, comes together in one harmonious blend. 

The region is also noted for its scenic beauty, its great cultural and artistic tradition, the modernity of its economic system and infrastructure where tourism is more than adequately catered for.

The region of Umbria is named for the Umbri tribe, who settled in the region during the 6^th century BC. Archaeological evidence shows that the Umbri can be identified with the creators of the Terramara, as well as the Villanovan culture in northern and central Italy. After this age, the Etruscans, the Romans, the Goths and the Byzantines left notable mark all over the most important sites in Umbria, in order to let visitors stroll through green valleys, squares, narrow streets, bordered by medieval tower houses, a priceless cultural and natural and historical treasure.

Famous to be positioned in the innermost of the Italian boot, landlocked and with no common border nor with the sea nor with other countries, Umbria is one of the main cultural references beside Tuscany and Latium, hosting an incredible number of protected Heritage Sites, national parks and astonishing towns, with intact city walls, medieval castles, offering an authentic ancient ambiance and well preserved, intact nature.

Lake Trasimeno, the fourth largest lake in Italy, attracts each year a wide number of visitors, located idyllically amidst gentle hills where woodlands alternate with fields of maize and sunflowers, vineyards and stretches of olives.

Spirituality used to play a main role throughout history in Umbria, hosting some of the most important monasteries, churches and religious residences, and still important nowadays, welcoming every year an increasing stream of pilgrims, especially to the hilltop town of Assisi, indelibly associated with St. Francis. The narrow streets of Assisi afford lovely views at every corner, many lined with golden-pink stone buildings with flowers in window boxes and on balconies.

Known as well as an amazing cultural reference, Umbria hosts several astonishing cities as Perugia, Gubbio, Orvieto and so on, which are an authentic treasure trove for its art masterpieces, such as monasteries, Roman churches, Gothic cathedrals, ancient monuments, paintings and frescoes. Inside these monuments, the visitor can discover a great cultural treasure, such as frescoes and other artistic masterpieces of few of the most relevant artists of the late Middle Age and Renaissance, such as Lorenzetti, Giotto, Martini, Pinturicchio, Perugino and Cimabue among all.