From ancient Latin script to modern fonts, Italy has contributed greatly to the history of the written word. Visit these places to learn more.
Umbria calls itself the “Green Heart of Italy.” It’s a perfect name for this central, landlocked region of picturesque, medieval hill towns, rolling green farmland and forests. Perugia is the capital of Umbria. Umbria Map Umbria borders Tuscany and Lazio, making it ideal for day trips and weekend escapes from Florence and Rome. It also … Read more
The Piatto di Sant’Antonio Abate is a winter festival near Assisi that features a parade of horses and a blessing of animals.
Not many tourists make it to Terni. But many of those who do come to Umbria’s second largest town come specifically to see the church of Saint Valentine.
In 1499, Tuscan artist Luca Signorelli signed a contract to paint two remaining sections of the Cappella Nuova (new chapel) of the Duomo in the Umbrian town of Orvieto. By 1502 (or 1504, depending on which documentation you read), he had completed his “End of the World” fresco cycle in what is now known as the San Brizio Chapel.
A month-by-month, personal account of my first year living in Italy.
In 2011, UNESCO inscribed Italy’s newest World Heritage sites: The Longobards in Italy. Places of the Power (568-774 A.D.). Treated as one entity, these seven sites stretch from as far north as Castelseprio, Lombardy to as far south as Benevento in Campania. All seven of these sites represent, according to UNESCO, “the high achievement of … Read more
Perugia, the picturesque capital of the region of Umbria, is a destination I like to recommend to travelers looking for a new place to explore in Central Italy. Perugia is an austere, university town – indeed, it’s one of Umbria’s hill towns – with several unique characteristics that make it ideal for discovery. Here’s my … Read more
Rockefeller Center has nothing on this tree. The biggest Christmas tree in the world is, in fact, in Gubbio, Umbria. But this is not any tree. No, this is not a tree at all. Gubbio’s Albero di Natale is a dazzling neon feat–and Guinness Book of World Records holder–that has been lighting up the hills … Read more
Italian wine enthusiasts (that includes most of us, right?) may find this past weekend’s 60 Minutes story on Italy’s Antinori family intriguing. Considered one of Italy’s premier winemaking clans, the Antinori have been in the wine business for more than 500 years. Today, even the Antinori daughters are in on the act. To learn more … Read more
If you’re the type of traveler who likes to go it alone and doesn’t mind injecting a little technological know-how into your trip, then a GPS-driven self-guided tour may be the ticket. Information about Zephyr Self-Guided Adventures through Italy just crossed our desks over the weekend. The company offers walks, biking, and driving tours through … Read more
Part 2 of 20 Things We Love About Italy includes travel ideas for the regions of Molise, Piemonte, Puglia, Sardinia, Sicily, Trentino Alto Adige, Tuscany, Umbria, Valle d’Aosta, and Veneto.
This weekend, the incredibly picturesque town of Castiglione del Lago, located on the banks of Lake Trasimeno in Umbria, will become even more beautiful as the skies fill with kites of all shapes, sizes, and colors. The event is called Coloriamo i Cieli, and it features some of the world’s most interesting kites commandeered by … Read more
Winter means the music season for most of Italy. Opera productions and church-sponsored chamber music events are typical fare from Lecco to Lecce at this time of year. But you’ll also find jazz and blues in the mix. Umbria, which is home to Umbria Jazz, hosts a summer and winter version of its well-regarded festival. Umbria Jazz … Read more
