Umbria region

The two Provinces of Umbria : Perugia :  Terni

Umbria is almost in the centre of Italy and is the only landlocked region of the Italian peninsula. Umbria borders Tuscany to the west, Le Marche to the east, and the Lazio region to the south.  Umbria is considered to be the "green heart" of Italy.  Although crossed by the Apennines, its territory is mainly hilly and mountainous and is rich in history, traditions and culture.  The region hosts numerous historic cities and places of worship, which make it a destination for tourists from all over the world. Amongst the cluster of medieval towns within this area are Perugia - Umbria's largest -   Orvieto, Gubbio, Assisi and Spoleto.   Bevagna is a walled "valley town", with a history that stretches back before the 2nd Century.  Umbertide is a busy town on the banks of the Tiber, where Etruscans and Umbrians used to barter.  In Deruta the centuries old manufacture of elegant ceramiche and majolica is still continued.   Apart from tourism there is also a healthy swine breeding tradition that supplies the famous pork and salami products known as "norcineria". Other flourishing sectors are food products, textiles, clothing and the graphics and publishing industry alongside the more traditional sectors of iron and steel, machinery, chemicals and wood.

Local Cuisine
The region is famous for its black truffles, olive oil, cheese - pecorino, made from sheep's milk, and vegetables including peas, lentils, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, spinach, beans and eggplant.  Pork dishes, such as suckling pig, are common as is the prosciutto di Norcia, prosciutto di cinghiale - cured leg of wild boar.  Cooking in Umbria is varied: meat, fish, cereals, vegetables, spices, and herbs are equally important.  In Foligno, delicious "minestroni" (soups) with a fresh vegetable base are made with egg pasta. Wild pigeons are served with a sauce made with oil, wine, vinegar, and herbs. In the local fairs stuffed "porchetta" is often served, young roasted pig served with a strong flavour of wild fennel. A favourite dish in Todi is sweet and sour ox tongue and at Cascia they prepare veal with tartufo. In the towns around Lake Trasimeno the local fish is baked or braised, seasoned with fragrant herbs.  Umbria's best known wines are Sagrantino di Montefalco and San Giovese , Orvieto Classico, alpolicella, Soave, Barolo and Barberesco. 

Places of Interest to see in Umbria

Perugia - Umbria’s capital city and the largest city in the region.  Most famous for its chocolate and is host every October to an enormous chocolate festival. Perugia also is home to one of Europe’s biggest jazz festivals.  The sights in Perugia include the city’s cathedral, the town hall, a gallery featuring Umbrian art, and several churches and historic buildings scattered throughout the city.

Assisi - The Basilica di San Francesco d’Assisi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the town’s major sight and is where St. Francis is buried. Other Assisi sights include churches and basilicas, two medieval castles and the town’s cobbled medieval streets.
Spoleto - Spoleto is certainly not a large city, but it is home to a major annual arts festival - the Festival dei Due Mondi, or Festival of the Two Worlds. This runs each summer and has three weeks of music, theatre and dance performances.