Destinations

An essential guide to Umbria covering the region’s top attractions and hotels, plus recommendations on eating out

Italy: Umbria was known, if at all, as Tuscany’s less alluring sister. Not any more: these days the country’s “green heart” is every bit as celebrated as its more famous neighbor.

Why go? A few years ago, Umbria was known, if at all, as Tuscany’s less alluring sister. Not any more: these days Italy’s “green heart” is every bit as celebrated as its more famous neighbour. The reasons are simple: the region has all Tuscany’s attributes — and a few more.

True, it doesn’t have the big set pieces of Florence and Siena, but it does has a coronet of far more intimate and easily visited hill-towns — Perugia, Assisi, Orvieto, Gubbio, Todi, Spoleto and Norcia. Each has enough to keep you busy for a day or more, and none is more than a few miles from the next, making Umbria manageable and straightforward to explore.

When you’ve exhausted these towns there’s a second tier of charming and even more intimate smaller centres, such as Monte f al co, Be v ag na, Spello, Trevi, Narni, Bettona, Città di Castello, Città della Pieve and more.

There’s also the same glorious pastoral scenery as Tuscany — the olive groves, vineyards and cypresstopped hills — as well as high mountain landscapes such as the Monti Sibillini that are the superior of its neighbour’s own Monte Amiata or Alpi Apuane.

Umbria is also a region where the food, wine, art, culture and architecture are the equal of any in Italy. Norcia, with its truffles, hams and cheeses, for example, is a gastronomic centre par excellence; Orvieto’s duomo is one of the country’s finest cathedrals; Spoleto’s summer festival is one of Europe’s major cultural events; and Assisi’s majestic Basilica di San Francesco contains frescoes by Giotto and others that mark a turning point in the history of Western art.

Finally, there are qualities to Umbria beyond towns, truffles or cypresses. Umbria mistica — mystical Umbria — some have called it, or “la terra dei santi”, the land of saints, after the hundreds of saints born here, including St Valentine and the two fathers of Western monasticism, St Francis and St Benedict.

It’s hard to put your finger on what sets Umbria apart — some quality to the light, a haze to the hills, a certain gentleness to landscape — but once you’ve visited you’ll understand, and wonder how this varied and beautiful region ever languished in its neighbour’s shadow.

When to go: Umbria’s countryside is at its best in May, garlanded with flowers and spring green, and blessed with weather that is already balmy. This is less true in the mountains in the east, where the weather is not as reliable and the Monti Sibillini above Norcia are often still streaked with snow: wait until early June if you want to hike or see the Sibillini’s famous wild flowers, and those of the Piano Grande in particular.

Upland Norcia escapes the heat — and most of the crowds — that can make most of the region’s other towns hard work in July and August. Watch out for festivals and holy days, especially in Assisi (Easter is particularly busy), but don’t disdain the hill towns off season: January and February are cold, but often dry, and with so many indoor cultural attractions — galleries, churches, museums — and only locals in the restaurants, the region can be a joy to explore at this time of year.

September and October are good months in town or country, and are often drier than the spring months, though summer sun will have left Umbria’s green heart looking brown and parched.

Where to go: None of Umbria’s hilltowns should disappoint, but Todi and Spoleto are two favourites, closely followed by Montefalco and Bevagna. Assisi is pretty but busy, though the Basilica di San Francesco is unmissable. Orvieto can be crowded, but here, too, there is a standout sight in the shape of the Duomo. For the best landscapes head east, and in particular to the Valnerina region between Spoleto and Norcia, and to the Piano Grande and Sibillini mountains near the border with Le Marche.

Getting there: To find flights, check Skyscanner or Momondo.