When I was 16, my parents took my sister Melissa and I on a trip through Italy and on the
way to Rome, we ventured into Assisi and Perugia. I was excited about Perugia because I knew Perugina chocolates and thought we would probably have samples of Baci chocolates. Assisi was a place I was less excited about, as I knew it was home to St. Francis, a well revered saint much discussed in my Catholic upbringing. Not surprisingly, this region of Italy, known as the Green Heart, made an impact on me and I never forgot it.
Suffice it to say, many years later I was trying to figure out what to do to celebrate my husband John’s birthday and decided it might be time to introduce him to one of my favorite childhood places. I pored over many books, trying to figure out where to stay. I knew Assisi was out because it was heavily traveled on the tourist circuit, and I was looking for something a bit quieter. Ultimately, after many discussions and a lot of thinking about what we wanted to do on our trip, I landed on Spello, a small hilltop village located only a few miles from Assisi. It was less traveled by visitors, yet had a well-preserved Roman aqueduct, an unearthed villa with many original mosaics from the Roman period, and countless gates and original walls that I knew would charm John.
Of course, food was another matter to think about! Umbria is known for one thing: tartufo, or truffles! And the most amazing olive oil, grilled meats and lentils. We landed in Rome and drove the 2.5 hours North to Umbria upon obtaining our rental car. The ride was uneventful, except for marveling at the various Hill towns we passed including Spoleto. When we finally got to Spello, we were shown to our flat located on the top floor of a historic building in the center of the village. It had a staircase that led out on to a panoramic roof where you could sit in fine weather and admire the gorgeous views. Unfortunately for us, it rained most of the week, but let it be said that rain or shine Umbria is a magical place!
If you ever find yourself in Italy, take the trip to Umbria. You won’t be disappointed! Below are some of the highlights of our trip including some of the places we visited and the amazing foods we sampled:
Spello: No visit to this Hilltop town would be complete without an evening apertivo at Vinosofia. There Graziano will make you one of his famous negronis with dried blood oranges he bakes himself in his oven. Vinosofia has a number of local vintages that visitors must sample, especially the region’s famous Sagrantino.
We decided to stay in Spello, largely because of the Roman aqueduct. We waited for a sunny day and were rewarded with the beauty of red poppies on our walk, fresh figs and wild fennel growing everywhere. We often stopped on our walk and looked back as we grew further away from Spello and the sight of the village in the distance was mesmerizing.
Restaurants:
Il Pinturicchio: This was our first stop after arriving in Spello and it was so good, we went twice. On our first visit we had a salad I have since made many times at home with radicchio, walnuts and arugula. My main course was the Umbrian pasta with truffles.
La Cantina: A lovely warm restaurant, with an appealing menu, La Cantina is perpetually crowded for good reason – reasonable meals made with a great deal of thoughtfulness. I had beef carpaccio with arugula and a pork spiedini, or a skewered meat! Everything was delicious and we enjoyed our evening here immensely.
Osteria del Buchetto: We visited this spot located at one of the highest points in the village on our last night in town. The service was impeccable, and the food is unforgettable. We really could have stayed all evening. The most memorable part of the meal was the amazing antipasti platter with meats and cheeses piled on the plate with the famous Umbrian bread.
Collepino: A small town only a few kilometers away from Spello, the ride is dramatic, particularly when you encounter another vehicle! The best way to see it if you can swing it, is to walk on the ancient Roman aqueduct. John and I fell in love with the small Bar La Locanda, where we enjoyed a few coffees in the morning and watched inhabitants of the tiny village go about their business.
Bevagna: This village is one of the more appealing as it is relatively flat and therefore, easy for many people to traverse. The alleys are charming and the Teverone River provides a picturesque setting to enjoy an afternoon aperol spritz. There are two significant Romanesque churches within the village, San Michele Arcangelo and San Silvestro, that are a further draw for a visit. And on the ride into town, you will be amazed as we were to see Roman tombs. Well worth the time if you can make the trip to this charming town.
Restaurants:
Trattoria di Oscar: Eating lunch at this restaurant was one of the highlights of our trip. The staff was so accommodating and thoughtful and the chef even came outside to see how we were enjoying our meal. Everything was delicious from the fried artichokes to the homemade pappardelle with cinghale (wild boar) ragu.
Spoleto: Arriving to this area we noted that the town is surrounded by hills, olive groves, and vineyards, not unlike many places in this beautiful region. The historical centre is steep, but walkable and there is a travellator that we only found out about after we climbed many hills that makes it easy to reach the top without too much difficulty. The highlight of the town which is visible from most vantage points, is the Rocca Albornoziana. It is a defensive 15th century fortress castle with six towers built by Pope Innocent VI.
Restaurants:
Osteria dell’Enoteca: This spot was like something out of your vision of an old school Italian restaurant with checkered tablecloths and a feeling of home. Make sure to try the pasta. After so many days eating meat, this was the one place I had something a bit more traditional and enjoyed a tomato sauce over pasta. I was very happy!
Assisi: Although Assisi is very heavily trafficked by tourists on bus tours of Italy, it is a sight everyone should experience first-hand. The Basilica di San Francisco, named for St. Francis, is magnificent, which is ironic, given his vow to live in simplicity. One of the highlights of our visit was going to the Nun Assisi Relais and Spa Museum and experiencing a day in waters, where we also enjoyed a chocolate massage. Why is it called a museum? Because it is built like many other things in Italy on the site of Roman ruins. It is simply amazing to go into hot water and feel like an ancient Roman using a lavender elixir in the massage pool. Well worth the trip!
Montefalco: This famous town sits high above a fertile plain and is well known as the epicenter for Sagrantino wine. Naturally, like many people we were also drawn to the famous wineries in the area to do a tasting and enjoy the vistas of the villages below. We elected to visit Arnaldo Caprai and enjoyed a tasting of the many wines offered. It was an excellent place to learn more about the region and to ask questions and enjoy a rainy day of a favorite pastime.
Restaurants:
L’Alchimista: a popular restaurant in the center of town serving an array of the areas famous vintages, antipasto platters and grilled meats. We were not disappointed by the meal or the warm and inviting space.
Recommendations
Do as we did and stop in the places off the beaten path. You will find treasures you didn't anticipate. On the way back to the Rome airport, we decided to grab dinner in the port town Fiumicino. It is famous for seafood and the number of vessels pulling in and out of the port truly attested to its popularity. We ate a fine meal there by the water and took a drive by Ostia Antica, the harbor city of ancient Rome. How many people find the time to stop there? Probably less than there should be!
Visit the famous wineries in Montefalco, Torgiano and Orvieto. Try as many vintages as you can. They are affordable and go very nicely with the famous pork dishes and truffled pasta you will be sampling.
In virtually every village the famous Umbrian ceramics are sold, primarily from Deruta. They are all beautiful and many shops can ship them to you if you are traveling and are concerned about them breaking. Each design is unique and beautiful.
Bring home a taste of the region. Of course Umbria is world famous for it's truffles, but there are also the famous lentils from Castelluccio and some of the best olive oil produced in the world. I sparingly use mine and it's clear I will need another trip to get more soon!
Talk to the locals or other travelers for advice on what to see and do. We met travelers from Norway and Germany who gave us great advice about what to do during our trip and if you should be so lucky as to find someone in the town where you are staying who can guide you on where to go, you should try to do it!
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