Overview

Foundation: the first known settlements in the territory dates back to the XI and X Century B.C., with the appearance of Villanovian villages in the proximities of the strata of the Perugian hills and,  since the VIII Century  B.C., also upon the summit of the hill where the city will eventually rise.

Perched on a hill, at nearly 500 meters of altitude, Perugia dominates from the acropolis the entire Tiber valley (Valle del Tevere). Powerful Etruscan center and then important medieval city, Perugia has maintained intact its reputation of illustrious and lively cultural center throughout the centuries. Seat of a prestigious University over 700 years old, of the Academy of Fine Arts, of the Conservatorium of Music and of the University for Foreigners, Perugia welcomes students from all over the world as proof of the strong international vocation of the city.

For the tourist who desires an evocative entry to the acropolis, it is mandatory to go through the Rocca Paolina. Historical-architectural complex unique in its kind, it is the “casket” of the medieval city. Perfectly preserved, once inside, you are magically transported to another era.

Crossed by modern escalators that help the ascent to the heart of the city between historical vestiges and contemporary suggestions, Perugia is a city full of “secrets” to be revealed. The suggestion is to explore it with curiosity in order to fully enjoy the emotion and the charm of the discovery, as once witnessed by the visitors of the Grand Tour and as still now do the many tourists and students who come and stay.

From the XIII Century Fontana Maggiore an enchanting path unravels among the five districts that from the acropolis, like the fingers of a hand, open to the visit: a series of ups and downs, streets and alleys, narrow streets and stairways, unusual and picturesque views that cross still splendidly preserved traits of the Etruscan-Roman and medieval walls.

Public and private museums, palaces and fountains, workshops of artistic craft products, a typical cuisine that tells the taste and love for their land, make Perugia a place where stopping is not only a restorative break.

Being here means living the experience of a city still on a human scale, where ancient, modern and contemporany history coexist in harmony and in the dialogue between different cultures and religions. A place that will amaze you, for its ability to play, to mix emotions and suggestions, from chocolate to art. Here you will be able to admire the works of Perugino, Pinturicchio and Raffaello; the contemporaneity of Burri and Beuys, among the notes of Umbria Jazz, of the Sagra Musicale Umbra; to enjoy the rich theatre season; to walk along the streets of the city center meeting perhaps the Captain of ventura, Braccio Fortebracci, during the days of Perugia 1416.