5 great places to visit in Perugia
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If you’re thinking of a stay in one of our apartments, villas or hotels in Umbria, the beautiful city of Perugia may be high on your to-visit list. As the capital city of the region, it has plenty to do with something for everyone, with a visit to any of these five attractions making a day out in Perugia well worth the visit!
Umbrian National Gallery
Situated within the Palazzo dei Priori, this gallery is open from 8.30-19.30 every day, and features artworks of all kinds by artists from Perugia, Umbria and beyond. The gallery specialises in medieval and renaissance art, featuring a number of works by the famous artist Perugino, who (as you can tell by the name) has a number of close ties to the city. You can also find a number of excellent paintings on canvas, wood and masonry, and well as intricate sculptures in wood, stone and textile.
Perugina Chocolate Factory
Approximately half an hour outside the city, the well-established Perugina chocolate factory is well worth the visit. You’ll get to learn how the much-loved Italian chocolate is made in a tour around the factory, and sample some of the chocolate too, in the form of baci (kisses).
The Etruscan Well
Dating back to over 2300 years ago, this well is 36m deep, and was dug by the Etruscan people residing in the city at the time. It remained Perugia’s main source of water well into the Middle Ages, and today remains as a revered ancient relic. Found in the middle of Piazza Piccinino, you can take a walk down a small alleyway to look into the well itself, with a ticket also including access to San Severo and the Sant’Angelo tower.
Le Scalette
A great place to sit, meet people and watch the world go by, these long steps winding up the sides of the city’s cathedral have hosted the young and the curious for centuries. From here you’ll also get to see the Duomo, and notice that its pink and white façade still remains unfinished today, some 600 years later.
Raphael’s Fresco
The most famous pupil of Perugino, Raphael is one of the most revered and famous artists of all time, and some of his work can be found in a church in Perugia. A small chapel adjacent to the Chiesa di San Severo in Piazza Piccinino houses his ‘trinita’, which dates back to 1505, as well as a depiction of Mary and Jesus in terracotta.
Image: Luca Vanzella