The city of Perugia, the historical capital of the Italian region of Umbria. Regions of Italy. Umbria
Umbria is often referred to as " green heart Italy". Indeed, once looking at the flower fields of Umbria, its emerald valleys and mountain slopes, you are convinced that this definition is 100% correct.
And if Russian tourists choose Umbria's neighbor, Tuscany, to rest, the Italians prefer to rest here.
Well, they can be understood: the landscape is pleasing to the eye, gourmets are attracted by the gastronomic traditions of the region, tourists are attracted by necropolises and temples, National parks and, of course, hospitable Umbrians, for whom every traveler is a guest of his home.
Umbria is the only Italian region that does not border neighboring countries and has no access to the sea.
The region of Umbria is landlocked
The decoration of its eastern part is the Umbro-Markan Apennines, the western - Lake Trasimero. The plains in Umbria are only 6% of total area(8.456 km2), and this affects the heterogeneity of the climate.
So, in the hilly zones it is temperate continental, the summer here is hot and dry. In the mountains, the climate is already temperate subcontinental. There is practically no heavy rainfall and strong winds.
There are no serious temperature fluctuations (probably for this reason there are so many who want to buy property in Umbria): average temperature in January it is +1.6 °С, in July - +21.6 °С.
The region is divided into two provinces:
- Terni is the industrial center of Umbria;
- - the capital and at the same time Cultural Center"green heart of Italy".
In total, there are 92 cities in the region, and only in three of them the population exceeds 100 thousand people. In most Umbrian towns, no more than 10-20 thousand people live, and they are often engaged in agriculture.
How to get there
Airplane. Getting to Umbria from Russia and the CIS countries is extremely difficult. There is only one airport in the region - Sant'Egido, and it is located in Perugia, 12 km away. from the city. There are no direct flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg, so in any case you will have to fly with a transfer in Munich, Frankfurt am Main, Brussels or Warsaw.
Direct flights are operated only from the airports of London, Barcelona, Milan, Bucharest, Monaco and some Italian cities.
Opposite the main exit of the airport, there is a bus stop with buses to Perugia, Assisi and Foligno several times a day.
There is only one airport in the Umbria region
Train. If we talk about other modes of transport, then it is convenient to get to the Umbria region by train. For example, from Florence. The train departs on the route (they are usually described in guidebooks for Umbria) Florence - Cortona / Terontola every hour, where you need to change trains to Foligno.
In this way you can reach Perugia, Asisi and Spella. From Rome there is also a train to Foligno (follows through the above cities).
The towns of Umbria can also be reached by buses of private companies:
- Sulga(from Rome, Naples to Perugia and Assisi, from Ravenna to Chita di Castello and Perugia);
- Ias Auto Line(connect big cities regions of Apulia and Umbria);
- Sena(connect Umbria with Sicily, Tuscany, the regions of Piedmont, Veneto, Abruzzo, Emilia-Romagna).
Tourist centers of the region:
What to see in Umbria
Tevere River Park, stretching along the river of the same name and including Lake Corbara and the Forello Gorge, it is interesting not only because rare species of birds and fish live here.
The park is a kind of museum archaeological sites under open sky. Ruins of the Umbrian, Etruscan and Roman eras are scattered throughout its territory.
Located next to the park dunarobba forest- a unique place from a paleontological point of view - petrified tree trunks are preserved here in their original form and position (their age exceeds 2 million years).
The remains of another ancient Roman settlement Plestia can be seen in the Colfierito Park, founded in 1995 on a karst plateau formed from seven funnels of dried lakes.
The symbol of the charm of Umbria is rightfully considered national park Monty Sibillini. The Nera River originates here, Mount Vettore is located, and the most attractive place for tourists is flowery Umbrian valley of Castelucci. People rush here to see the flowering of various types of orchids and the Apennine edelweiss.
Another symbol of the region - Marmore waterfall. The three cascades of the waterfall flowing into each other are a marvel of ancient Roman engineering.
In 271 BC, when the Velino River was causing the soil to become waterlogged, the consul of Mania Curia Dentata ordered a canal to be dug to collect the stagnant water.
The canal ended at a rock, from which water fell directly into the Nera River. In the 20th century a hydroelectric power station was built on an artificial waterfall, around the same time the 165-meter waterfall became tourist paradise province of Terni. You can visit this attraction on your own, or you can order excursion tours to Umbria.
The symbol of the Umbria region is the Marmore waterfall.
Having bought a ticket for 10 euros, you can not only walk along specially laid paths around the waterfall, but also cross streams, reaching the upper part of Marmore.
Keep in mind that they “turn on” the waterfall at certain hours and days. The current schedule should be checked on the website http://www.marmorefalls.it
Umbria with children
On the streets of Assisi and Perugia you can often see vacationers with children. Often they do not stay in hotels, but in "agrotourismo" - family farms, which have rooms equipped for tourists.
The child will not be bored here, because the owners of "agrotourismo" offer a lot of entertainment:
- educational games on the farm (learn how to make cheese, collect olives, milk a goat);
- rides on ponies, horses and donkeys.
Children are also delighted with local festivals. If you travel to Umbria in October, be sure to visit Eurochocolate Festival in Perugia.
Here you can taste, buy, and sometimes receive as a gift chocolate paste, hot chocolate, cupcakes, pralines, and you can also see statues made of chocolate.
How is the festival "Eurochocolate" in Perugia - see the video:
Tasting chocolate products and making your own chocolate treat at the Perugina factory and you can do it at any time of the year.
With children, you can also visit some of the natural attractions of Umbria: waterfalls and the Chita del Dominica park. In the latter, by the way, you can see yaks, ostriches, albino donkeys, as well as play in the castle of Sleeping Beauty, the village of Pinocchio and Snow White's house.
On the Nera River in Schedzhino there is an active recreation park Aktivo Park, younger children can ride inflatable sleds, go along high-altitude routes and get out of the labyrinth, and older ones can have fun “in an adult way” - test yourself on a climbing wall, ride bike choppers and go-karts, go rafting.
Even wineries offer special offers for couples traveling with children: while parents explore wine cellars, children learn grape varieties in an interactive way.
Sport
The region has a network of "green trails" that allow for relaxing bike rides along the lakeshores and among the hills. With a guide, you can even take a naturalistic tour of protected area of Alviano(is protected World Fund wild hunting) and perhaps see marsh falcons, water blackbirds and other birds that have disappeared in other regions of Europe.
Horseback riding enthusiasts can go to Umbria for a long horseback ride through the Villa Paolina Porano park in Orvieto, and fans of flying can explore the Sibillini, Cucco and Subasio mountains by paragliding and hang gliding.
It is also possible to swim through natural tunnels formed from mountain ranges and trees. This opportunity is provided by specialized agencies for rafting and canyoning. They developed routes for the waterfalls of Marmore (Cascate delle Marmore) and the river Corno near the city of Norcia for children and adults, as well as for people with disabilities.
Kitchen
Umbrian cuisine is able to satisfy the needs of even sophisticated gourmets. This is probably why the region is called the "small land of great tastes."
"Meat-eaters" should try such a variety of wild boar and pork sausages as "salsiccia di cinghiale", sausages in the shape of a bag with a piece of lard inside called "coglioni di mulo", as well as a sweet-tasting pork salami "corallina", skillfully cooked butchers of the town of Norcia (always with unleavened bread, which only emphasizes the taste of meat).
Meat-eaters will appreciate corallina pork salami
In the restaurants of the region, in addition to pork, they offer meat dishes from game, lamb, duck, rabbit and chicken. Garnish for meat dishes can be baked potatoes and lentils.
Especially the nutritional properties of lentils are appreciated in Castelluccio di Norcia, where they prepare a hearty and tasty salsicce con lenticchie dish - bacon with lentils in tomato sauce.
Although it is not necessary to go to a restaurant to taste local dishes. On the central streets of Umbria, there are a lot of merchants ready to cook torta al testo in front of your eyes - a flatbread, inside of which they put salsiccia, spinach, arugula, cheese, potatoes or eggplant.
Another option for a street snack is porchetta. This is a huge roll of pork, which is cut into slices, placed on fresh bread and seasoned with aromatic herbs.
Pork roll porchetta is a great option for a snack
Like all Italians, Umbrians love pasta. Strangozzi pasta is considered traditional, its shape resembles shoelaces, and pasta alla norcina. If the first is served with black truffles, then the second is served with cream and sausages from Norcia.
If you want to taste dishes with white truffle, then go to Orvieto and Gubbio - the cities in the vicinity of which it grows.
Those with a sweet tooth should try traditional delicacies - panpepato (the so-called sweet bread flavored with honey, spices, chocolate, nuts and almonds), charamikola (pink Easter pastries with the addition of Alkermes liquor), strufoli (dough balls sprinkled with honey), bombolone ( donuts with various fillings in powdered sugar).
If we talk about local wines, then we cannot but mention the white and red vintage wines of Assisi Grechetto and Sagrantino di Montefalco. The title wine of the region is Lungarotti Vigna Monticchio Rubesco Riserva.
It is produced only in best years harvest from two grape varieties grown in the town of Monticchio (Umbria) at an altitude of 300 m above sea level.
Finished wine first 12 months. aged in wooden barrels and then aged in bottles for 4 years. The aging period of this wine is 30-35 years.
The wine is aged for a year in wooden barrels.
Annual calendar of events in the region
There are many celebrations and festivals throughout the year in the Umbria region:
A third of the region is occupied by mountains, the rest is hills and valleys, overgrown with olive trees and vineyards. Castles rise on the hills and medieval towns fall like stone terraces. It is not good, of course, to compare one beauty with another, but still, the Umbria region is very similar to its lovely neighbor - Tuscany. But, green hills Tuscany is described by thousands of lines of poets, and Umbria is almost unknown.
Umbria region - photo
Umbria region - Attractions
First of all, the Umbria region is famous for its wines. Well, what can I say, the wines of Umbria are magnificent and some gourmets go to these parts only for their sake.
The main treasure of Umbria is its medieval towns. With their dense development, they, however, begin to merge into one city and over time you can hardly remember the characteristic differences. And they certainly are.
Cities of Umbria:
City of Spello. People come here to see the arch of the time of Emperor Augustus, Roman towers, medieval palaces, churches and ramparts surrounding the city of Spello, which are the best example of Roman ramparts in Italy.
The first settlements here formed the Umbrians. These were the tribes that came to these parts from Central Asia. They lived here while here in the 1st century BC. the Romans did not come running and killed all the Umbrians. After 50 years, between the winners began Civil War between Mark Antony and Octavian. The townspeople of Spello in those distant, harsh times preferred Octavian, and sent their troops to help him. Having become emperor, Octavian thanked the inhabitants of the city of Spello with architectural structures.
Alas, they did not reach us, because a thousand years later the city was sacked by barbarians. Residents were very worried about this at that time. Maybe since then they have retained a craving for beauty in their genes, and therefore in Spello every year they hold competitions for the most flower-decorated corner, balcony, alley, and so on.
City of Orvieto called the city that is between heaven and earth, because it is located on a cliff of pink tuff. It seems to float between heaven and earth. The city of Orvieto is considered the center of the Etruscan civilization, from which, however, only ruins remained.
Cathedral of Orvieto began to build in 1290 and built more than 4 centuries. The cathedral contains masterpieces of the Renaissance, so filming and taking pictures inside the cathedral is strictly prohibited. In the chapel above the altar there is an image of the Madonna dating back to the 13th century. Specialists are delighted with the unconventional spelling of a baby.
Yet, neither the cathedral nor the Etruscan ruins are the main attraction for tourists. The place everyone wants to visit caves. One thousand one hundred caves are privately owned, the whole city is pitted with them. These are entire underground settlements from a labyrinth of caves and tunnels. For many years this "second city" was secret. The constant temperature (both in winter and summer) in the caves is +13°C at 80 percent humidity. Some caves are over 1,700 years old. Scientists are still arguing about their purpose. Some believe that there were Etruscan burials in them, others are sure that royal meetings were held here.
In some caves there were oil presses for the production of olive oil. There is a date on the pressure circle - 1697. The circle was rotated by donkeys and mules who lived here. In another dungeon there was a dovecote - a dovecote from the Middle Ages. Locals, for some reason, are especially proud of this particular cave.
St. Patrician's well- 63 meters deep with a diameter of 13 meters. Along the perimeter of the well there are two stairs - each with 248 steps. And at the same time, the stairs do not intersect with each other: one goes up, and the other goes down, according to the screw principle. This well was used to draw water. The ancient inhabitants used donkeys for this, which raised wineskins full of water to the top. The well was built in 1527.
Almost every house in Orvieto has its own underground cave, in which there is a well 70 meters deep. Today, the law strictly forbids digging wells, otherwise the city will fall into the ground. For violation of the law give 10 years in prison.
City of Bevanya. Only a little over one thousand people live in the historical part of the city. But this thousand managed to preserve, almost in its original form, their medieval quarters. And every year for 10 days at the end of June, the town plunges into a deep, but not at all gloomy, Middle Ages. All residents of the town dress up in medieval costumes and immerse themselves in the life of that time. But these are not self-made antics of bad taste, but competitions - who will be able to recreate the atmosphere of medieval life more accurately and more expressively. For this, craft workshops, silk spinning, bookbinding, workshops for the manufacture of bells, for the production of spices work. There is a dye-house, markets where all kinds of utensils, toys, books, jewelry are sold. And here is the minting of gold coins and jewelry, painting on ceramics. Theatrical performances and gastronomic competitions, archery competitions are held. The jury, or rather the council of elders, which includes noble citizens, determines the most skillful. This is a very fun event, and very ruinous for visitors - the temptation to buy something, but more, is too high.
City of Gubbio. One of the main attractions of the city is Roman amphitheater. The fact that the amphitheater has been preserved from time immemorial brings such joy and pride to the inhabitants of the city of Gubbio, as if this amphitheater was not built by the ancient Romans, but by them (the locals), with their own hands. Today, the ruins of the amphitheater are used for symphony concerts and theatrical performances.
The story of St. Francis of Assisi is connected with Gubbio. When Saint Francis left his hometown of Assisi it was winter. Saint Francis was forced to seek refuge, but not a single religious community wanted to shelter him, and only a certain family from the city of Gubbio gave him shelter. That is why one of the first churches of St. Francis of Assisi in Italy was built in the town of Gubbio.
Umbria region - video
1. Umbria is the only region of Italy that has no access to the sea. The value of Umbria is in its stunning nature, peaceful atmosphere and the opportunity to see and experience all the delights of the rural life of Italian towns.
2. Undoubtedly, Umbria is the green pearl of Italy. The entire territory of the region is striking in its beautiful nature. Untouched mysterious forests, mountain walks and picturesque landscapes - this is what awaits you in Umbria.
3. Almost every Umbrian town has its own unusual holidays and festivals in spring. Therefore, the best time to visit Umbria is spring.
Umbria is one of the regions of Italy, which is considered the greenest part of it, and therefore the most beautiful in terms of nature. In addition, the inhabitants of Italy call this area "the heart", because of its geographical location. The whole territory is covered with dense forests and olive groves, as well as small rivers and waterfalls, mountains and hills, which make this part of Italy one of the most attractive in the whole world. Do not forget about the wonderful medieval castles, which look simply wonderful in combination with the local nature.
Umbria is divided into two provinces: Terni And Perugia. The capital of Umbria is small town Perugia. It is also the only region in all of Italy that does not have a single connection (along the borders) with other countries and the sea. Umbria surrounded by Marche, Lazio and Tuscany.
In total, the region has 92 cities. All cities are small and the population in them is no more than a hundred thousand in each, on average 10-20 thousand. Only three cities in the whole region have a population of more than one hundred thousand, but even this is not at all an indicator for Italy. It is also worth noting that, to a greater extent, the entire region is occupied by agriculture, which was influenced by the landscape of the area.
How to get to Umbria
If you have a desire to get to Umbria by plane, then there is only one airport and it will be extremely difficult to get from the CIS countries. This airport is in Perugia, at a distance of twelve kilometers from the city. It's called Yegidio. This airport is served by airlines from Milan, London, Barcelona, as well as from Albania. Therefore, everyone who wants to get to Umbria by plane from other cities or countries not listed above will need to fly with a transfer.
As for other modes of transport, trains can be used. So, from the northern part of Italy, you can get from Florence. Every hour a train departs from Florence and arrives at Cortona/Terontola station, where you will need to transfer to another train that goes to Foligno. This the train is coming through the following Umbrian cities: Asisi, Spella and Perugia.
From the south, you can get on a train that leaves from Rome (only 9 such trains during the day). This train goes to Foligno, and then everything along the already known route. Also on the line that links Rome and Florence, there is a stop in the city of Orvieto, which also belongs to Umbria. However, this train does not always stop at Orvieto, therefore, before boarding, you need to check on the ticket the stations at which the train makes stops. The most popular trains that belong to the main railway operator in all of Italy is Trenitalia. These trains cross Umbria through and through. If you would like to use private train, then you should contact Ferrovia Centrale Umbra, specialized in this service.
If you have a car, or you have rented a car and want to visit Umbria, then here you should head towards the A1 motorway, which connects Florence and Rome. Most of Umbria will be located east of the motorway.
If you move strictly along the highways that lead to the cities of Umbria, then you should focus on Horta if you move from Rome. If from the side of Florence, then the point of support for you will be Siena, from which there is a direct route to Perugia.
Umbria Hotels
Hotels in Umbria are relatively inexpensive compared to northern and central part Italy. Average cost per ranges from 35 to 100 euros per day in the season, in the off-season you can find a room in Umbria hotels for 30 euros.
Transport Umbria
Looking at the fact that the streets of Umbria are not very suitable for traveling by car, most often the locals walk around the area on foot or on bicycles, which, in principle, is quite convenient, because the cities are not very large, and some are even small.
However, walking takes some getting used to. Steep slopes and enough narrow streets, with low arches, will not let you relax even for a second, because the slightest weakness can lead you to the wrong place that you would like, or even to a dead end.
The streets of Umbria are very small and often crossed by other streets, which is very confusing, which is why Umbria is sometimes called a small labyrinth. But at the same time, the beauty of cities will delight you, even when you find yourself at a dead end, and if you get lost, the only thing that can shock you is the nature and architecture of cities.
As in many other areas of Italy, in Umbria you can easily rent a car to get from one Umbrian town to another, for example. Also, do not forget about the developed system of bus transportation. For a trip from city to city, various bus routes are offered, and you can choose the route that is convenient for you.
It should also be said that such buses do not run on Sundays, so it will be necessary to look for another way out of this situation.
Shops and shopping in Umbria
To buy yourself some souvenirs or various kinds of ceramic products, you need to visit the city. Such products are produced by local craftsmen who received the secret of ceramics production from their ancestors, who created this technology in the 13-14th century.
In the city center, you can find small shops where you can get stuck for long time, because the choice here is quite large, and the prices are much lower than in large stores, which are located near the highways leading to the city.
With regard to markets and fairs in Umbria, it should be noted that the two most important and largest markets for the sale of ceramics and jewelry, in this region are located in Perugia and open at different times. So, Palazzo della Prefetura opens during the summer Rocca Paolina in winter. At the same time, both markets are open on the last weekend of the month.
Every third Sunday, once every two months starting from March, in Bastia Umbria, in Piazza Mzzini, a fair is held where you can buy a huge amount of various souvenirs or other souvenir trinkets for a small amount. This fair is considered the beginning of the opening of the season.
In the center Spaletto, every month, on Sundays, opens street market, where you can also find many interesting products made in the Umbria region.
At Piazza Comunale, in the city Todi, at the end of March, there is a sale of antiques, which are brought by antique dealers from all over Italy. In addition to local ceramics, furniture, paintings, carpets, and numerous bronze items will be found here.
It is worth noting the popularity of alpaca wool in Umbria - this is an animal that was brought to Italy from South America. At the moment, these animals are grown on specially equipped farms.
Cuisine of Umbria
As in all regions of Italy, people in Umbria are very fond of delicious food. Yes, and nature favors to help local residents. Ripe and juicy fruits of vegetables, the most popular olive oil, as well as mushrooms, various herbs, cereals, cheeses made by local farmers, chicken, pork, as well as local wine and chocolate, show how developed the culture of cooking is in this part.
All dishes that are prepared from the above ingredients do not need a special explanation, since in Umbria it is believed that a dish does not have to have a hundred ingredients. On the contrary, they use fairly simple recipes to keep the natural taste of the ingredients.
Umbria, like Lombardy, is the main supplier truffles in Italy. Arriving in Umbria, be sure to try crostini al tartufo. This dish is a combination of truffles (black only), chicken liver and anchovies. It is also worth trying the traditional pasta (spaghetti or strangotsi with the same black truffles). The main dishes, most often, are terniss colombaccio selvatico (a turtledove that is cooked on a skewer) and gallina ubriaca (which means “drunken chicken”) - this is chicken with wine. The last dish is traditional for the inhabitants of Orvietto.
In the city Norcia You should definitely try the local smoked meats. It has its own specific method of cooking meat, which is best known throughout Italy under the name "Norcino".
Umbria is also known for its chocolate products. The chocolate factory was founded in the 20th century. The most popular at the moment is Bachio. This is dark chocolate with hazelnuts.
For those who want to take a few lessons or attend cooking classes, the University of Flavors gastronomy school, which has many branches throughout the region (in Narni, Terni, Orvieto and Perugia), should be visited.
Tourism, entertainment, excursions and the main attractions of Umbria
In addition to the fact that here every corner is saturated with the most wonderful landscapes and panoramas, which, according to the sensations, were created in order to draw postcards and paintings from them, in Umbria there is a large number of various attractions, both artistic and archaeological. The era of the Renaissance and the Middle Ages are revealed here in full.
So in Perugia, in the central square (4 November Square - Piazza Quattro Novembre), is Palazzo dei Priori is a palace that was built in the thirteenth century. The National Gallery (Galleria Nacionale del Umbria) is also located here, which houses huge collections of art from the region, dating from the 13th-19th centuries. Also on the square is the Fountain Maggiore, the construction of which was completed back in 1278. It should also be noted Church of Saint Peter, which is famous for frescoes created by famous creators of the past - Raphael and Perugino.
In a town called Palazzo dei Consoli should be visited. This oldest palace, which is made in the Romanesque style, has wonderful architecture, and in the middle holds a huge museum of ceramics. Also here, in Derut, there is an ancient fortress, its foundation dates back to the 12th century, which has survived to this day.
the most beautiful medieval city counts Gubbio. And this is absolutely fair, because here are such marvelous buildings like the Museo Civico (Archaeological Museum), Palazzo dei Consoli and Palazzo Ducale.
Driving up to the city Assisi, where St. Francis of Assisi was born, you can see the complex, which consists of two churches - this is the building of the Basilica of St. Francis. According to the history of Umbria, this building was built throughout the 13th century, and after construction it was decorated with dozens of frescoes, including the work of the Lorenzi brothers, Giotto, and many other masters of this business who lived in Assisi during the Renaissance.
The city is also famous Terni, 7 kilometers from which there is a cascade of waterfalls Marmore. This cascade was created by the Romans during the colonization of neighboring territories. Today, around the waterfall and along the stream there are a huge number of bridges and places where you can sit and admire the beauty of the work of nature and human hands. In addition, there are dozens of routes that you will pass through the most beautiful places and heights of the waterfall. In the middle of the waterfall there is a “love tunnel”, when leaving it you need to be very careful, because at any second you can be doused with water. The entrepreneurial spirit of the locals is also very well shown here, because raincoats are sold at the entrance to the territory.
All the beauty of the cascade can be seen for only two hours a day, because the rest of the time the water is used for hydroelectric power plants. However, these two hours that you can spend near such a beautiful place will leave the most colorful and warm memories in your memory.
In the city Narni, there is the bridge of Augustus, which was built across the river Nera. This bridge is considered the most big bridge in Italy, built in old times and still exist. To date, less than half of the entire bridge has survived.
Also, the city is famous for a huge number of dungeons, in which there are underground churches, as well as water supply systems.
To Orvieto obligatory place to visit is Duomo Cathedral. This is a monumental temple, which was built around the 14th century. The architecture of the building combines Gothic and Romanesque styles.
Among the lakes, it should be noted Trasimeno, which is the fourth largest lake in all of Italy. It is located near Tuscany. This place is not a good place for swimming, but is considered one of the most peaceful places to spend time on the shore in silence and beautiful surroundings.
Also, from Passignano sul Trasimeno, a steamboat departs, which moves to the island (it takes about 20 minutes on the way). Delicious coffee is sold on the shore of the island, the taste of which, looking at the beauty of the surrounding nature, is "saturated" dozens of times.
In addition, you will be offered two tourist routes, on the way of which you will see Church of Saint Michel, the monastery of San Francesca, also known as Villa Gulielmi. There are also several museums on the island. Steamboats run in all seasons, and the schedule is on the company's website. On your return from the island, you can enjoy the sunset at Lake Trasimeno.
Sport Umbria
Anyone who loves sports should visit Umbria for this reason as well. Umbria is the most sporting region, as many competitions are held here, among which I would like to mention rafting in the first place.
In addition to the annual rafting competitions, in Umbria you can also practice for yourself on the descent down the river Nere, which is located between Ferrentilo and Arrone. For those who have been rafting for a long time, it is proposed to go through a difficult section along the Nera rivers (the area between the National Park dei Monti Sibillini and the Marmur waterfalls) and Corno.
In addition to rafting, cycling and cycling tourism are very developed in Umbria. Umbria has more than 30 routes of varying difficulty that will take you through the entire territory of Umbria, but this business is far from being for beginners.
Equestrian sports are also developed, and even the most ordinary walks in Umbria on horseback. Nature and the local way of life are conducive to this. There is nothing surprising about riding a horse in Umbria.
Umbria for children
Near Arron, at a distance of eight kilometers from the Marmur Falls, is the Nahar Adventure Park. In addition to various kinds of attractions, it should be noted that in Najara there is the largest farm in all of Italy for breeding alpacas. Alpacas are very beautiful and cute animals. Also, you can go to the didactic farm, where your children can work hard on agricultural work and participate in the working life of the farm. So, experienced Umbrian farmers will teach your children how to milk a goat, bake bread, make cheese, pick olives and so on.
Holidays and entertainment in Umbria
In the middle of autumn, the Chocolate Festival takes place in the center of the capital of Umbria. Also, at this time in Orvietto there is a wine festival called con Gusto. There are theme nights, tastings and, of course, the fair itself.
in the town Valtopina, every year in early November, a truffle fair is held, and in mid-April, the Asparagus Festival. Also, a truffle fair is held in the city of Norcia, in early February. In addition, the Feast of Benedict is also celebrated here.
In the city Strokone at the beginning of summer, an international arts festival is held. As for cultural activities, the Perugia Jazz Festival is also worth noting.
IN Terni, they love February 14 very much and this holiday is celebrated on a grand scale.
Also held: the Tulip Festival (in April), the kite festival (in May), in the city of Castiglione dei Lago, as well as the amazing Spoletto due dei Mondi music festival, which takes place in the city of Spoleto in mid-June each year.
Be sure to visit Umbria. This wonderful region, which is on an equal footing with Lombardy and Veneto, will delight you with its natural beauty and unforgettable architectural values.
Umbria video. Part 1
Umbria video. Part 2
Umbria in Italy is an amazing oasis in the center of the country, bordering on the west with Tuscany, and on the east and south with the regions of Marche and Lazio. This region, spread over an area of 8456 km2, is called the "green heart of Italy" for a reason. The delightful landscapes of Umbria shimmer with a whole palette of green hues: from emerald hills and pale green valleys to malachite dense forests and sparkling turquoise lakes. Charming old towns with unique historical and architectural monuments of the Etruscan, Roman and medieval eras, ancient fortresses and castles are woven into the green carpet of Umbria. Wonderful landscapes, as if descended from the paintings of great artists, complement the mild climate, hospitable hospitality and excellent cuisine of Umbria.
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What to see, where to visit
rich historical and cultural heritage Umbria is reflected in the numerous sights of its cities. The capital of Umbria - the ancient Perugia, spreads out on the picturesque hills, which offer stunning views of the Tiber River valley and Lake Trasimene. The history of Perugia goes back to the 4th century. BC, and today the winding streets and old squares of the city abound unique monuments. On the central square of November 4, there is the famous Fountain Maggiore of the 13th century, created by the sculptors of Pisano, as well as the Cathedral of San Lorenzo and majestic palace Priori of the 13th century, which today houses the National Gallery of Umbria. Among other famous sights of Perugia: the necropolis and fragments of walls with gates, preserved from the time of the Etruscans, the fortress city of the 16th century. Rocca Paoline and the Medieval Gardens, the churches of San Domenico and San Angelo, and the Chapel of San Severo, frescoed by Raphael and Perugino. In the city of Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis and a center of pilgrimage for Catholics, there is a unique monastery complex of St. Francis, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. In Orvieto, founded by the Etruscans, there is a magnificent Cathedral, built in the Romano-Gothic style, in the XIII-XIV centuries, and a complex of the papal residence, which now houses the National Archaeological Museum. over one of ancient cities Umbria, Spoleto, the mighty ducal fortress of the XIV century rises, and the Spoleto Cathedral is famous for the fresco "The Wedding of the Virgin Mary" by Filippo Lippi. On the main square of the neighboring town of Todi, there are three magnificent palace erected in the XIII-XV centuries.
In Umbria, you can also admire wonderful natural attractions. In the province of Terni there is one of the largest waterfalls in Europe - Marmore, built by the ancient Romans and sung by Virgil and Byron. Cascades of Marmore water, shimmering like snow-white marble, fall from a height of 165 m. In the west of Umbria, on an area of 128 km2, picturesque lake Trasimeno, in the middle of which is an island with the ruins of a medieval fortress, where concerts are held in summer.
Entertainment and active recreation
Umbria in Italy is famous for its vibrant holidays and festivals. Every year in June, the Spoleto Festival or the Festival of Two Worlds is held - one of the leading arts festivals in Europe, in July Perugia is held jazz festival and in August-September Citta di Castello hosts an international festival of nations dedicated to chamber music. In Assisi you can visit the grandiose celebration of the onset of spring with a palio, parade, musical and theatrical performances, in Orvieto - a beautiful dove festival, in Gubbio - an amazing folk festival of candles, and in Foligno - the historical Quintana costume tournament. Fans of culinary holidays should visit the chocolate festival in Perugia, the wine festival in Orvieto and the truffle fairs in Norcia and Valtopina.
Since for me the best trip to Italy can only be a new trip to Italy, I didn’t have to puzzle over the question of where to go on a very short “long” November weekend. Of course, to your favorite country!
And a specific idea was thrown by Her Majesty the Network, once giving out breathtaking pictures of Castelluccio di Norcia (Castelluccio di Norcia) on the mountain ... I was already out of breath - IT DOES NOT HAPPEN!!! In the bowl between the mountains there are colorful patches of flowering fields: poppies, cornflowers, lentils, chamomile ... Alas, it is quite difficult to catch the peak of flowering, every year at different times, but most often the end of June - the beginning of July. And it's definitely not November...
Having lamented, I decided to “look around”: maybe there is something else interesting, more suitable for mid-autumn? Of course it did!
And how is it that I have not thought about Umbria (and the picturesque plateau is located in this province of Italy) at all? Moreover, I have known Baci sweets for a long time, but for some reason I have never been interested in Perugia, the city where they are made. True, I sincerely believe that “every vegetable has its time”, and everything comes to us when it should. Maybe if I came across the photos of Perugia on their own, not “through” the iridescent fields of Castelluccio, and would not be inspired by them, who knows! In many pictures, the city looks gloomy, harsh, at first glance it’s not at all mine. But how good the surroundings are! .. And it’s very convenient to ride on them from Perugia.
Umbria is not as popular in the Runet as, for example, beloved Tuscany. After tormenting the sites aggregating air tickets, I realized why - nothing flies from us there! That is absolutely! There may be something with transfers, but definitely not with connections.
…So this is how it is? Well, okay, you can’t by air, we’ll get by land! (By the way, it won’t work on water either - Umbria, one of the few provinces of Italy that do not have access to the sea).
Perugia is about the same distance from Rome, Florence, Rimini, Ancona. The most profitable for me was a direct flight to Rome, arriving on schedule at 8-35. The thing is that at 9-00 a bus leaves for Perugia directly from Fiumicino, and under favorable circumstances it was really possible to get on it. As a result, the plane landed at 8-15, and already at 8-45 I was near the bollard with an electronic scoreboard, where Sulga buses stop (website http://www.sulga.eu). The column is easy to find: we exit the doors of the T3 terminal, step to the right, to the platforms, from where Terravision and other shuttles to Rome start. A ticket is bought from the driver, the cost is 22 euros (cash only), if you take it back and forth, it will turn out cheaper. I recommend doing just that, I went back by train, just for the sake of interest, but the bus is definitely better!
The train (from Termini or from Tiburtina) was my backup option if I didn’t catch the bus, because the next one is only at 12-30, you will be exhausted at the airport to cuckoo. Fortunately, I did.
From Fiumicino, the bus goes to the Tiburtina bus station, it stops there for half an hour, and then it already heads for Perugia. The road from the airport to Tiburtina takes about an hour. I thought we would make our way along some seedy outskirts, but beauty began almost immediately: so many pines at the same time - powerful, luxurious! - so far in no area of Rome did not come across. And soon the ancient walls and gates of the city were added to them, at times the hand reached for the camera, but understood that nothing good would come of it through the tinted glass anyway.
There was something imperceptibly familiar in all this... It suddenly dawned on me: Laterano! I caught a glimpse of these places when, during one of the connections, I ran from the metro to the magnificent San Giovanni in Laterano. And now, unexpectedly, it turned out wonderful bus tour! It turns out that not only San Giovanni is here! And I know exactly where I will go for a walk, if the will of the Lord is for it, and fate will bring me one more time to Rome ...
The stop at Tiburtina flew by quickly - you can stretch your legs, go to the bar for breakfast. Well, there is a toilet here, in anticipation of quite long road(two hours and fifteen minutes), the option is useful.
As a result, two to fifteen and did not notice! The neck, however, is tired, because. I twirled it from right to left and from left to right all the time))) What kind of country is it, wherever you look - divinely beautiful ... And even in the autumn multicolor ... November in Italy is a real golden autumn!
The bus was also convenient for me because the final one in Perugia is at piazza Partigiani, from which it is about five minutes of leisurely walking to my hotel.
But, if you come to Perugia by train, you immediately get acquainted with the local feature - a mini-metro. The Perugia Fontivegge station, where Trenitalia trains arrive, is a good distance from the city center. You can, of course, use the local bus lines, but the mini-metro is much more interesting, and there will definitely be no traffic jams. (And they are! Especially in the evenings). The price of the issue is the same - 1-50 euros.
In general, this is not a subway, but something like a funicular. Tiny wagons (they have only 8 folding seats) move literally one after another, an interval of a minute and a half, the process is fully automated. I have never seen crowds, sometimes the cars run completely empty. Tickets are bought from vending machines, payment by card is possible. You must keep the ticket until the end of the trip, because. to leave the platform, it is also necessary to pass the ticket through the control unit. Part of the way passes on the surface, the tourist brethren, having thrown their suitcases, snap their cameras in unison - and the surroundings, and the route, and oncoming trailers. The locals look at us, crazy, with bewilderment. The last two stops - Cupa and Pincetto - will already be underground, directly in the historical center of Perugia. Most "experts" advise choosing a hotel closer to these mini-metro stations. And it’s really convenient, especially if you plan to travel around Umbria by train - in 10 minutes you will reach Perugia Fontivegge.
There is also another railway station in the city - Sant'Anna, here it is just very close to the bus station, which is on piazza Partigiani, almost in the center, but only regional railway trains depart from Santa Anna, to towns that ( I hope so far!) were not included in my plans.
At first, she booked a hotel in the immediate vicinity of the recommended Pinchetto, but then, seeing a photo of an old villa with a terrace and a small park, she quickly changed her mind and opted for the Iris Hotel, since the price for happiness to live in the same place where Richard Wagner stayed in August 1880 was more than sane - 30 euros per night! Don't think that I'm a fan of Wagner, no! As a child, his portrait in Great Hall I was even afraid of the Moscow Conservatory. But - that's how they "crossed"))). To me, Wagner was much more important than a terrace with a beautiful view and the villa itself, it can even be called a small palazzo.
Perugia is a very difficult city for perception on maps, because it is multi-tiered. It seems like something with something nearby, but in reality it turns out that between the "objects" a certain number of meters in height.
Came across this right away. I noticed the arrow with the name of the hotel a couple of steps from the bus station, on Via Guglielmo Marconi, and soon I saw the villa, familiar from the photo. But how to enter it, you will not immediately guess. The villa stands on a building that is not old at all, it is not at all clear how it “climbed” under it, in which a certain bank is located.
It turns out that you need to go along the bank, go to the Iris bar-restaurant of the same name as the hotel, and to the left of it there will be a gate with stairs to the hotel terrace. The gate is most often closed, then they will give the key to it, but for now - press the call button.
Once on the terrace, instead of stomping to the door of the villa, I took a camera out of my bag))) Oh, I changed the hotel for a reason! The views are a balm for the soul! The bulk of the Cathedral of San Domenico with a “shortened” bell tower, an unusual semicircular turret, the gates of Tre Archi (in Russian, almost, Three Arches, that is) ... Vases with hydrangeas, marigolds, with alas already fading petunias, and trees in autumn gold ... At the main doors - lanterns on openwork forged fixtures, under the vaulted ceiling of the reception there is a forged chandelier. The ceilings, by the way, are vaulted in the rooms. In the corridors - soft carpets, sounds are jammed well, old chests of drawers, mirrors in curly frames, candlesticks, tapestries, napkins, photos of old Perugia. Details! What I love! From the corridor on the first floor you can go out to a small garden. True, there was no time to walk there. And so I walked every day at the most I can not))).
Probably, there will be someone who will grumble about the wooden creaky staircase to the second floor, but in my opinion it was “in the subject”, it worked for the atmosphere. The room got a "double es single", with a wide bed. The furniture is just quite modern, although judging by the photo, there are rooms here with more authentic furnishings. There is no air conditioning in the room, but they say that in the summer it does not interfere. I was afraid it wouldn't be cold. It's still November! But it didn't freeze at all, thanks to the huge blanket. There was another one in the closet. The closet is large, but without shelves. It's good that there was a drawer in the table, small things can be put there. The telly showed the darkness of Italian programs, WiFi in the room is sure. Apparently, the owners listen to the opinion of the guests, because. in the reviews I read complaints about a weak signal, they promised to fix it, and they fixed it! The minibar was full, but there was enough room for something.
The bathroom is spacious with a window. From soap-rylnyh only gel and liquid soap in dispensers. The shower, fortunately, is removable, I really don’t like it tightly built into the wall. The shower cabin is not cramped. Three towels plus a foot mat. The quality is excellent, changed daily.
The view from the window (room 116) turned out to be luxurious for once. Actually, almost the same as from the terrace, plus the terrace itself could be surveyed. And - probably, it remained from the old times - there was a marble step by the window, standing on which, leaning on the window sill, it was very convenient to admire the surroundings. Once upon a time, it was windows that were instead of TVs and gadget screens)))
By the way, surprisingly, I didn’t hear any noise from the road passing by, although the windows were not double-glazed windows, but almost the same age as the building.
Breakfast was not included in the room rate, which I was only glad about, because they started at 8-00, late for me. But on the last morning I still ordered breakfast, because. the camp kettle had already been put away in the suitcase. In Iris, for 2 euros you can drink coffee and eat a croissant at the bar at the reception; or for 6 to buy a full breakfast. It is served in a separate room. I was given a discount for my 4 nights (considered a long time!), paid 5. Nothing special - cold cuts, cereals, boiled eggs, processed cheeses, pastries, some fruits. But you can eat well.
The hotel is completely satisfied! If you wish, of course, you can always find something to complain about, but I had no such desire. In addition, the people at the reception are the cutest! Everything will be prompted, everything will be explained and even drawn))).
In addition to the gate that I have already talked about, you can get to Iris by turning off via Luigi Masi into a public garden with some kind of patriotic monument (there is a sign to the hotel). Unlike the first gate, from this side the gate seems to be always open. There is also a hotel parking lot. This option is convenient because almost opposite the gate is the entrance to one of the city's free escalators. (Remember? Perugia is a multi-tiered city!) In a few minutes, the escalator will take you to piazza Italia, from which the main street of the historical center corso Pietro Vannucci originates.
Just behind the Three Arches, on the right, is a rather large Meta supermarket. There are plenty of cafes, restaurants and pizzerias nearby.
So in terms of location, everything is OK! Five minutes to the bus station, seven minutes (well, if you trudge a lot, then a maximum of ten) to the Pincetto mini-metro, five to Piazza Italia, if on the escalator, and 10 minutes to Piazza Grande (aka November 4th Square), if you stomp legs up.
The first time I hit the center with my feet. Of course, I will talk about this, but a little later. Need to mature...
Moreover, the chronology will thus be observed: Perugia as such was entirely given over to the last day, Sunday.
On the morning of the second day, I tried the mini-metro, surprisingly quickly and easily reaching the Pinchetto station (the route looked extremely incomprehensible on the map), and then to the railway station in order to go to Spello and Assisi by train at 8-02.
I wanted to visit Assisi for a long time: I was completely captivated by the views of the Basilica of St. Francis and its environs, which I “treated” during one of the Christmas concerts on TV. The concert, of course, was in the basilica itself.
But for some reason I thought that it was easier to go there from Rimini, but with Rimini I didn’t work out once, so I still don’t feel like repeating it. Why did Rimini seem to me in connection with Assisi, I don’t understand myself! Having discovered that Assisi is in Umbria (a disgrace! to get lost on such a narrow “boot” ...), and that from Perugia it’s 35 minutes by train, of course, the first thing she labeled him as “must visit”.
However, while reading about Assisi, I came across a mention of a very tiny Spello. After looking at the photo, I realized that I want almost more in Spello than in Assisi! Spello turned out to be one of my dearly beloved "borgos" - old Italian towns, usually built on a mountain. (By the way, the Italians pronounce “p” in Spello almost softly, and “l” very softly. And if we are already talking about this, then Perugia sounds in the “correct” version downright gentle: the “r” softens a little, well and "j" - by itself).
Spello is the next train stop after Assisi. There are only seven minutes between them. Nice thing to put together! And I decided to start with Spello, so that later I could move back to Perugia.
I suspect that an hour will be enough for someone here - to run along the main via Cavour, look into the shops and, with a calm soul, tick off the “were”. I spent three hours in Spello, and I would easily “disappear” there for another three, if it were not necessary to be in time for Assisi.
Spello, unlike many borgos, is very convenient because it takes ten minutes to walk from the railway station to the "centro storico". And immediately you feel some kind of resort bliss, the town is the quietest, calm, calm!
Actually, it was something like a “resort” back in the days of Emperor Augustus, who gave Spello and the lands around it to especially distinguished veterans of his army, so that they would spend the rest of their days in peace and grace.
Of course, there are sights in the form of fortress walls, gates and towers in the city. Moreover, an olive tree grows on the top of one of the towers, they assure that it is very old, and that, nevertheless, it is harvested annually. Of course, this tower instantly reminded me of its "relative" in Lucca. Only there is not an olive as a “hairstyle”, but oaks.
So, if you wish, you can study historical artifacts, of which there are many here, but the right word, not only and not so much Spello is good for this. "Welcome to the city of flowers and artists!" - read the poster at the entrance to Old city, and flowers are the main thing in Spello!
And all year round! Among the locals there is a continuous competition for the best yard, the best balcony, the best stairs. Winners are marked with cute ceramic plaques that are mounted on the walls of houses.
Of course, I was afraid that in November I would not see much beauty on the streets. But it turned out that November is perhaps better than, for example, October. Yes, the hydrangeas have faded and the geraniums are not so good, but the time of cyclamens has begun! Large, bright! And, surprisingly, pansies! I would never have thought that pansies were a winter flower, but in those parts they were planted everywhere at the beginning of November.
I tried to conscientiously walk along the main street, and still see something ancient Roman, or highly artistic, but immersed in greenery, departing from Via Cavour, the streets-lanes beckoned so much that it was impossible to resist.
Moreover, at the door of the main city church of Santa Maria Maggiore, famous for the frescoes of Pinturicchio in the Bagnoli Chapel, there was an announcement: due to restoration work, it is closed to tourists until the summer of 2018! Horror, how insulting ... Especially, the fact that tourists are not allowed ...
However, the good mood returned almost immediately, as soon as we turned into a tiny, but extremely pretty city garden, very close to the church.
And then I just walked wherever my eyes looked, “gathering a collection” of marvelous flower arrangements, charming ceramic “highlights” on the facades and in the courtyards of houses, not forgetting to look at shop windows, where ceramics were already at the level, if not of a museum, then exhibition for sure.
Because Spello is located on a mountain, then, walking along any street directed upwards, you are guaranteed to come out to some kind of “balcony”, the views from which are breathtaking. By the way, Umbria is called the "green heart of Italy", the nature here is magnificent. And even more so in autumn, when the predominantly deciduous forests are colored with all shades of gold interspersed with scarlet and crimson. Cypress candles in the autumn landscape look very unusual!
One of these gazebos in Spello can be found near the tiny church of San Severino (12th century!). The entrance to it was decorated with flowerpots with snow-white cyclamens, the panoramas of the surrounding hills from here - do not come off! Even in cloudy weather... By the way, the site Ilmeteo.it these days lied shamelessly! Fortunately, sometimes in my favor))) In Spello and Assisi, partly cloudy weather without precipitation was promised, but precipitation, as it happened, sometimes did happen, okay, at least not strong and not long.
I didn’t have time to catch my breath, emerging from one wave of beauty, as I found myself on the deserted terrace of the La Bastiglia restaurant - absolutely all the tables on it are the author’s work, with ceramic tabletops with views of Spello - where again just look around, admiring the nuances of Italian autumn ... Empty already fields and persimmons strewn with fruits, a bright green crown of acacia next to a linden tree that has begun to fly around, and orange hibiscus in droplets of recent rain in a flower pot on the railing of the restaurant ...
I fell in love with Spello immediately and forever ... I missed one scheduled train, I would gladly forget about the next one, but then I would definitely not have had time in Assisi ...
It's still good that I didn't get here in the summer! In the summer it would have been impossible to pull me out of Spello by the ears))) Especially if I could "coincide" with the fantastic La Infiorata di Spello - a flower feast timed to coincide with the Catholic holiday of the Body and Blood of Christ.
On this day, a two-kilometer carpet of flowers with paintings, mainly on religious themes, is “spread out” in the city. About two thousand craftsmen have been working on future masterpieces for several months, inventing plots, developing sketches, compiling lists of necessary materials (cereals, berries, flower petals and leaves). Everything should be only fresh and only natural, natural shades. No artificial colors are allowed. On the night before the holiday, artists begin to create a flower carpet. At eight in the morning the work should be finished. And it will be possible to admire this beauty for only 3 hours (!!!), because at exactly eleven, a solemn procession leaves the church, led by the bishop, and moves right along the carpets. I strongly advise you to look at the photos on the Web! Awesome!
I didn't want to leave Spello... I also didn't want to because I was a little afraid of Assisi. Everyone knows that Assisi is the city of St. Francis, extremely revered in the Catholic, and indeed in the Christian world. On the Internet, I came across stories of deeply religious people, in which the emphasis was precisely on the pilgrimage component. I was afraid that after the flower-panoramic Spello, Assisi would seem too serious, that the streets would be full of those who did not come here for the sake of idle curiosity.
Fortunately, nothing like that! There weren't that many people at all. And basically - the same as me, tourists. That is, of course, all paths here lead to the famous basilica, and besides it there are many temples, and souvenirs in shops for the most part church orientation, and there are enough monks-nuns-clergy on the streets, but absolutely no manifestations of excessive religiosity are observed or felt.
The old city is located at a distance of about four kilometers from the station. It's a long walk, especially if you're short on time. The bus comes to the rescue local line, marked with the letter C. Tickets for it are bought at the station bar. The schedule adheres to well, very conditionally, it can easily be late for 15 minutes.
True, I was even glad that the bus was delayed somewhere, because. in those 15 minutes it was pouring with good rain. She looked with horror at her mother and daughter, it looked like Japanese women dressed in thin cotton dresses. Let it be about plus 17 on the street, but it's still cool, that's because samurai fortitude! Nearby stood American women in winter boots)))
The bus in Assisi makes two stops, at different ends of the city. Depending on which one you get out of, you will either move towards the basilica or away from it.
Somewhere I came across a mention that the Basilica of St. Francis is also closed for a siesta, and since. Exactly at siesta, I arrived in Assisi, I was going to first wander through the streets, and then walk to the main attraction. But, seeing from the bus window the majestic complex of the basilica and the monastery of Sacro-Convento, I realized that I simply could not pass by, and went out to piazza Unita d'Italia, instead of the planned piazza Matteotti. It turned out that the decision was correct - firstly, the basilica was open, there was no break, and secondly, if I had wandered around the city before, I would have come here without legs at all, and most importantly, “headless” from the abundance of impressions. The head was already half occupied by Spello))).
In addition, if you are walking from the city, you will most likely find yourself at the Upper Church of the Basilica first, and you can take in the whole building at once, and even from the most successful angle, only from the courtyard of the Lower Church, where you just get, walking from bus stop at Piazza Unita d'Italia.
The building of the basilica does not differ in any special beauty, but the courtyard of the Lower Church - the galleries framing it, the rhythmic pattern of tiles covering it from stripes of different colors - is arranged so that all attention is immediately directed to the temple, your legs themselves carry you to the entrance with an openwork rosette. The entrance, by the way, is located unconventionally - on the southern facade, because. the western wall, due to the features of the relief, is deaf.
More than once I had to read that many did not feel any holiness, any spiritual awe here. Someone complained about the crowds of tourists, someone complained that the basilica was badly damaged during the earthquake of 1997 (in particular, the vault of the Upper Church collapsed), and what we see today is largely a remake, and therefore the prayers in these the walls are still missing. As for the Upper Church, perhaps yes. Didn't touch.
But in the Lower, right from the threshold, huge goosebumps ran down my spine ... Although I didn’t have any mood to perceive something from above ... But nevertheless, it happened ... And at first I thought that it was the beauty of the frescoes that fascinated me - all the the churches are painted, (among the authors are Giotto and Cimabue). Again, the stained-glass windows are wonderful… But when I went down to the crypt, where, after the construction of the basilica, the remains of St. Francis were reburied, I realized that the frescoes had nothing to do with it… I.e. Of course, they are beautiful, and they cannot help touching the soul, but still something is present here besides this ... The crypt, by the way, is strict, almost not decorated in any way.
Interestingly, very soon after the burial, the underground passage leading to the crypt was laid in order to prevent the separation of the relics. Soon, the dungeon was generally forgotten, although its existence was legendary. And only in 1818 (almost 600 years later!) Excavations were carried out, and the legends were confirmed. The crypt acquired its current form only at the beginning of the last century. There, downstairs, you can buy candles (or rather, take the money, whoever puts as much money as he can), but you won’t be able to light them! Because only six are constantly burning, and the rest are simply placed in baskets nearby. (I confess, a sinful thought crept in - but do they all light them? .. If the candles were not so long (50 centimeters), I would definitely take a couple with me, I would put them in some other temple). And you can also write a note to St. Francis ... Of course, everyone writes, and in their own languages ...
Leaving the Upper Church, you find yourself on a green-green meadow, at the far end of which an olive grows, and the Latin PAX is lined with flowers. There is also the composition "Repentance of St. Francis", here he is still a rich young warrior on a horse. I will not retell the story of the conversion of the son of a wealthy merchant into one of the greatest Christian saints - there are many sources on the Web. Worth reading - interesting!
From the road leading from the Upper Church into the city, incredible views of the surrounding fields open up, you can see in the distance the dome of Santa Maria degli Angeli (Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli), the second no less significant temple of Assisi. And the striped courtyard of the Lower Church looks amazingly impressive from here, it is very good!
I was surprised by the abundance of four-legged “pilgrims” near the basilica! And many of them were wearing red coats. I was already wondering if all these watchdogs are members of some special canine fraternity?))) Well, but what? After all, St. Francis called any living creature brother (or sister), such as the wolf that terrorized the people in the town of Gubbio. After a “conversation” with the Saint, the wolf turned into a quiet dog, and for two years, until he died, he lived on allowance from the inhabitants of Gubbio.
So I looked carefully at the boots - maybe something is written on them? But apart from the typical Barbos decor (bones, etc.) I didn’t spot anything. Most likely, red is the trend of the season for bobs))).
After the basilica, "with a sense of accomplishment" just walked the streets of Assisi. The town is very nice! It turned out that he, too (like Spello), is quite blooming - begonias, cyclamens, heather adorned many windows. However, why be surprised? After all, a collection of medieval texts, with a description of the deeds of St. Francis and his associates, is called “I fioretti di San Francesco”, how could fioretti flowers not be here? And there are enough all sorts of memorable little things here: it seems that I have never seen such a variety of lanterns anywhere else! It even looked like a rooster!
Since Assisi stands on a mountain, there are several gazebos here. One of the most famous is the one near the Basilica of Santa Chiara. By the way, it is Saint Clare who is considered the patroness of television. I heard about it, and here's why - I found out only after reading about Assisi, about St. Francis and about one of his faithful followers. It turns out that on her last Christmas, Clara, being bedridden, could not attend the service, but through her prayer, the whole festive action appeared before her eyes!
The basilica itself is interesting only for its most powerful buttresses, but the square in front of it is good! And the fountain with a dolphin is wonderful, and the views of the city roofs, the Umbrian distances and the Rocca Magiore fortress towering over Assisi are impressive!
There is also a center in the city, so to speak, secular - piazza del Comune, with the Palace of Priors and the Palace of the Captain of the People, almost obligatory for the old Italian cities. The People's Tower (Torre del Popolo) closely adjoins the portico with columns of the former temple of Minerva, which in the 16th century became the Church of Our Lady above Minerva (Chiesa di Santa Maria sopra Minerva). They say that Goethe, while traveling in Italy, came to Assisi specifically to see the Temple of Minerva and was in such a hurry to get there that he did not even stop at the Basilica of St. Francis. I barely waited for the church to open after the siesta, went inside, and didn’t understand anything at all ... That is, I’m not Goethe, of course, but still? Ordinary baroque church. Beautiful, but nothing more. Uh-huh, you need to read carefully, girl! Goethe, it turns out, admired just the ancient Roman portico with six columns, and not the Baroque interior. Oh, we don't match! Of all the porticos, I am not indifferent only to the fact that on Theater Square in Moscow, even if it is not ancient Roman)))
Absolutely not imbued with the portico, I was very imbued with pasta with truffles, eaten in a restaurant nearby))) In terms of goodies, the city of Assisi does not follow the strictness of the Franciscan Order. Everything is in order here with restaurants, and with pastry shops, and with gelateria)).
Pasta (or truffles?) gave me strength, and I was still able to overcome half of the ascent to the fortress of Rocca Maggiore. Half, because it was getting dark in the evening... It was problematic to see anything from the very top, but from the platform halfway to the top the views were dizzying! I especially remember the veil of either clouds or fog that enveloped the top of the mountain in the neighborhood ... There was a smell of autumn forest and a little bit of smoke ...
It was so good that I even looked around for something to sit on, thinking of staying here until it gets dark, when suddenly it clicked in my head: what about Santa Maria degli Angeli ?! Oh my God! I almost forgot that you still have to definitely reach this basilica! I had to quickly jump to Piazza Mateotti, to the bus stop C.
Generally speaking, when returning from the city, it is best to get off one stop before the train station, near McDonald's. It is just near the underpass that passes under the railway tracks and leads to Viale Patrono d`Italia, at the end of which is the basilica. But, if you still drove to the station itself, you have to go back a little.
Santa Maria degli Angeli is huge! The truth would not say that something other than size is impressive. Inside, too, everything is very concise. Maybe on purpose, so that nothing distracts attention from the two treasures, the two chapels, for the safety of which it was erected.
The first is called Portiuncola - a small piece, a piece - in honor of a small piece of land donated to the Benedictine Order once. It was in this tiny chapel that St. Francis especially liked to indulge in prayer and meditation, it was here that he founded a religious community, which later became known as the Order of the Franciscans.
Nearby is another chapel - del Transito, erected over the place where St. Francis ended his earthly life, lying on the bare ground, but with a face glowing with happiness.
Photography is not allowed in the Basilica. Actually, it is forbidden in the Basilica of St. Francis. But there I violated this ban without any problems, without feeling any guilt for myself. Here - here the hand was not raised and that's it! Fotik didn’t even try to get it, but she pulled out the phone, and “through I can’t” (everything in me resisted the “demonic temptation”) took three pictures. Well, in the end they are all out of focus! If in the first basilica there can still be disputes on the topic “there is SOMETHING here or not”, then here everyone will feel this very SOMETHING, it seems to me ... Especially, in the Portiuncula ... And another interesting point - I look at photos on the Web and see that in the chapel only the altar space was painted, and for some reason in my memory there were paintings on all its walls! ..
To the right of the altar there is an entrance to the inner gallery, which leads, among other things, to the rose garden. They say that the roses there are without thorns ever since one night St. Francis, overwhelmed by sinful thoughts, threw off his clothes, rushed to the rose bushes. And then a miracle happened: the roses, so as not to cause pain and suffering to the saint, dropped all the thorns. Unfortunately, you can’t touch the roses, you can only look at the garden through the glass. But after the trouble with the pictures, I'm sure that there really are no thorns on roses ...
I left the Basilica in the dark. She walked to the station in amazement, looking at the shop windows, glowing with festive garlands - as if the whole month had disappeared and Christmas Eve had come! There are magnificent presepios in almost every window! (Nativity scenes, that is).
I immediately remembered a quote from Karel Capek I read before the trip, he wrote about Umbria like this: “Here I found myself in a land that is more attractive than everyone else, in the towns of the cleanest and nicest. About Bethlehem, are you called Spello or Trevi, or maybe Spoleto or Narni? Blessed are these hills, I say, on each of you it would be pleasing for God to be born.
Trevi, Narni and Spoleto, alas, not this time, but there is one more hill in the plans ... I hope it will turn out to be blessed! ..
