How to Travel in Umbria- The Green Heart of Italy
Umbria- bordered by Tuscany and Marche on either sides, is called the Green Heart of Italy. And rightly so- lush green rolling hills, scenic vistas and endless stretch of countryside. A region often overlooked by travelers, Umbria is a head-turner and a complete surprise package.
When I planned on visiting Umbria this summer, I was confused what places to visit and what to leave. Since it was going to be my first time in Umbria, I was concerned about my traveling around in the region. Every town in Umbria is situated on a hill top which made the decision of transport tougher if not more alluring!
But I was surprised how easy it all turned out to be. Not only is it quite simple to travel without a car, it is also totally worth it in terms of cost.
Where to Base Yourself in Umbria?
On a friend's recommendation who had travelled to Umbria extensively, I chose Perugia to be my base. Choosing the right base city with good accessibility to transport is essential.
Since I was totally depending on the train and bus network of Italy with no access to rental car, Perugia seemed to be the best option. With an excellent transport service (not to forget its cute mini metro) Perugia is home to the famous University of Perugia where people from across the world come to study the Italian arts and language.
The town has a youthful vibe and a history dating dating back to that of the time of Etruscans. Perugia also has great options to eat and stay and is well known for its famous Baci chocolates and Umbrian Jazz Festival.
How to Travel in Umbria?
Once you reach Perugia, exploring the region of Umbria is very easy. It makes a great base to explore Umbria's "must see" towns and the best way is through regional buses.
Check Umbria Mobility for bus connections across towns in Umbria and Trenitalia for train schedules throughout the day.
For instance, when travelling from Perugia to Orvieto the train schedules are limited but there are options every one or two hours that makes it easier to plan your journey even for a great day trip. There is a train to Orvieto that starts at 8:05 am and then one one that goes after that at 11:03 and 11:41. After that there are trains available every hour and a half to two hours until 9:30 p.m. This way it is easier to plan your journey knowing when the last train starts from Perugia to Orvieto or vice versa.
Another useful choice of transport is the Sulga bus which I found to be very useful. The SUlga bus line connects several cities in Umbria and also is useful to travel to its neighbouring towns such as Florence, Rome, Ascoli Piceno etc. A comfortable recourse with free WiFi, I took the Sulga bus to Perugia from Rome's FCO Airport just for EUR 22.
To board a bus in Perugia head to Perugia Partigniani- the bus station. For more information check here.
Where to Stay in Umbria?
Umbria is full of great places to stay and here are some of the options that I found handy:
-Agriturismo- staying in an agricultural farmhouse with great food choices and an authentic local experience. Check the website for good options to stay.
-Monastery Stays - lodging in a convent or a monastery with several facilities such as breakfast, WiFi is another great choice to get away from touristy hotels. Check monasteries/convent options in Umbria particularly Assisi which give great views of the countryside.
-Discovering Umbria - get in touch with owners- Alessandra and Leonardo who provide accommodation, food and several food and travel itineraries in the heart of the region of Umbria.
-Oreeko- if you are environment concious, Oreeko is place that can guide you. A directory which has organic and healthy stay options- Oreeko works on the motto of green living. Contact Susie Calx for more details.
-Villa in Umbria- As the name suggests, Villa in Umbria provides exceptional stay options in Umbria. They have rental apartments and private villas. Don't forget to unlock their special discounts.
Best Time to Visit Umbria
I visited Umbria in the summer when the flowers were in bloom and the weather was just perfect. I recommend to either visit in the spring i.e. April to June or in the fall i.e. September- November. The summer and winter months may get sweltering hot or exceedingly cold. All in all Umbria is a great region to travel- alone or in a group.
There will be a succession of blog posts on my visit to the hill towns of Umbria. I hope you will enjoy as I take you to some of the must see spots of Italy's greenest regions. Meanwhile, let me know how you liked this post?
You might also like- Castello di Montegiove- Umbria's Best kept Secret
Umbria- bordered by Tuscany and Marche on either sides, is called the Green Heart of Italy. And rightly so- lush green rolling hills, scenic vistas and endless stretch of countryside. A region often overlooked by travelers, Umbria is a head-turner and a complete surprise package.
 |
| The Umbrian Countryside |
When I planned on visiting Umbria this summer, I was confused what places to visit and what to leave. Since it was going to be my first time in Umbria, I was concerned about my traveling around in the region. Every town in Umbria is situated on a hill top which made the decision of transport tougher if not more alluring!
But I was surprised how easy it all turned out to be. Not only is it quite simple to travel without a car, it is also totally worth it in terms of cost.
 |
| View from Assisi |
On a friend's recommendation who had travelled to Umbria extensively, I chose Perugia to be my base. Choosing the right base city with good accessibility to transport is essential.
Since I was totally depending on the train and bus network of Italy with no access to rental car, Perugia seemed to be the best option. With an excellent transport service (not to forget its cute mini metro) Perugia is home to the famous University of Perugia where people from across the world come to study the Italian arts and language.
The town has a youthful vibe and a history dating dating back to that of the time of Etruscans. Perugia also has great options to eat and stay and is well known for its famous Baci chocolates and Umbrian Jazz Festival.
 |
| Vista of Perugia from my room |
 |
| Piazza IV Novembre |
Once you reach Perugia, exploring the region of Umbria is very easy. It makes a great base to explore Umbria's "must see" towns and the best way is through regional buses.
Check Umbria Mobility for bus connections across towns in Umbria and Trenitalia for train schedules throughout the day.
 |
| Mini Metro of Perugia |
 |
| Perugia Partigniani |
Another useful choice of transport is the Sulga bus which I found to be very useful. The SUlga bus line connects several cities in Umbria and also is useful to travel to its neighbouring towns such as Florence, Rome, Ascoli Piceno etc. A comfortable recourse with free WiFi, I took the Sulga bus to Perugia from Rome's FCO Airport just for EUR 22.
To board a bus in Perugia head to Perugia Partigniani- the bus station. For more information check here.
Where to Stay in Umbria?
Umbria is full of great places to stay and here are some of the options that I found handy:
-Agriturismo- staying in an agricultural farmhouse with great food choices and an authentic local experience. Check the website for good options to stay.
-Monastery Stays - lodging in a convent or a monastery with several facilities such as breakfast, WiFi is another great choice to get away from touristy hotels. Check monasteries/convent options in Umbria particularly Assisi which give great views of the countryside.
-Discovering Umbria - get in touch with owners- Alessandra and Leonardo who provide accommodation, food and several food and travel itineraries in the heart of the region of Umbria.
-Oreeko- if you are environment concious, Oreeko is place that can guide you. A directory which has organic and healthy stay options- Oreeko works on the motto of green living. Contact Susie Calx for more details.
-Villa in Umbria- As the name suggests, Villa in Umbria provides exceptional stay options in Umbria. They have rental apartments and private villas. Don't forget to unlock their special discounts.
Best Time to Visit Umbria
I visited Umbria in the summer when the flowers were in bloom and the weather was just perfect. I recommend to either visit in the spring i.e. April to June or in the fall i.e. September- November. The summer and winter months may get sweltering hot or exceedingly cold. All in all Umbria is a great region to travel- alone or in a group.
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| Towards a medieval aqueduct in Perugia |
You might also like- Castello di Montegiove- Umbria's Best kept Secret
18 comments:
Thank you very much for the mention. The article is amazing with fantastic tips!:)
Perfectly written.. Helpful to anyone who's planning to go there !! Also yes, the mini metro is just too cute :'')
Thank you Susie :) Your website is worth every mention! I am glad you found the article useful!
Thanks PB, I am happy it was useful to you, for you will be going there soon, won't you! ;-) I love the mini metro myself!
Thank you for mentioning us! And I liked reading your post. I have travelled in 2008 with public transport in Umbria, many tips and information sounds familiar! Great to read that you've enjoyed Umbria and Perugia. Next Friday starts UJ2015. We all look forward to it! And I agree, the MiniMetro is fantastic.. Sylvia (Villa in Umbria)
Slyvia!!!!!! Thanks for stopping by, how sweet of you to comment:) I am glad you liked the post. Have wine from my side at the UJ2015 ;-) Ciao ciao!
Hi Ishita. I have been to Umbria several times and have really enjoyed it particularly up in the Sibilini mountains. Very beautiful. Your photos are super. Lyn
We like Perugia, but love nearby Spello.
I stayed at an agriturismo near the Tuscan/Umbrian border and loved it! It enabled me to see the small towns of Umbria for three full days in between my time in Roma and Firenze. I did have a car though and enjoyed the drives from one small town to the other. It was definitely a highlight of my trip, from Assisi to Perugia and to Costacciaro, the hometown where my great-grandfather was born. I absolutely loved it and loved exploring my roots and even seeing the house where my great-grandfather was born and enjoying a fabulous dinner with my Italian relatives. I cannot wait to go back, Umbria is Italy's best kept secret!
Same here Lyn. Really peaceful up there. Thanks for stopping by :) Glad you enjoyed!
Ciao Debra. Missed visiting Spello this time, next time for sure :)
Oh I would love to know about that agriturismo, Tony! Costacciaro is so pretty, I just looked it up :-) Lucky You!
It is definitely a quaint town and very picturesque. :) The agriturismo is Agriturismo Pilari, agriturismopilari.com. It's definitely more of a small "farm" and not commercial at all, but I loved staying there, definitely felt like the "real" Italy.
Thank you Tony! I love the agriturismo, very Italian ;-) and its nice that we have so many non commericla ones in Italy, like u said felt like the "real" Italy!
Very Detailed and informative.. :)
Love, love love Umbria....Perugia is wonderful....Your photos and info are so useful! Brava!
Thank you :)
Me too Diana, thank you for stopping by and for the appreciation :)
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