Umbria Italy

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Perhaps it is the evocative nature of the place, or a certain enchanted air (we might almost say "mystic") that you breathe to some extent everywhere, but sooner or later whoever visits Umbria ends up thinking: Saint Francis, that great, gentle, tender and poetic Saint of happiness and meekness could only have been born here in Umbria.

Umbria

In this place of ever-green, enchanted and radiant nature. In these towns the concept of "historic center" seems inadequate and reductive, so widespread is the monumental and artistic component in the towns of Umbria.

Perugia, for example, the regional capital. Just to describe it is to lose oneself in the richness, complexity and magnificence of its architectural and artistic treasures: from the Etruscan walls to the splendid Palazzo Gallenga, seat of the prestigious university for foreigners, and many other buildings and historic monuments that lead out from the central Piazza IV Novembre, itself dotted with architectural and artistic jewels such as the Great Fountain and the magnificent Palazzo dei Priori.

The same is true for splendid Gubbio, rich with Franciscan memories and monuments from the medieval and renaissance eras. And then Todi, Spello, Spoleto, Orvieto, Città di Castello and many other small towns: all magnificently enriched by monuments, palaces and churches of high artistic merit.

Umbria landscape:

Fabled Umbria is a striking landscape of rolling hills and rugged forest adorned by picturesque hill towns. Central to the peninsula, yet isolated by its mountain defenses, the region remains Italy’s greatest paradox: home to a distinct, insulated people who are nevertheless admired for their history, artistic treasures, handicraft traditions, and cuisine. Assisi, Perugia, and Orvieto—quintessential Umbrian towns—afford a deeper understanding of this unique and fascinating land, the green heart of Italy.

Umbria Weather:

Umbria enjoy the best of Italy’s mild Mediterranean climate. September is a particularly good time to visit as the high temperatures of summer have abated and the countryside is turning autumnal. Daytime temperatures reach the mid to high twenties degrees Celsius, dropping to the low to mid teens at night. In more mountainous regions such as around Sansepolcro, temperatures will be a little lower. You should expect some rain so pack a folding umbrella or raincoat.

discover the culinary heritage of Central Umbria:

The repertoire of pasta dishes is similar to that of neighboring regions. There are three local specialties, however: strascinati and umbrici, both long, thick spaghetti, and ciriole ternana. These are fairly thick tagliatelle made with a dough that contains water as well as eggs, and dressed with oil, garlic and a soupcon of chili pepper

In Umbria food, pasta is often flavored with a grating of the local black truffles, found around Norcia. But most local restaurants now serve the black truffles sliced on a plain risotto richly dressed with butter and Parmesan, a dish borrowed from the cuisine of Lombardy for this purpose.

Chocolate has made Perugia, the capital of the region, famous all over the world.

What is the specialty foods in Umbria?

The prized black Norcia truffle is gathered from bases of oak, holm oak and walnut trees in the hills and mountains around Norcia and Spoleto. Covered by a black skin with small wart-like bumps, the truffle has a purple-black flesh with distinctive white veins and a delicate scent. Unlike white truffles, which can only be eaten raw, black truffles can be heated (but never boiled) and added to sauces, pasta and pies without losing their delectable flavor.

Cultivated since time immemorial in this part of Italy, legumes deserve almost an entire page to themselves in Umbria food. A good example is the wonderful lenticchie di Castelluccio, lentils of Castelluccio, which are the most sought-after in Italy and in recent years have become famous well beyond the borders of the country. Small and green, they contain a large amount of protein and mineral salts, and are so tender that they require no soaking. A visitor to Umbria might encounter them among the ingredients of flavorful meat stews that feature anything from rabbit to game to sausage.

In fact, Umbria and Tuscany offer an exhilarating mix of learning and pleasure. From the city of Florence to the perfectly preserved Renaissance town of Bevagna in Umbria, a journey through the idyllic countryside brings the Renaissance to life. Taking time to share our impressions over local food and wine is an important part of this exploration of culture and history, art and literature, and the Italian way of life.

We depended on the article of Enrico Massetti at http://tangoitalia.com