Birthplace of saints, heart of Italy, and home to some of the country’s greatest artistic treasures, Umbria is at once ancient and timeless. Blessed with steep hills, deep valleys, fast flowing rivers and renowned for its ‘black diamonds’ (truffles), the region has not yet been swamped by tourism. The pastoral landscapes and Renaissance hilltop towns of Umbria provide some of the most magnificent views and prove that central Italy does not start and finish with Tuscany. Rose coloured towns such as Perugia, the capital of the region, and Assisi, resting place of St. Francis, are rich in art and architecture, as are Orvieto, Todi and Spoleto. Umbria has an avenue to meet every discerning clients needs, and is still within easy reach of Rome and the Tuscan cities of Siena and Florence, Umbria is the ultimate villa vacation from which to experience authentic Italy.
 

Perugia is one of the best preserved hilltop towns of its size; the main attractions of Perugia are the Collegio del Cambio which is a series of elaborate rooms at Banker’s Guild Hall. The walls inside were frescoed by Pietro Vannucci, the most important Perugian painter of the Renaissance from 1496 to 1500. The imposing Palazzo dei Priori dates back to the 13^th century and is also well worth exploration. Assisi is a town which is medieval in architecture and is one of the most important pilgrimages in the Christian world, due to its ties to St. Francis the patron saint of Italy.

Spoleto in Northern Umbria is a most inviting town, usually sleepy until the revered Festival dei Due Mondi descends for three weeks of world class theater, music, opera, sculpture and painting throughout the town from mid June to mid July. Spoleto is a small and picturesque town with a mix of medieval and Roman attractions clustered largely in the upper extremes of town.

Further Umbrian towns of Todi and Orvieto are also well worth exploration, often described as Umbria’s prettiest hill town, Todi has stunning views out over the countryside, complementing its 12^th century Romanesque architecture. Orvieto is also highly acclaimed for producing one of Italy’s favourite white wines and having one of the country’s greatest cathedrals, it is a town carved from volcanic rock perched high above a green verdant valley.

Umbria is also famed for its picturesque Lakes, located in the heart of Umbria, Lake Trasimeno is the ideal location from which to base a villa vacation in Italy with its famed restaurants, water sports and beach.