Archive for 'Central Italy'

Anyone traveling to Italy already knows they will be treated to a host of delicious dishes and delicacies, but they may not be aware of the particulars.  While a region may share flavors and traditions with neighboring regions, you will find that each has its own personality.

Coming from local traditions and the ingredients readily available, the people of Umbria have molded the Italian cuisine to fit their palette. If you are thinking about renting a vacation rental in Umbria, then why not avail of free assistance from our villa specialists?

If you want to stay in the capital of Umbria, be sure to take a look at our article on Perugia as well.

Perugia is a beautifully preserved hill town in Umbria that has withstood the march of time well architecturally but remains on the cutting edge of cultural events.  

The interior of the walled city looks much the same as it has over the last few centuries, with some restaurants and businesses being around for more than a hundred years.  

Perugia's student population brings a youthful feel to such an old city and it can make for a perfect place to rent your villa in Italy!

The famous Etruscans that settled much of the Italian peninsula also settled Perugia before the 6th Century BC. The Romans took over control in the 4th Century BC.  Much later the city dealt with a long period of internal strife in the Middle Ages with a feud between two major families.  By the 16th Century the city was under the control of the Papal States and remained so until the Kingdom of Italy was formed in the 1800s.

Umbria is often overlooked as a vacation destination but that is changing. With its beautiful lush hills and valleys, Umbria is slowly but surely emerging as a destination of choice.

There are many beautiful cities and towns to visit in Umbria including Assisi, home of the Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi, Perugia, Orvieto, Spoleto and Trevi just to mention a few.

Less crowded than its neighbor to the west, Tuscany, and isolated for centuries by landlocked borders, Umbria has many well preserved hill towns and villages to explore.

The source of the famous Tiber river of Rome can be found on the slopes of Monte Fumaiolo where two small springs emerge. Following the contours of the land known as the Tibor Valley, the river finally ends its long journey to sea just east of Rome.

In our Tuscany blog we've written about films in Tuscany but one of my favourites for Italy is 'Roman Holiday', a 1953 romantic comedy starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.

Hepburn won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance. Ann (Hepburn) is the crown princess of an unspecified country. She is on a widely publicized tour of several European capitals, including Rome.

One night, she is overwhelmed by the strenuous demands of her official duties, where her day is tightly scheduled. Her doctor gives her a sedative to calm her down and help her sleep, but she secretly leaves her country's embassy to experience Rome by herself.