Tuscany & Umbria, Italy Area Information for Tuscany and Umbria
Tuscany and Umbria: two regions of Italy that have captured the hearts of many throughout the ages. Timeless and captivating, the wealth of history, art, culture and beauty they have to offer is astonishing, an open invitation to visit time and time again.
To many minds, Tuscany encapsulates all that is Italy: beautiful landscapes of green hillsides dotted with olive groves and vineyards, framed by lines of tall cypress trees; stunning hilltop medieval villages, unchanged for centuries yet lively with present day activity; people that are friendly and animated, their zest for life fuelled by food and wine of the very highest quality.
Whilst the art and architecture of such cities as Siena, Pisa, Florence and Lucca are legendary, a myriad of towns and villages of lesser renown can reveal equivalent splendours, tucked away in winding alleyways or sunny piazzas.
San Gimignano, which dates from the 13th Century, is considered by many to be Tuscany’s most beautiful and best preserved medieval hill top town; the spectacular soaring towers of the citadel can be seen from many miles away.
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Wednesday is a good day to visit Siena as there is a colourful market held around the fortress walls. Then enter the walls into the vibrant streets and visit the Gothic Cathedral and enjoy a drink in the shade of the Piazza del Campo while enjoying the vista of the Palazzo Publico – scene of the famous ‘Palio’ horse races every July and August.
Pisa is made for exploring on foot. Having visited the impressive Piazza del Duomo and adjacent circular baptistery, the cathedral and, of course, the celebrated leaning tower, it is also worth taking a walk along the River Arno.
Florence, of course, like Siena and Pisa, needs no introduction. As the city sits in a natural bowl, do follow the advice of the locals and go early in the day to avoid the extreme temperatures it can attract over the main summer months. Having absorbed the incredible wealth of culture in Florence, you may want to come straight back up to date with a visit to the designer outlet stores!
Lucca is an amazing walled city and although just a short drive from Pisa, is still relatively unknown. Wander around the narrow streets and maybe climb the Torre Guinigi to enjoy the shade offered by the tree which grows in the garden on the top of the tower and admire the open country views beyond the town rooftops.
North of Lucca, the Garfagnana region is one of forested hills and unspoilt hamlets bordered by the dramatic mountain range of the Apuane Alps.
The Mugello area, north of Florence, was once home to the Medici family and the elegant villas and castles of that era still dot the landscape. Far from the tourist trails, both areas are ideal for walkers and nature lovers.
Travelling past Siena into southern Tuscany, the tree-clad hills of Chianti become the slopes of the Crete Senesi. Bare ridges are topped with a single line of cypress trees or a Romanesque chapel, vast expanses of rolling hills that stretch into the distance – so often depicted on postcards.
Amongst this wilder scenery, you will come across living masterpieces of the Renaissance in the form of picturesque towns. Pienza, a picture perfect town; Montepulciano and Montalcino, famous for their excellent red wines, San Quirico d’Orcia, a fortified town on the old Roman road between Siena and Rome, and San Casciano dei Bagni, an ancient spa town.
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Public transport is reliable and cheap, and in the busy summer months it can be more convenient to take a train from a local station into any of the large towns. In many towns and cities such as Lucca, Pisa and Florence bicycles can be hired easily and make a fun way to explore the cities and take pressure off hot and aching feet!
Bordering Tuscany is Umbria, the ‘green heart of Italy’, an area even more relaxed than its serene next door neighbour. Perugia, the region’s medieval capital, is famous for its magnificent architecture and home to one of the finest piazzas in all Italy.
There is nothing more pleasurable than to stroll along the Corso Vannucci, visit the Piazza Quattro Novembre where the impressive Fontana Maggiore plays and then pause for an aperitif whilst admiring the stylish Italians enjoying their evening ‘passeggiata’.
The city also has countless fine trattorias amongst its winding streets. The Perugia Jazz Festival, established in 1973 and held annually every July, attracts performers and aficionados from all over the world.
Additionally, the town is a respected source of fine chocolate – a product honoured with its own week long festival every October! Ceramic production is an important industry in Umbria with nearby Deruta being the most famous regional centre. Further south, Orvieto has been producing textiles
of the highest quality since the 13th Century.
The home of St Francis, Assisi is a stirring sight as you approach across the plain. The wonderful architecture of the basilica has been used as a model for many other places of worship throughout Italy and the magnificent frescoes which adorn its walls are world famous.
On your visit, do not overlook the lesser known basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, just below Assisi, which was literally built around the 6th Century Benedictine chapel where St Francis died. Incredibly, the tiny chapel remains fully intact beneath the great roof of the basilica itself.
The summer months are filled with music festivals. In most towns, open air opera and the odd famous pop group can be heard in the Piazzas. The feast of St Francis in October in Assisi and the local village fiestas held on various feast days throughout the summer months offer spontaneous celebrations by village folk of singing and dancing normally culminating in a grand firework display.
The quiet country lanes of Umbria are made for a leisurely meander. Hamlets, villages, churches and castles, many of which have remained virtually unchanged for centuries, litter the region and provide fascinating places to explore or simply just enjoy the tranquillity of this peaceful rural area and admire the fields cultivated with sunflowers, maize and vegetables of all types.
Explore Gubbio, Città di Castello, Spoleto and Todi, all of which are enchanting examples of Umbrian towns. The vast Lago di Trasimeno in the heart of land locked Umbria, offers a variety of watersports including sailing and windsurfing as well as some excellent lakeshore restaurants. Even Rome, with its myriad of wonderful sights and treasures is an easy drive or train ride away.
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Local Cuisine
Tuscan and Umbrian fare is hearty and varied.
The cuisine is based on simple, tasty dishes using wholesome produce complemented by fresh fruit
and vegetables and plenty of oil.
Meals often start with crostini (small pieces of toast with liver, olive or tomato paste) followed by soups such as ribollita (a thick bread, bean and vegetable broth) or acquacotta (made with onions, potatoes and dried cod). A pasta or risotto course may follow, typically tomato-based and, especially in Umbria, often served with black or white truffles.
Commonly-found traditional main courses include arista (pork loin with garlic and rosemary); pollo alla diavola (grilled, marinated chicken); lepre (hare, often stewed with olives, white wine and herbs) or porchetta (pork cooked over a wood fire stuffed with minced liver, pepper, garlic and wild fennel). In Umbria, carp is a speciality from Lake Trasimeno or try tegamaccio, a rich eel and perch stew cooked in herbs and white wine.
From the dessert trolley, you may wish to try zucotto (sponge cake with cream and chocolate), brustengolo (a sort of polenta with chopped apples, pine nuts, walnuts, lemon peel and sugar).
To complete the meal you may be offered cantucci, small almond biscuits, sometimes accompanied by a dessert wine known as vin santo.
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Climate
Both Tuscany and Umbria enjoy a Mediterranean-type climate with hot, dry summers where temperatures often exceed 30º C. In Spring and Autumn warm days and cooler evenings make this a pleasant time to visit.
Getting There
The principal airport in Tuscany is Pisa, served by both scheduled and low cost airlines from many UK airports, including Gatwick, Stansted and regional airports such as Bristol, Liverpool and Glasgow.
The smaller airport in Florence is served by Meridiana from Gatwick whilst easyJet and BA fly
to Bologna, one hour north of Florence.
For Umbria, British Airways offers flights to Rome Fiumicino, and both easyJet and Ryanair have daily flights to Rome Ciampino. For our properties in northern Umbria, the small airport Bologna Forli, served by Ryanair, can also be considered.
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