Perugia

Perugia is a city in the Italian region of Umbria. It has an important university that attracts many foreign students, is a major center of medieval art, has a stunningly beautiful central area and is home of the Umbria Jazz Festival. The city is also a major producer of chocolates.

Perugia City Museum Card
Perugia City Museum Card allows access to any 5 museums of the following 10 ones: San Severo Chapel, National Gallery of Umbria, Volumni Hypogeum, National Archaeological Museum of Umbria, Capitolar Museum, Nobile Collegio del Cambio, Nobile Collegio della Mercanzia, Palazzo Baldeschi al Corso, Museum of Palazzo della Penna, Etruscan Well. It also allows reduced admission to Archeologic Area of the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, Museum of the Academy of fine Arts, Palazzo Sorbello House Museum, Templar Complex of San Bevignate, in addition to discounts at featured restaurants. It's valid for 48 hours and costs €14 for adults and €10 for students (May 2019).

By plane
A little further away, Pisa and Bologna are served by low cost European airlines.

The Airport in Rome is three hours away and Milan's Malpensa airport about 7 hours away. Buses from Rome Fiumicino Airport depart from the lower level parking area at regular intervals (3 hours, €20). (Many of the buses in the Tourist Bus Parking area are privately hired, and are not available to the general public. Some buses, such as the Sulga, may appear on the upper levels of Terminal C, but do not be concerned; they will arrive at the scheduled time in the lower level parking area. Check timetables online.)

By train
Trains from Rome reach Perugia in 2-3 hours and often require 1 train change, €12.10 if you take Treno Regionale, otherwise it's double. Plenty of direct trains from Florence, 2 hr, €14.65. Getting from Siena by train is troublesome, as it requires 2 train changes and takes 4 hours, €13.

The is in the valley, a few kilometers from the centro storico (historic center) of the city. You can take the Mini Metro railway, a local bus or a taxi from the station.

By bus
Flixbus offers connections with Rome (2:15 hr), Florence (2:10 hr), Siena (1:20 hr).

By car
Perugia is just off the A1 autostrada that runs from Rome to Milan. Approximate travel times are Rome 2.5 hours, Orvieto 1 hour, Milan 6 hours, Florence 1 hour. Perugia is also accessible from other parts of Italy by car via the Autostrada.

Get around
Perugia is a large hill town. Most major attractions are at the top of the hill in the Centro Storico (historic centre). It is almost impossible to access the Centro Storico by car unless you have a confirmed hotel booking. Even outside the very centre you will drive very slowly over the many cobblestoned one-way streets and may very well end up driving around in circles several times as traffic signs are very confusing. Do as little driving as possible, and get around on foot. The main car park for tourists is at Piazza Partigiani. From there you can take a series of escalators (hopefully most of them will be working!) up into the old town. There are lots of interesting things to see on the way up as the route was dug through the Rocca Paolina, a medieval citadel. More details about car parks (in English) can be found on this website.

Buses also go to the top, ticket costs €1.50, when bought in a ticket office, and €2 from a driver. The railway station is, inevitably, some distance from the hilly center, but buses are easily available.

Perugia has MiniMetrò - a small, driverless train that every two minutes or so takes you from a car park (Pian di Massiano) near the football stadium, or from the main train and bus stations to the center of town; a single ticket is €1.50 (May 2019). These trains stop running at around 21:00.

Within the central area getting around on foot is best, although some of the hills can be a bit steep and you will need to be fit.

See






Museums




Do

 * Just walking around. There is probably no city in the world that better rewards the casual explorer in the sheer variety of its streetscapes. You can stroll along a Roman aqueduct that connects two of the city's hills, passing doors on the third stories of homes to peer over the edge at the doors at street level below. You can walk along the Via delle Volta della Pace, which follows the Etruscan city wall, but is now wholly arched over by a Gothic portico. You can stumble along cobbled streets that have the unique combination of slopes interrupted by small steps that only Italians seem to master. The wide, traffic-free Corso Vannucci, named after the painter known as Il Perugino, is what really makes Perugia. You can loll with the students from the International University on the steps of the Cathedral at one end or amble down the Corso from those steps to sit on a bench at the other end and look over Umbria's hills as the sun sets.
 * Talk Donca with local people. Dialect in Perugia can be very funny to hear and to try to replicate. To have a better explanation use this site: Wikidonca.
 * Talk Donca with local people. Dialect in Perugia can be very funny to hear and to try to replicate. To have a better explanation use this site: Wikidonca.

Eat
For most tourists, the center, or downtown, of Perugia will be the most rewarding place to eat either lunch or dinner. The main street 'walk' begins at the Piazza Duomo at the Fontana Maggiore and ends with a dramatic view that showcases the city's churches and the Umbrian countryside. There are many dining options along this street. The last hotel on the right hand side before reaching the viewpoint offers five-star accommodation and regional dishes, specializing in legumes and fantastic olive oils. At the other end of Corso Vannucci, just to the right of the cathedral, is a charming pizzeria, La Mediterranea.

Budget
All these are in the city centre:



Sleep



 * Castello dell Oscano - Strada della Forcella, 37. The Castello dell'Oscano is situated in the outskirts of Perugia, Locality Cenerente. Other major locations in the vicinity are: Perugia airport (20 km), Assisi (25 km), Gubbio (40 km).
 * Borgo Monticelli 14 km from the centre of Perugia, it is a tiny hamlet dated back to 1100 with 18 renovated apartments. Riding centre and golf courses nearby. Parking by the house. For shared use: garden and swimming pool. There are also agritourism hotels just out of town, which are easily accessed by car. There may also be free buses to certain hotels, depending on where you wish to stay.



Go next
Perugia provides a good base for exploring central and northern Umbria, including Assisi. You can explore Umbria's medieval towns by day and enjoy Perugia's nightlife by night.