senses of umbria
SIGHTS
Umbria is one of the most unspoilt areas of Italy. This land is rich in a variety of landscapes characterized by hills, mountains, valleys, lakes and waterfalls.
Umbria is home to the Trasimeno Lake, the fourth widest Italian lake. With a boat tour, you can visit its three islands: a sight I will never tire of is the sunset on the lake, which is best seen from San Feliciano..
A very good way to maximise a "sighting" experience of Umbria is
by doing a walking tour, which we can help you with.
SMELLS
In autumn the captivating smells are at their full potential. Walking through the woodland you are immediately hit by the earthy smell
of mushrooms.
Another smell I love is the aroma of coffee: drinking coffee is a bit like having a pint in Ireland. It's not just the coffee, it's the
experience of morning encounters with the locals, a ritual not to be missed... and to be taken at the counter, not sitting at a table
like a tourist!
Tastes
Umbria offers simple but hearty dishes that sing with flavour. Anything you eat here is made from the heart (and with delicious local fresh produce). It has a reputation of producing wonderful cured meats. It also produces more black truffles than any other region in Italy. Excellent are also the cheeses, in particular Pecorino (sheep cheese). Umbria is famous for its crispy white Orvieto wines and it's plummy Montefalco reds... and much more in between.
Finally, one of my favourite tastes is fresh olive oil... I honestly can't think of anything more delicious than a drizzle of fresh bright green peppery oil on warm toasted bread.
SOUNDS
Delight in the sounds of Jazz in the capital famous for housing the best international musicians. In the Summer Trasimeno Blues is a
series of concerts performed around the the Lake. And The Festival of the Two Worlds in Spoleto hosts emerging performers in opera,
theater, dance and much more.
One other sound I love to hear... is Italians speaking! It is such a melodious language. It is worth learning some basic words before
coming over, or why not do one of our full immersion courses?
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TOUCH
In the nearby Tuscany, just a twenty minute drive over the Umbrian border there are several natural hot springs (terme) – a natural
cure to relax and restore the body and mind. It is a relaxing and atmospheric way to spend an afternoon!
Also there are so many interesting artisan handcraft workshops to visit and learn: the famous lace making on the Isola maggiore on lake Trasimeno and numerous pottery makers and ceramic painters in Deruta and Gubbio.