this mystical region of Umbria, land of the saints

The land of Umbria is a wonderful, picturesque, gentle landscape, for the most part undiscovered by large-scale tourism. It is an ancient land, settled in prehistoric times by the Umbri, and later, by the Etruscans. In 295 B.C., it was conquered by the Romans who then settled a number of colonies across the region constructing the Via Flaminia in 220BC, parts of which are still visible today. In the 15th century it fell to Papal rule and then, with events following the French Revolution, became part of the Roman Republic (1789-1799) and then part of the Napoleonic Empire (1809-1814). Finally, in 1861, it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy.

A saintly nature: It is not surprising that the gentle nature of the landscape and the natural spirituality still felt amongst the rolling green hills that it gave rise to numerous saints. The marvellous frescoes of Giotto and Cimabue in the basilica at Assisi do much to evoke the power of medieval religiosity and the mystical fervour of the time. Evidence is spread across the lands in the remnants of Benedictine and Franciscan monasteries, sacred monuments and sanctuaries, one in particular dedicated to Saint Valentine, who was beheaded in Rome and is known all over the world as the patron saint of sweethearts.

The Umbrian table: Roman and Etruscan civilizations had a considerable influence on the Umbrian table that is still obvious today. During the Middle Ages, gastronomic culture emanated mainly from the monasteries which produced tasty dishes with as much attention given to the making as to parsimony, in making molto con poco (a lot with little). In the traditional kitchen it is possible to discern subtle shades of difference in the dishes produced across the various geographic zones that emphasize the particular diversities for a specific locality. It is a countryside particularly well adapted to the growing of olives and grapes as well as being a fertile hunting ground for the precious black truffle, the plumpest chestnuts, the absolutely best pork and wild boar products and the famous pecorino (sheep’s) cheeses, along with the ancient grains and legumes that are all turned into one of the most surprising and satisfying cuisines, simple yet fresh and full of flavour. There are year-round sagre or Food Festivals with the best being tucked away in hamlets and Medieval villages, typically celebrating a single dish prepared in the way of their ancestors. Food is such a passion for the Umbrian people that even a specialised, small pork sausage traditionally carried by hunters in their back packs as a convenient snack has earned the prestigious guarantee classification of the DOP (Cacciatorini DOP) normally only associated with wine and, more recently, with olive oil. As if that were not enough, the moderate climate and gentle rolling, sunlit hills all contribute in making excellent Umbrian wines, produced by the wine growers of the region since ancient times using methods that are both simple and natural. From the four identified “wine-roads” come the best known wines in the amazing Sagrantino, the clearest Sangiovese and Malvasia, the freshest Grechetto and the simply incomparable Orvieto Classico and Orvieto Classico Superiore.

The medieval craftsmens guilds: Craftsmanship in Umbria has preserved the traditions and the ancient modes of production as the medieval towns and villages still revere their society of guilds. Across the region we have the very particular, beautifully pictorial ceramics of Deruta, the maiolica of Gubbio and of Gualdo Tadino and the production of beaten iron in Città della Pieve, Gubbio, Assisi, Cascia, Magione and Montone. The woven fabric of Perugia, the table linen and lace of Orvieto and the embroidery of Assisi and of Città di Castello are superb traditions, as well as the art of wood carving that is spread throughout the region.

Orvieto: As the jewel sitting on the southwest corner of Umbria Orvieto presents one of the most dramatic settings in Europe. This spectacular medieval town, built on Etruscan ruins, rises some 1500 feet from the floor of the Paglia River valley, atop the almost vertical faces of the tufa cliff surrounded with defensive walls and medieval houses made out of the same tufa rock. This magical hill-top town looks out across the gentle, rolling hills of one of Italy's best kept secrets, Umbria. It is perfectly situated in one of the acknowledged centres of traditional Italian maiolica ware, midway between Florence and Rome and boasts the magnificent 15th century Duomo with its glittering facade of mosaic tiles and the very special Capella di San Brizio with Luca Signorelli's famous, and incredible, frescoes. We are certainly biased about this beautiful city because it is our home-base in Italy, but that bias is well founded.

Umbrian and regional excursions:

One of the most amazing Renaissance sculpture gardens is hidden away in the quiet countryside around Bomarzo. Known first as the "The Villa of Marvels" it eventually came to be known by the locals as the “Monster's Park”. The park is filled with monumental sculptures hewn from the local stone, in the form of mythological animals and other figures. They appear to rise eerily from the earth: an elephant that is about to kill a warrior, fighting dragons, an ogre, bears in ambush and beasts with three heads. Abandoned for many years, the restored park now offers a wonderful day of exploring and discovering.

The ruins of the ancient Roman town of Carsulae are considered by some to be the “Pompeii of Umbria.” This fascinating archaeological area, situated between Terni and Sangemini has still not been completely brought back to life but, like Pompeii, was very likely abandoned because of a significant landslide. Carsulae was one of the “way-stations” along the via Flaminia and owed its fortune not only to the fact that the via Flaminia was one of the most important consular roads leading to Rome and that Carsulae was in a relatively strategic position along that road, but also to the mineral waters of San Gemini that the Romans already knew and appreciated for its superior quality and purity.

Deruta overlooks the valley of the Tiber and has a ceramic tradition that dates back to the early Middle Ages. It is world famous a ceramic tradition of colour, fantastic figures and remarkable pictorial quality. Deruta's Museo Communale presents a significant collection of ceramics and a comprehensive learning centre for the production and restoration of Renaissance ceramics. A unique documentation of Deruta's ceramics is housed in the Church of Madonna dei Bagna, close to Deruta. The interior walls of this otherwise unpretentious little church are covered with votive tiles (targa), beginning in the middle of the 17thC up to the present day. It provides not only a remarkable, uninterrupted history of Deruta's ceramics but also an extraordinary view of Umbrian life, society, culture and fashions from the 1600s to the present day.

Assisi is, of course, universally famous for having given birth to the patron saint of Italy, Francis. It draws its origins from a small village inhabited by the Umbri in the Villanovan period (9th–8th centuries BC). The town was eventually taken over by the Etruscans and was under their control up to 295 BC after which as a municipality of Rome becoming an important economical and social centre of the Roman Empire. With the fall of the empire, Assisi declined into a dark age of invasions, eventually becoming a “free commune” in the 11th century. Between 1181 and 1182, Francesco, son of Pietro di Bernardone, was born, the future Saint who, with his work, was to mark the history of the place, and of humanity. The remarkable and profound story of his life unfolds in the beautiful frescoes by Giotto in the Upper Basilica (seen in the above photo, rising, left, above the colonades).