This past weekend, the JFRC facilitated a class-wide trip to Umbria, the literal heart of Italy.

Situated just west of Rome, Umbria is by far one of the most rustic and authentic Italian places I have been.   I’ll give a basic rundown of the trip because quite honestly, my words cannot describe the antiquity and beauty of it all.

 

Day One:

First stop was a ceramic shop in Deruta. Sounds simple (and kind of odd) enough. But if you are like me and most of my other classmates, you would instantly recognize the beautiful and hand-painted designs that adorn all sorts of plates, vases, tables, candelabras and more.   Keep in mind that Saks and Nordstroms buy these goods and sell them for primo $$$.

After the shop we made our way over to lunch which was simply delicious.  A five course meal, served under a replication of a renaissance mansion, on a beautiful and luxurious estate.

Very full and happily buzzed from the delicious wine served with lunch, our next destination was Perugia.  Perugia is most famous for their chocolates (which are divine), but what I didn’t know until we got there was how breathtaking the landscape was.

Situated on rolling and very steep hills, the city offers views of Umbria that Bob Ross could only dream of painting.  We didn’t have very much time to in Perugia but it’s definitely worth a trip out to Umbria, should you be interested.

After Perugia we made it to our final destination (for the day), to our hotel in Spoleto.  After a glass of wine in a local but very friendly bar, I fell into a deep and lovely air-conditioned sleep.

 

Day Two:

We started the day off with a tour of Spoleto.  The hilly but picturesque walk was led by a lovely Umbrian woman who told us all about the rich history of the small town.  She took us through some of the most beautiful areas, including crossing a bridge that would scare the hell out of anyone afraid of heights.

The walking tour was followed by a lovely lunch at Spirito Divino, a beautiful countryside hotel/restaurant, where we ate giant pizzas and drank delicious wine.

The day was concluded with another walking tour in the town of Bevagna, most famous for their medieval preservations and shoppes.  Not only was the town relatively flat (a major relief after having climbed around Spoleto and Perugia), it was charming and pretty educational.

 

Day Three:

The final day was focused around the town of Spello.   Another guided walking tour led us through the steepest but (arguably) the most quintessential Italian citta.  Prosperous in the Medieval era, Spello was also home to many gorgeous and very old churches, apartment buildings, gardens, and watch towers.

The trip was concluded with an intimate and low-key lunch in a olive grove, surrounded by the rolling hills of Umbria, olives you could pluck off the branch and pop in, and good people.

 

All in all, Umbria is a must if you are looking for the classic and non-touristy side of Italy.