My walking trip ends in Assisi. I enter town beside the massive wooden doors of Porto Nuovo. Like the other medieval towns I visit, there are stony walls, charming cobbled laneways, archways and old buildings that look pleasingly lopsided. But this larger town feels different. As the most visited place in Umbria, it’s no surprise I see more people inside the gate. And plenty of touristy shops. But mostly I notice Christmas music. It’s pumping out of speakers along the street. 🎵 It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, every where you go… I heard a surprising amount of Micheal Bublé during the holidays in Italy. In Assisi, it certainly…

Spello, Spello. I feel like I visit this charming hilltop town twice: in person and in my mind.  After my walk from Bevagna (14.5 km) I spend two nights in Spello. I explore the cobbled lanes of this rosy-hued town that cascades down the hill. I visit churches, see incredible Roman mosaics from an ancient villa, buy handcrafted items (necklace, cards) in small shops and eat amazing food (including a glorious lasagna with delicate sheets of pasta and a savoury ragú). That’s my first visit. I revisit the beautiful town, at home, as I read Michelle Damiani’s book Il Bel Centro. The author, an American from Virginia, chronicles her year living…

Bevagna is special. It’s a rare medieval town located on the valley floor alongside the Topino river, rather than perched on a hilltop. Beyond the unique location my visit is special for several reasons. For starters, I feel like the only non-Italian tourist in Bevagna. I wander within its protective walls and peak around alleyways in relative tranquility. If there is chatter, it is only Italian. My walk to Bevagna is lovely. After descending from the clouds high atop Montefalco, most of my 11 km walk is on flat terrain in glorious sunshine. My first view of Bevagna is under a brilliant blue sky. Soon after entering the walls I…

Patrizia is waiting to greet me on the platform of the train station in Foligno, about 40 km from Perugia. She’s holding hands with a little boy, her grandson, and smiles at me warmly, “Andrea?” Her daughter Guilia is waiting in the car. Her youngest son is sleeping soundly in his car seat. It certainly is a family run business! The two women operate Italian Delights. They have organized the self-guided walking tour I will be doing over the next 6 nights in Umbria. With the five of us tucked in the car, Guilia drives us out of Foligno and into the Umbrian countryside. We are soon winding up a…

It’s an adventure to arrive in Perugia. Three hours north of Rome, Perugia is the capital of Umbria. I arrive by train, and though the train station is only 1.6 km from the historic centre, it’s not a distance to attempt by foot. The hostess at the hotel tells me when guests arrive by foot they are not happy.  It’s a steep, steep, climb. Thankfully I had read about Perugia’s impressive hilltop location. I did not attempt the walk. I took the MiniMetró. This public transport system is as cute as it sounds. My best description is a gondola car on a rollercoaster track. The car does not zip along…