 Introduction
Arrival
Plane
Central Italy's closest major airports are in Rome, Pisa, and Florence.
The major international gateway is Rome's Aeroporto Leonardo da Vinci, known as Fiumicino 30 km southwest of Rome. Two buses leave daily from Roma Fiumicino Airport (International Departure Terminal "C") to Perugia (P.le Partigiani)
Pisa's Aeroporto Galileo Galilei 12 km south of Pisa and 80 km west of Florence, has flights from London, Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris, as well as connections to Rome and Milan. From Pisa airport there is a train service to Florence and from there trains on the main line to Rome.
Florence's Aeroporto A. Vespucci, known as Peretola 10 km northwest of Florence, has connections to Brussels, Paris, London, Rome, and Milan.
Perugia's tiny Aeroporto Sant'Egidio has only daily flights to and from Milan, where direct flights are available from and to most of the main international destinations.
Train
From the North, the main line between Florence and Rome has a station at Terontola (on the
branch line to Lake Trasimene, Perugia, Assisi, Spello, and Foligno), so coming from Florence
take one of the dozen daily trains to Terontola/Cortona (30 mins.) that meet up with a
connecting train to Perugia (35 to 50 min.).
From the South, the main line between Rome and Ancona has a station at Foligno (on the
branch line to Spello, Assisi, Perugia and Lake Trasimene), so coming from Rome, take one of
the nine daily trains on the line to Ancona, stop at Foligno (1 hr., 40 min. to 2 hr.), where you
can transfer to a Perugia-bound train (30 to 35 min.).
Car
From the north (Milan, Florence), the best exit for Perugia on the A1 motorway at Valdichiana, where the superstrada SS75bis branches into Umbria at Lake Trasimeno and continues towards Perugia. From Rome travelling northwards along the A1 motorway the best exit for reaching Perugia is at Orte, which is connected to the regional capital at first by the ss204 to Terni and then by the E45 (or SS3bis) from Terni to Perugia.
The SS75bis has five exits for Perugia (from North): Perugia-Ferro di Cavallo, Perugia- Madonna Alta (best to reach the "Renato Curi" football stadium) , Perugia-San Faustino (best to reach the main railway FS station, also good for the old town center), Perugia-Prepo (good to reach the old town center) and Perugia-Piscille (good to reach the old town center).
History and Culture
In 1797, the city was conquered by French troops. On 4 February 1798, the Tiberina Republic was formed, with Perugia as capital, and the French tricolour as flag. In 1799, the Tiberina Republic merged to the Roman Republic. In 1832, 1838, 1854 and 1997 Perugia was visited by earthquakes; in May 1849 it was seized by the Austrians; and, after a futile insurrection in the June of 1859, bloodily defeated by Pius IX's troops, it was finally united, along with the rest of Umbria, to Piedmont, in 1860.
Perugia has become famous for chocolate, mostly because of a single firm, Perugina, whose Baci (kisses) are widely exported. Perugia chocolate is very popular in Italy, and the city hosts a chocolate festival in October of every year.
Churches and Museums
It is located in the place where, in Middle Ages times, the market and the horse fair were held, and where the Dominicans settled in 1234. According to Vasari, the church was designed by Giovanni Pisano. The interior decorations were redesigned by Carlo Maderno, while the massive belfry was partially cut around mid-16th century. It houses examples of Umbrian art, including the precious tomb of Pope Benedict XI and a Renaissance wooden choir.
San Pietro Church
Outside the Porta San Pietro in Perugia, in Borgo XX Giugno (on the left), we find the fine church of San Pietro. The monastery was created around 996 over a church existing since the early 7th century, although the first document citing the abbot is from 1002, containing eighteen ancient columns, beautiful choir-stalls (1535) and many pictures of the early Umbrian school and of the 17th century. It has the most important collection of art pieces in Perugia, after the Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria.
San Lorenzo
On the north side of the Piazza IV Novembre in Perugia stands the cathedral of San Lorenzo, a 15th century Gothic hall-church, with an unfinished facade. On the steps leading up to the entrance, to the left, is a bronze statue of Pope Julius III (1555). Inside there are fine choir-stalls (1486-91) and a banner depicting a view of Perugia.
Sant' Ercolano
Currently resembling a polygonal tower, it had once two floors. The upper one was demolished when the Rocca Paolina was built. It includes Baroque decorations commissioned from 1607. The main altar is made by a 4th sarcophagus found in 1609.
S. Michele Arcangelo
Church of S. Michele Arcangelo (5th-6th centuries). It is an example of Palaeo-Christian art with central plant recalling that of Santo Stefano Rotondo in Rome. A round church of great architectural interest, with sixteen ancient columns in the nave.
Museo Capitolare
The Museo Capitolare to the left of the cathedral houses sculpture, valuable missals and pictures, including a "Madonna Enthroned" by Signorelli.
Museo Archeologico Nazionale dell'Umbria
In the monastery adjoining San Domenico is the Museo Archeologico Nazionale dell'Umbria, with Roman and Etruscan antiquities, including the Cippus Perusianus, one of the longest known Etruscan inscriptions.
Historical buildings and monuments
A Renaissance fortress (1540-1543) of which only a bastion today is remaining. The original design was by Antonio and Aristotile da Sangallo, and included the Porta Marzia (3rd century BC), the tower of Gentile Baglion's house and a mediaeval pit.
Fontana Maggiore
The main square of Perugia is the picturesque Piazza IV Novembre, in the center of which is the Fontana Maggiore (1277-80), one of the most beautiful fountains of the period, a medieval fountain designed by Fra Bevignate and sculpted by Nicolò and Giovanni Pisano.
Exchange Building
The Exchange Building is a notable building in downtown Perugia. It was built in the 15th Century for the money-changers and inside you will find famous frescoes by Perugino and his pupils.
Palazzo dei Priori
On the south side of the cathedral in Perugia is the Palazzo dei Priori, also known as the Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall), a massive building in Italian Gothic style (1293 and 1333), with its main front on the Corso Vannucci. On the side facing the Piazza IV Novembre are a griffin (the heraldic emblem of Perugia), a 14th century bronze lion, and chains, all of which commemorate a victory over the Sienese in 1358. On the first floor of the palace, which is entered through the richly decorated main doorway in the Corso, is the splendid Sala dei Notari, on the second floor the Municipal Library (150,000 volumes).
Places of Interest
To the southwest of San Pietro church, extending to the Porta San Constanzo, lies the Giardino del Frontone a former parade square of Braccio da Montone rebuilt into a garden by the Alessi family from the 18th century.
Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria
The Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria contains paintings by Perugino and Pinturicchio, Benedetto Bonfiglio (d. 1496), Bartolomeo Caporali (d. about 1509), and other artists, sculptures by di Cambio, di Duccio, etc., and a small majolica collection. The Sala del Collegio della Mercanzia is also worth a visit.
Tomb of the Volumnii
East of Perugia, before Ponte San Giovanni, is a modern building which houses the entrance to the underground Tomb of the Volumnii (Ipogeo dei Volumni), one of the finest tombs in Etruria, dating from the second century B.C. It imitates the plan of an ancient house, with nine chambers grouped round a central space, which contain urns with extraordinarily expressive carvings.
Events
This was first held in 1973 and today, it has become the top European jazz festival. All of the greatest contemporary jazz musicians have played at Umbria Jazz. The festival lasts for ten days and is held almost entirely in Perugia's historic district in ancient palaces, squares and parks. Thousand of young people and jazz fans throng to Perugia from all over Europe and the United States.
Sagra Musicale Umbra - September
It is held in Perugia and other Umbrian cities. It was founded in 1937 and has now become one of the most popular cultural events in the region. It focuses on two types of repertoire: sacred music and twentieth-century music. It has also featured numerous debuts. Some of the most important participants have included orchestra directors such as Karajan, Mitropoulus and Muti, and composers such as Britten, Hindemith, Penderecki and Stockhausen.
Classic Perugia - September
This event is dedicated to presenting a broad panorama of acoustical instruments, with shows featuring Italian and foreigner producers. There is also an exhibit of ancient musical instruments made by master craftsmen. This year, the event will be dedicated entirely to the World Piano Symposium. However, just like every year, there will also be classic events: conventions, concerts held in the city theatres and historic sites throughout the city, master classes held by world-famous musicians, and competitions.
Eurochocolate - October
The event, dedicated to the food of the gods, transforms the city of Perugia into an animated patisserie each year. Amateur and semi-professional courses, exhibits and other events are held at the Gourmand Theater, the International Chocolate Gallery and Piazza del Bacio. This is a unique and varied festival that also involves the outlying areas and stars the most important sweets industries in Italy and abroad. Each year is celebrated with events worthy of the Guinness record as far as chocolate is concerned: the enormous blocks of sculpted chocolate in the city center, the reconstruction of the Berlin Wall with semisweet chocolate bricks, the cake and the maxi-sized chocolate bar the biggest in the world!
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Perugia Travel Guide
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