North Umbria and southern Tuscany are scattered with attractive towns, hill-top villages, historical (especially Etruscan) sites, and routes for walking and cycling. The list below is a selection of places you may wish to visit, but the excitement of the area is coming across places and views unexpectedly.
The restaurants listed are just those that we or our guests have seen, and in some cases used. In general restaurants in this area are good value and the food good to excellent.
In 982 Ottone 111 fought a battle against the Saracens and lost. Many Italians took part in the war and were paid with land or castles, generally in the places where they were born. The soldier Fuscus became owner of the surrounding area and his descendants built the Castrum Filiorum Fusci that gave the name to Castiglion Fosco.
There is a beautiful castle on a hill in the southern part of the area. Today the place is completely restored and several families now live there. It was probably founded by the surviving inhabitants of nearby Fallera. In the 11th and 12th century Greppolischieto became part of Orvieto and the castle was built in 1380. Outside the castle wall you can find the 14th century church of San Lorenzo.
Attractive hill-top village, renovated.
Restaurants:
At Cereto (2 km off road westwards, follow signs from the main road): Il Casale (075 830 465) – worth finding; terrace looks over the hills towards Lake Trasimeno. Very good food, booking essential in busy times. Closed Wednesdays.
Panicale, as it is the case for most of the villages of the region, still maintains a medieval architecture as can be seen from the remains of the old town walls and the fortified doors.
Although the churches of the Madonna of the Slabs and the one of S.Augustin are remarkable buildings, the main attraction of the village has to be found in the magnificent views of the Trasimeno Lake and the valley of the Nestore torrent.
In the church of S. Sebastiano there are two Perugino frescoes: "Martyrdom of St. Sebastiano" and "Incoronazione di Maria" as well as the beautiful facade of the Collegiata, which is located in St. Michele square.
Restaurants:
Piegaro is located above the valley Nestore on a hill top 356 meters above sea level between woods of oak, olive trees and vine yards.
The village was built in Roman times about 290 B.C. wounded soldiers went there to escape from the war between the Rome and Chiusi. In 1240 Federico 11 gave the village as a gift to the counts of Marsciano who after 45 years were chased away by the inhabitants during a rural revolt.
To this period we owe the origin of the village stem with two griffins holding a golden lily.
Restaurants:
The origin of the name (Petrafiche) seems to be connected to the characteristics of the surrounding hills, where Pietrafitta is located 276 meters above sea level. It was born as the rural centre of the monastery of the Seven Monks and became an important trading centre.
Supermarkets, banks, post office, most shops, garages, several bars and cafés. Public swimming pool/Leisure complex.
Market Mondays from 9.00 am
Restaurants:
Castiglione del Lago (28 km)
Larger Coop, most shops.
Restaurants:
There is a ferry service that jumps around the lake and to the islands. Closest boarding point Castiglione del Lago.
North side of the lake. Might be thought to be a little commercialised.
Restaurants: Several.
East side of the lake. Attractive old fishing village.
Restaurants:
Da Settimio (075 847 6000) – slightly old-fashioned, but good, restaurant with very good fish dishes. Excellent view over lake. Closed Thursdays.
Assisi (50 km) Of Umbrian origins, the settlement became a Roman municipium under the name of Asisium.
Restaurants:
Il Pozzo Romano, Via S Agnese 10 (075 813057) – basic Italian, good value.
Dal Moro Gallery Restaurant Cafè Loc. S.Maria degli Angeli Via Santarelli - 06088 Assisi (Perugia) Tel. +39 (0)758043688 Fax +39 (0)758041666 In the centre of town, the Dal Moro Gallery Restaurant Café looks onto the beautiful Basilica degli Angeli and its imposing dome. Completely renovated, the elegant, refined, impeccably finished restaurant has a variety of small dining rooms on different levels, as well as an atmospheric terrace restaurant.
Pallotta Vicolo della Volta Pinta 06081 Assisi (Perugia) - Italy Tel. (+39) 075 812649 Fax (+39) 075 812307 To find yourself on the “piazza del Comune”, in the heart of Assisi, in front of the Temple of Minerva, You are going through an arch called "Volta Pinta" (Painted Vault) with the splendid 'grotesques" painted by Raffaellino del Colle in the 16th century.
www.assisionline.com
Excellent Etruscan museum in the old town on the hill.
Shop after shop of ceramics (new town better value than old town) a example of Deruta can be found hanging on the wall in the kitchen above the table in the apartment.
The Umbrian capital city within easy reach. All shops, hypermarkets, banks etc.
Art Galleries, Museums
Restaurants: Numerous.
Il Falchetto, via Bartolo 20 (075 573 1775) – beyond the cathedral. Nice atmosphere.
Home of Lungarotti wines. Good Museum of Wine
Restaurants:
Locanda, Via Angeletti 7 (0744 983364) – interesting vaulted rooms, good value. Directions off the main road in the lower part of town.
Mediaeval city. Weekly antiques fair.
As well as the well known Ceri Race on May 15th, at the end of May there is the Crossbow Palio. Records of this contest appear as early as 1410. The Società Balestrieri Eugubina and the Società Balestrieri di San Sepolcro compete in medieval costume with fixed medieval crossbows in Piazza della Signoria. The day is rounded off with ability displays by flag-throwers and a historical parade through the city streets lit only with torches.
In June there is the Giro turistico dell’Eugubino, for vintage cars and motorbikes, which attracts many participants even from outside Italy.
The Gubbio Festival runs through July and August and consists of master classes for musicians held by international soloists. Students arrive from all over the world. The best students then take part along with their teachers in a series of concerts in various atmospheric locations scattered around the old town centre.
On August 14th, there is the Quartieri tournament, which features more or less the same programme as the Palio Della Balestra, only this time the city's different areas compete against one another.
At Christmas time, illumination arranged across the entire side of Monte Ingino forms the largest Christmas tree in the world.
The basis for the name Narnia used by CS Lewis.
The façade of the cathedral is unparallel.
Restaurants: Numerous.
At Civitella del Lago (13 km from Orvieto on the SR448 to Todi,): Osteria del Belvedere (0744 950140) – overlooking Lago di Carbara, closed Mondays.
Restaurants:
At Civitella del Lago (15 km from Todi on the SR448 to Orvieto,): Osteria del Belvedere (0744 950140) – overlooking Lago di Carbara, closed Mondays
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