Perugia delights with its monuments, events and cuisine. Both the capital city is an ideal base if we want to visit the entire Umbrian region, and an ideal base for exploring this region.
Perugia, ancient Perusia – the capital of Umbria, an administrative region of central Italy. The city lies between Lake Trasimene and the Tiber River.
Chocolate Festival
Perugia is famous for its chocolate production, which is why the international chocolate festival takes place every year in October. It is in Perugia that the most famous chocolate, “il Bacio”, was created, and for several decades an event has been organized, the so-called Eurochocolate, during which we can participate in many meetings.
We can choose from various types of chocolate. Classic, dark, milk: from the most traditional for the most daring flavor combinations, pralines, bars or spreads. Eurochocolate usually lasts 9 days. Here we will see perfect carvings made of confectionery by master confectioners. We can, among others: take advantage of delicious chocolate cooking classes, tastings, and tips on using chocolate for skin care. There’s a lot to learn here.
Casa del Cioccolato
Casa del Cioccolato Perugina is a place you should definitely visit. The name means House of Chocolate sounds like an invitation to a tasting. The chocolate factory tour begins at the Perugin Museum. During the tour, we will learn the history of this place, which from a small workshop producing sweet almonds has become a thriving factory producing the most popular chocolate and pralines in Italy, Baci Perugina. Of course, praline tasting is an option.
The Umbria Jazz Festival
.The Umbria Jazz Festival is one of the most important jazz festivals in the world and takes place every summer for 10 days in Perugia, the capital of Umbria. Giant stages are then set up on virtually every street in the city. Most concerts are open and free, some require registration and others are paid. The paid ones are no different from the street ones and the stars are truly world class. You can meet artists mainly from America.
Piazza IV Novembre
Piazza IV Novembre is a beautiful square in the historic center of Perugia, housing the city’s most important buildings and monuments, from the Palazzo dei Priori to the Fontana Maggiore and the Cathedral of San Lorenzo. Piazza IV Novembre hosts the Umbria Jazz Festival in the summer and the Eurochocolate chocolate festival in autumn.
Rocca Paolina
La Rocca Paolina, or the Pauline fortress, is the name of the fortress that dominated the city of Perugia in Umbria for over three centuries. The external visible remains of this imposing military and civil architecture of the 16th and 20th centuries essentially consist of a retaining wall located on the Via Indipendenza and a bastion with lifting via Marzia. La Rocca Paolina and its underground remains house the exhibition space and headquarters of the Rocca museum.
Etruscan Gate of Perugia
The gate is one of the elements of the city’s former Etruscan fortifications, built in the 3rd or 2nd century BC. The current shape is the result of several reconstructions. The entire building was built of stone blocks without the use of mortar. This is another example of the skills and abilities of builders dating back thousands of years.
Mini Metro
MiniMetrò operates in Perugia. It opened on January 29, 2008. It has one line and 7 stations. Small wagons move through dark tunnels carved in the rocks, the views along the way are great.
Culinary in Peruga
The food here has a bit of Tuscan cuisine. The cuisine in Peruggia is mainly meats and cheeses. Game and truffles, which are slightly different from those from Tuscany. Umbria also has lentils, legumes, bruschetta and a whole lot of green vegetables. Excellent quality olive oil and wine – especially white Orvieto DOC, Grechetto with Todi and Colli Martani and red Sagrantino Montefalco.
Typical dishes in most restaurants:
Torta al testo – a type of focaccia baked on a stoneware or cast iron plate. Perfect with local meats and cheese.
Pasta al tartufo – long pasta served with truffles or truffle sauce.
Pasta alla Norcina – pasta served with sausage and ricotta or the second version with black truffle from Norcia and anchovies.
Piccione arrosto – roasted pigeon.
Agnello scottaditto – grilled lamb on fire with aromatic herbs
Chiocciole – snails – a delicacy from Bevagni. There are two types; lumachelle (light-colored and small) and lumacci (large, dark).
Rocciata – a type of puff pastry filled with sugar, honey and nuts, topped with Alchermes liqueur.
