The green Umbria

Everybody knows, in Umbria region, the cities of art: Assisi (with the  Giotto’s and Cimabue’s masterpieces), Spoleto, Orvieto, Gubbio, Spello, Trevi, Montefalco, Todi, Perugia, Città di Castello, and so on: this one is the Umbria Region well known eveywhere in the world. There is another Umbria, that is less summoneted into the books but fascinating to the most attentive: that one is the vineyeard’s , the olive groves’s, the woods’s, the natural Parks’s and the little towns’s land.

This one  is the Umbria Region well known eveywhere in the world. There is another Umbria,  that is less summoneted into the books, but fascinating to the most attentive:  that one is the wineyards's, the olive groves's, the woods's,  the natural Parks's  and the little towns's land. There is another Umbria, that is less summoneted into the books but fascinating to the most attentive: that one is the vineyeard’s , the olive groves’s, the woods’s, the natural Parks’s and the little towns’s land. ASSISI – Originally it was inhabitated by the population of umbria, that settled in the centre Italy. Assisi is reach of interesting archeological roman find. In Assisi every thing talks about Saint Francesco, first the wonderful Basilica with the Giotto’s frescos. The Assisi’s origins are uncertain. CASCIA - Cascia is full of archeological found, monuments and valuable objects.  But here, in Cascia, homeland of Santa Rita, there is a relaxing and natural atmosphere. The magnificent Sanctuary dedicated to Santa Rita, is the destination of pilgrimages that come from all sides of Italy. CITTA' DI CASTELLO – dynamic town in the north of Umbria region, is appreciated for its  vitality and tradition in craftsmen and also for the tissues’s manufacture. The historical centre is rich of monuments and attractions like the municipal gallery, the Burri’s collection in Palazzo Albizzini, the Museum of the Cathedral, the textile Collection of cloth of umbria. Outside of the historical centre there are the Fonticchio’s  baths. FOLIGNO – a little town in plain, protected by walls of the XIII° century, inside there are many  historical testimonies and valuable monuments, first of all the Cathedral, the Trinci’s and the Podestà’s Buldings, the churches (S.Maria Infraportas, S.Agostino, S.Nicolò). Since 1946 every year, in Foligno, unrolls the Giostra della Quintana, a horse race preceded by the historical procession rich of 600 characters. All around the are the waterfalls of Pale, the cave of Pale and, not far, the little park of Colfiorito. FONTI DEL CLITUNNO – the Fonti del Clitunno are between Spoleto and Foligno. Well known from the ancient and described by Virgilio, Plinio and, more recently, by Byron and Carducci,  are some little exiles of spring and clear water that feed a little and evocativelittle lake surrounded by weeping willows and poplars. Continuing the via Flaminia i the direction of Perugia, you’ll meet Trevi, Montefalco ad Pissignano. DERUTA – in the south of Perugia, between the chief town and Todi, Deruta is famous for the working of artistic ceramic. To visit the Regional Museum of ceramic (reopened in 1998) inside the San Francesco’s monastery. GUBBIO – a little medieval town in the northern of Umbria region . Particular and  evocative is the little historical centre with the People’s Building, in romanesque style, the Palazzo dei Consoli, with its magnificet stairs with fan, begun in 1332 in romanesque style, with gothic influence, and the Palazzo Pretorio begun in 1349. PANICALE – pretty little town near Perugia. To visit the  Saint Sebastian Church, the municipal Theatre, the collegata of San Michele, the Museum of the sacred furnishings and the Tulle’s Museum. PERUGIA – the city is in the centre of the region, with its historical quarters contained by the Etruscan walls. Ancient are many of the monuments and squares, inside the city  like the Large Square of Perugia (square IV Novembre), that comprises  the Palazzo dei Priori, the Cathedral, the Larger Fountain of 1200. Near Perugia it’s possibile to admire the panorama of the Lake Trasimeno, probably the more characteristic and evocative part of Perugia, an extraordinary tourist  attraction.  GOLE DEL FORELLO – fluvial Tiber Park, Lake of Corbara – These fluvial fares, where the water bored the grottos and caves, connected each other. The fluvial way, had a fundamental role for economic and cultural exchanges with the populations connected with the Tiber. The river is considered suitable for navigation and is utilized to carry goods. On the banks of Tiber, rose the ancient factories of roman earthenware, that exploited the sailability of the river, but also the quality of the raw  materials. The Lake of Corbara, was born by the artificial dam of the Tiber. It’s one of the most abounding in fish  in Italy. To visit, in the neighbourhood,  Baschi, a characteristic little town. SPOLETO - Spoleto maintains quite an ancient - medieval appearence. To visit the Albornoz’s Fortress and the roman’s ruines. Spoleto is the headquarters of the " the two World’s Festival " an international exhibition of art and spectacle.      NORCIA - Norcia is one of the most celebrated little town of Umbria for cookery traditions. It’s a picturesque little town characterized by the central square with the Basilica, dedicated to Saint Benedetto and the town hall. Not too far from Norcia there is Castelluccio of Norcia,  in the hearth of the National Park of Monti Sibillini, famous are its lentils and its altitude (1432 above the sea level): it’s for that that is named “the Umbria’s roofing”.   THE LAKE TRASIMENO’S PARK – the park founded in 1995 is an area of more tha 13.000 hectars, includes the towns of Castiglione of the lake, Magione, Panicale, Passignano and Tuoro upon the Trasimeno. For its dimensions is one of the largest of Italy and the waters are excellent for taking a bath and also for fishing. Inside the lake there are three islands: Polvese, Maggiore and Minore. The lake is famous for the battle of 217 a.C.  of the Romans against Annibal.    THE REGIONAL PARK OF MONTE CUCCO – in the northern part of the Appennino umbro-marchigiano, there is a large park with a lot of canyons bored inside the fare, close to the   valley of the Prisons or the Forra of the Rio Freddo creating more than30 km. of grottos. The park is very suitable for trekking and excursions, speleologism torrentism and also hang-glinding.   ALLERONA – medieval centre characterized by the environmental richnesses of the Villalba’s park. The park is a green oasis, of state property, of 25 hectares of wood. Equipped for a picnic, with areas to have a break, with refreshments.
Inside the park t there is an architectonic jewel: Villa La Selva, in a splendid panoramic position on the valley of Paglia and Torre Alfina.   TERNI – the Marmore’s waterfall – Starting from Terni, after  only 7 km. join the Marmore’s waterfalls, an important stop for all the people that want to visit the natural beautys of Umbria region. The Marmore’s waterfall is an artificial and relevant Romans’s work. They realized the water’s jump of 165 m. In the nearness of Terni there is also the famous Archeological Park of the Carsulae, interesting historic and cultural attraction. MONTECCHIO - Museum of the oil - antiquities, curiosity, photographs and ancient machinerys, to explain all the secrets of a culture of 6000 years. The visitors have the opportunity to spend a pleasant and relaxing day, discovering the whole flavours of our land.
They will have also the opportunuty to taste toasted and appetising bread with the olive oil with a good glass of wine. And also: olive paste, marmalades and honey too. ALVIANO and its Oasis – Near the town of Alviano, famous its castle, there is, in the Alviano’s Oasis, a natural protected area. It was formed in 1963, because of the construction of a dam. All the area was transformed in an oasis that gave birth to a mixed ecosystem. This area is an important place to have a break for many variety of birds and also for the birdwatching’s lovers. The Oasis  formed in 1963, was,  in 1978, declared a protected area and starting from 1990 is managed by the WWF. ORVIETO – Supported on a tufaceous cliff, is celebrated for its wonderful Cathedral  (started in the XIII° century), the town offers a lot of touristic attractions, the Moro’s Tower, the Saint Patrick’s well, the Captain’s of the People Building, the Albornoz’s fortress. Orvieto has an incredibile number of historical buildings  and churches like San Giovenale, San Domenico, San Francesco and Sant'Andrea.      The Etruscan Orvieto – The etruscan tombs are the witnesses of a past civilization. Near the doors of the town there are the remains of the temple of the  etruscan era, named of the “Belvedere”.
In the museums is possible to admire many etruscan finds, crockeries, jewels, objects of daily use and paintings. TODI – The visit to the Jacopone from Todi’s town. The medieval atmosphere   and the stone of wich Todi is rich, make of it a start point to explore al the Tiber   valley. A visit to Todi requests a"duty" and attentive tasting of its local cookery, in   a position to offer a large selection of the local and typical products. To see the   historical centre, the People Square with the S. Maria Assunta Cathedral, the    Prior’s Building , the Art’s Gallery. AMELIA – The village of Amelia is on a rocky hill, surrounded by a thick  jungle ad also by the Tiber.  Its very ancient and impressive walls date back to the sixth century before Christ. Amelia had an important part during the Cesars’s empire thanks to its strategic position. Amelia is in the south part of Umbria region.