Perugia
Perugia dominates the Tiber Valley from a high, irregular and rough hill: the particular feature of the land has generated a wide variety of urbanistic situations, giving the town a very special aspect.
The rich artistic and cultural patrimony and the natural environment make Perugia an unique city of major importance, and this from the beginning of its history.
Perugia lies on a hill inhabited ever since the prehistoric times; it was first a settlement of the Umbrians, then it passed under the rule of the Etruscans, becoming one of the most important cities in the High Tiber Valley.
Perugia today is a modern and cosmopolitan city known all over the world because of its cultural events and the University for Foreigners.
Proud of its historical traditions and the beautiful buildings of the past, Perugia let itself be admired in its thousand picturesque corners where present and past integrate one another and create an unforgettable atmosphere.

Assisi
Walled Assisi is miraculous: it has somehow managed to retain some tranquil refuges amid the tourist hubbub. Perched halfway up Mt Subasio, the city is dominated by the massive 14th-century Rocca Maggiore - a hill fortress that offers fabulous views over the valley and back to Perugia. St Francis was born here in 1182, and work began on his basilica two years after his death in 1228. It's a magnificent tribute to the patron saint of animals, with frescoes by Giotto, Cimabue and Martini. Relics from Imperial days include the excavated forum and the pillared facade of the Temple of Minerva; Roman foundations are a common feature of many buildings. The town's many churches include Santa Maria Maggiore, San Pietro, St Clare and the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli.

Orvieto
Visiting this town means journeying through history, for traces of each and every period of the almost three thousand years of its existence crop up everywhere in this preconstituted physical entity.
Nowadays one no longer has to reach the top of the cliff on a mule, for a modern system of "alternative mobility" provides an access to the town that is both easy to use and fascinating with the funicular (run by water in the nineteenth century and now completely modernised) at one end and a lift (to which escalators are to be added) at the other, signs that the old historical centre, built on a human scale, has been returned to citizens and tourists alike and is once more the realm of the pedestrian.

Gubbio
Gubbio is surely one of the most picturesque and characteristic towns, not only in Umbria but in Italy, thanks to its nearly intact medieval aspect: set in the higher part of a plateau at the foot of Mount Ingino, it has a rather simple plan, that is five parallel streets running at different levels on the slopes of the hill and connected each other by alleys.
The buildings are mainly Romanesque in style; typical of the town is the so-called door of the dead, a narrow pointed arch door placed above street level, which, according to tradition, was reserved for the passage of coffins.

Todi
Todi is an Umbrian hill town par excellence. Its location is perfect, high upon a hill overlooking the Tiber valley. Its history stretches back to the Etruscans. Its winding streets are enlivened by art and music, and at its heart is an unrivalled collection of Gothic palazzi.
Frequently described as Italy's most perfect medieval piazza the Piazza Del Popolo is the perfect place to enjoy a cappuccino and a view of Italian street life. It is flanked on three sides by 13th century palaces including the Palazzo Communale which houses the towns museum. The piazza is presided over by Todi's fine Duomo or cathedral. One of Todi's finest views is to be had just off the piazza beside the Palazzo Communale.

Spoleto

Best known for its annual Festival of Two Worlds (Festival Dei Due Mondi) one of Europe's leading art and music festivals, Spoleto is a town of unrivalled charm. Founded by the Umbrians and brought to prominence by the Romans, its location is spectacular.
The Duomo and Piazza
The sloping fan shaped piazza in front of Spoleto's cathedral provides a perfect amphitheatre and during the festival again becomes the site of many outdoor concerts. The 12th century cathedral itself crowns the piazza. The facade is a pleasing blend of Gothic and Renaissance elements.
Inside are more treasures, including a fresco cycle by one of the most important painters of the Florentine Renaissance Fra Lippo Lippi as well as paintings by Pinturicchio. When your neck is sore from looking up at Lippi's frescos, glance at down at the splendid 12th century patterned marble floor underfoot.

Narni
Narni, geographic centre of Italy, is situated in the province of Terni, in the region of Umbria.
It is a typical Umbrian town, built on a hill 240 metres above sea level with 20,570 inhabitants and strong medieval traces.
The town has outstanding views over the River Nera valley and the wide plain of Terni (Conca Ternana). Narni offers artistic, archaeological and religious itineraries, plus an abundance of natural history for the tourist. The town's theatre dates back to 1800.