Perugia
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By Dion Protani
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Latest update: 5 January 2023
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Perugia is the political and cultural hub of Umbria which is just one reason why it's an ideal place to base yourselves if planning a tour of the region.
The city dates back to Etruscan times and is located on a hilltop perch giving it a commanding, defensive position, further enhanced by its medieval walls, much of which are still intact. This is a city with a very young feel to it, in large part owed to its famous university with some 35,000 students making up the overall population of around 170,000. |
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Perugia is also famous for chocolate, being the home of the Perugina company that makes the ever-popular "Baci" chocolates and also the venue for the annual Euro Chocolate Festival which takes place every October.
Depending on the time of year, Perugia can offer some cooler summer breezes or be decidedly chilly from its elevated position of 493 metres above sea level and surrounded by the Umbrian hills which melt into the Apennines. There are towns in nearby Tuscany that are renowned for their Renaissance-planned city centres but Perugia is not one of them. In fact this is part of the city's charm; it's slightly jumbled confluence of medieval streets with dark corners, steep slopes and narrow alleyways create a sense of intrigue.
Most of Perugia's sights are congregated around its fascinating centro storico, the historic centre. The main thrust of life surrounds its landmark square: Piazza IV Novembre which is surrounded by the city's most interesting buildings. Piazza IV Novembre lies towards the northern end of the most elevated area of the city and is connected to the southern end by the main thoroughfare of Corso Vannucci. At the southern end of the centro storico is the little park area of Giardini Carducci from where you can get some of the best outward views of the city centre and the landscapes beyond.
That area between Piazza IV Novembre and the Giardini Carducci provides access to the majority of Perugia's historic sights so let's start from the top and work our way down. At the northern edge of Piazza IV Novembre is the 14th century Perugia Cathedral. The facade of the Cathedral is somewhat hidden away and lies at an awkward angle to the square below it along a narrow, dark passageway which is a typical feature of the city. The plain stone facade conceals a rather more exciting Baroque interior while the exterior area of the cathedral that backs (sides) on to Piazza IV Novembre is garnished with an impressive statue of Pope Julius III gazing across the square.
The few steps leading up to the cathedral on Piazza IV Novembre are a favourite meeting point for Perugia's students and the square in general is the city's main focal point. The centre of the piazza is embellished with a beautiful fountain: the Fontana Maggiore which was originally designed in the 13th century. The attractive Loggia di Braccio adorns the area next to the steps while the southern end of the square is dominated by the magnificent Palazzo dei Priori.
One of the most impressive structures of its time, construction of the giant Palazzo dei Priori begun at the end of the 13th century and it now houses a variety of tourist attractions including the Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria. Among the paintings on display in the gallery are works from Perugia's most famous artist Perugino, born Pietro Vannucci, the name which is given to the main street in the city centre.
There's enough to fill a whole day in the Palazzo dei Priori but still a good deal more to discover close by. Heading south along Corso Vannucci you shortly reach another important square: Piazza della Repubblica which is another favourite meeting point and fringed with a variety of shops and restaurants. Continuing south from here along the Corso you come to the Perugina shop where you can try (and probably buy) some of the famous chocolates. Piazza Italia arrives shortly after that; somewhat different to the other piazzas this has more of a regal feel to it, aided by the grandiose buildings that surround it and the tree-lined garden area at the centre of it.
Reaching the southern point of the centro storico you can enjoy some great views in different directions before doubling-back along Via Baglioni to the central area of the town. If you've still got some energy then there's another great view to be had at the very northern end of the historic centre. Head for the 3rd century BC Etruscan Arch and just a short walk east of there brings you to the stairway at the Porta del Sole. Once you've enjoyed the views there you can make your way to the Acquedotto Medievale, a steep walkway that leads away from the centre through a fascinating residential area of historic houses.
Depending on the time of year, Perugia can offer some cooler summer breezes or be decidedly chilly from its elevated position of 493 metres above sea level and surrounded by the Umbrian hills which melt into the Apennines. There are towns in nearby Tuscany that are renowned for their Renaissance-planned city centres but Perugia is not one of them. In fact this is part of the city's charm; it's slightly jumbled confluence of medieval streets with dark corners, steep slopes and narrow alleyways create a sense of intrigue.
Most of Perugia's sights are congregated around its fascinating centro storico, the historic centre. The main thrust of life surrounds its landmark square: Piazza IV Novembre which is surrounded by the city's most interesting buildings. Piazza IV Novembre lies towards the northern end of the most elevated area of the city and is connected to the southern end by the main thoroughfare of Corso Vannucci. At the southern end of the centro storico is the little park area of Giardini Carducci from where you can get some of the best outward views of the city centre and the landscapes beyond.
That area between Piazza IV Novembre and the Giardini Carducci provides access to the majority of Perugia's historic sights so let's start from the top and work our way down. At the northern edge of Piazza IV Novembre is the 14th century Perugia Cathedral. The facade of the Cathedral is somewhat hidden away and lies at an awkward angle to the square below it along a narrow, dark passageway which is a typical feature of the city. The plain stone facade conceals a rather more exciting Baroque interior while the exterior area of the cathedral that backs (sides) on to Piazza IV Novembre is garnished with an impressive statue of Pope Julius III gazing across the square.
The few steps leading up to the cathedral on Piazza IV Novembre are a favourite meeting point for Perugia's students and the square in general is the city's main focal point. The centre of the piazza is embellished with a beautiful fountain: the Fontana Maggiore which was originally designed in the 13th century. The attractive Loggia di Braccio adorns the area next to the steps while the southern end of the square is dominated by the magnificent Palazzo dei Priori.
One of the most impressive structures of its time, construction of the giant Palazzo dei Priori begun at the end of the 13th century and it now houses a variety of tourist attractions including the Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria. Among the paintings on display in the gallery are works from Perugia's most famous artist Perugino, born Pietro Vannucci, the name which is given to the main street in the city centre.
There's enough to fill a whole day in the Palazzo dei Priori but still a good deal more to discover close by. Heading south along Corso Vannucci you shortly reach another important square: Piazza della Repubblica which is another favourite meeting point and fringed with a variety of shops and restaurants. Continuing south from here along the Corso you come to the Perugina shop where you can try (and probably buy) some of the famous chocolates. Piazza Italia arrives shortly after that; somewhat different to the other piazzas this has more of a regal feel to it, aided by the grandiose buildings that surround it and the tree-lined garden area at the centre of it.
Reaching the southern point of the centro storico you can enjoy some great views in different directions before doubling-back along Via Baglioni to the central area of the town. If you've still got some energy then there's another great view to be had at the very northern end of the historic centre. Head for the 3rd century BC Etruscan Arch and just a short walk east of there brings you to the stairway at the Porta del Sole. Once you've enjoyed the views there you can make your way to the Acquedotto Medievale, a steep walkway that leads away from the centre through a fascinating residential area of historic houses.
Comune di Perugia
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Province: Perugia
Region: Umbria Population: 162,362 (source: ISTAT 1 January 2023) Total size: 450 km² Elevation: 493 metres Top sights: Piazza IV Novembre, Cathedral, Galleria Nazionale Close by: Assisi, Corciano, Lake Trasimeno, Bastia Umbra Recommended stay: Locanda della Posta Boutique Hotel |
Perugia Travel
Transport options for the city include the train although to reach the very centre you'll need to use further means such as buses or Perugia's Mini Metro, a small train system. If driving it's best to leave your car at one of the peripheral car parks and then walk with some car parks providing a system of escalators to help along the way, a common feature in Umbria with similar systems in place in cities such as Spoleto for example.
Perugia's train station is located around two kilometres from the centro storico and can take 25 minutes or so to reach. Much as the effort of make sap some energy, it does however offer another insight into the sights around the fringes of this fascinating city.
Trains run south from Perugia to Rome with a journey time of two hours 40 minutes, stopping along the way at some wonderful places including Assisi (27 minutes), Spello (40 minutes), Trevi (54 minutes) and Spoleto (1 hour 12 minutes). You can also head north west from Perugia to the lakeside town of Passignano sul Trasimeno, one of the main attractions of the Umbria region's Lake Trasimeno.
Perugia's train station is located around two kilometres from the centro storico and can take 25 minutes or so to reach. Much as the effort of make sap some energy, it does however offer another insight into the sights around the fringes of this fascinating city.
Trains run south from Perugia to Rome with a journey time of two hours 40 minutes, stopping along the way at some wonderful places including Assisi (27 minutes), Spello (40 minutes), Trevi (54 minutes) and Spoleto (1 hour 12 minutes). You can also head north west from Perugia to the lakeside town of Passignano sul Trasimeno, one of the main attractions of the Umbria region's Lake Trasimeno.
Perugia Gallery
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