Capital of the rustic and rural region of Umbria, Perugia surprises with its stately architecture and cosmopolitan atmosphere—the latter fueled by two local universities. The medieval center is a time machine, transporting visitors back centuries with its Escher-like maze of alleys and staircases winding past Romanesque churches and Gothic palaces. When night falls, however, the city zips back to the 21st century and its cafés and squares fill with a rolicking mix of students and locals. The city is especially animated each July during Umbria Jazz, Italy’s top jazz festival.
Winters in Perugia are cold and wet, and the city goes quiet from November to March. Spring ushers in balmy days and the festival season, beginning with the International Journalism Festival in April, spotlighting top journalists from across the globe. July brings Umbria Jazz, one of Europe’s premier music events, and the Eurochocolate festival marks the sweet end to the season in October.
The best way to take in Perugia’s partially pedestrian-only historic center is on foot, but be prepared to scale steep streets and seemingly endless steps. A “mini metro” elevated train runs from the train station to the hilltop old town, with views over the rooftops along the way. Alternatively, park in the Piazza Partigiani public garage and take the escalator up through the medieval remains of the city to Corso Vannucci, the city’s main thoroughfare.
Perugia has a long, proud history of chocolate production, embodied in the hometown confectionary company, Perugina. The company’s flagship Baci candy, filled with a hazelnut and chocolate paste and topped with a whole hazelnut, has been one of Italy’s most beloved sweets since its invention in 1922. Learn more about this historic company, tour its factory, and even take a chocolate-making class at Casa del Cioccolato, the Perugina headquarters just outside the city center.
