When Perugia offers you Baci from the first date
The meeting with Perugia was sweet. Despite the stone look, Perugia is delicate, aromatic and gives your addiction. Romantic by its very nature, as Italy is in general, being always the protagonist of the greatest love stories. That's how Baci was born in 1922. Legend says that two lovers who secretly loved each other communicated through messages inside chocolate. As I arrived here, I untied the chocolate and carefully removed the message from the inside. Of love. What better way than to take a walk on the cobbled streets and try to find the sender ?! And that's because, from the moment you discover the message, the recipient is you!
We walked for several hours on the streets on the slope or snaking through the dark hills. We found stories and revealed mysteries. The energy of the locals is incredible. Everyone is delighted to tell you the story of their lives, not being assaulted by too many tourists. I gave the travelling salesmen who had spread their products on the tables covered with white papers, and they were quietly waiting for the customers in the small squares between the buildings. We walked under real rainbows. Plenty of arcades started in a tireless play in the medieval city. A cat appeared from nowhere and cut your way, but there was no place for superstition. Life continues its a slow pace, as if untouched again and lost in time. Although Perugia is considered the cultural and artistic capital of Italy, it is often overlooked by tourists. Maybe this is why we found a city where everything is unchanged, authentic. A newsstand on the ground floor of an old building made you jerk. You waited from one moment to another to hear a loud voice shouting: Il Giornale dell'Umbria !!!!! The Umbrian Journal !!!!
All the streets lead to Piazza IV Novembre, the meeting place of the locals. It is surrounded by the most important sights: the Cathedral of San Lorenzo - built in Gothic style, the Fontana Maggiore - dating from the thirteenth century and the Palazzo dei Priori, where you can see the symbol of the city - the gryphon carved in stone on the walls of the palace.
Perugia hosts two important universities. The first was founded in 1308, and the second is the largest university for foreigners in Italy. The city gave its name to the painter Pietro Perugino (born Pietro Vannucci), who lived here. Another important painter who was born in Perugia was Pinturicchino. He took the nickname of the Little Painter due to his stature. The vibration of the students gives the city a modern air, and the nightlife is recognized everywhere. If the city reveals its history during the day and does not lose its medieval charm, the night is completely transformed.
A walk on Corso Vannucci is the only reasonable way to enjoy Umbrian cuisine and a glass of local wine. Once here, you have to eat well and relax… or, in short, live like an Italian. But it is not the only place where you can enjoy what Perugia has to offer. The nearby streets are also full of restaurants and shops with excellent Italian products: cheeses, salamis and wines.
Neighboring Tuscany, Umbria is known for its stunning hill towns and medieval villages perched on hills, extensive vineyards and local cuisine. If I were to describe Perugia in three words, these would be art, history, charm.
A walk starting from Via Degli Acquedotti, located very close to the old town, will offer you one of the most beautiful panoramic views. An aqueduct built in Roman times to transport water from one part of the city to another has been transformed into a perfect walkway. It connects the centre with Porta Sant Angelo, one of the neighbourhoods located just outside the old town.
Good to know!
If you are a jazz lover, you must know that in Perugia, it takes place annually in July, one of the most important music festivals of this kind in the world. Since then, the first edition dates from 1973; Umbria Jazz Festival has become the most important Jazz festival in Italy. The Festival's main locations are Santa Giuliana Arena (where the most prominent names are) and Morlacchi Theater, dedicated to traditional jazz. Free open-air concerts take place in Piazza IV Novembre and at Giardini Carducci. Besides, every day there is a traditional street parade.
How can you get to Perugia?
Minimetro is a transport system to and from the historic centre. Stations where it stops: Pian di Massiano Terminal, Cortonese Station, Madonna Alta Station, Fontivegge Station, Burnt Houses Station, Cupa Station, Pincetto Terminal. / 3 minutes. For more information about timetables and tickets, you can enter https://www.minimetrospa.it/
Several buses serve Perugia, but we chose this option because it is a different one and offers you the possibility of extraordinary views.
How do you get to Perugia?
If you can't find a direct flight that suits you, you can get to Rome very quickly (you can find plane tickets at meagre prices if you choose to fly with WizzAir - https://wizzair.com).
From here, by train, the journey takes about 2 and a half hours, and the price is about 10 euros (shower).
You can choose an even cheaper option if you decide to go with FlixBus, https://global.flixbus.com/bus/perugia (the price of a ticket is about 5 euros per way).
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