Things to Do and See in Perugia

The historic center of Perugia is a true medieval village, rich in monuments to admire. Starting with the Palazzo dei Priori, and continuing with the National Gallery of Umbria, the Collegio del Cambio, and the Collegio della Mercanzia. Don’t miss Piazza IV Novembre, the city’s monumental and social hub, with the Fontana Maggiore—a work by Giovanni and Nicola Pisano—at its center. The Palazzo dei Priori is renowned as one of the finest architectural examples of an Italian medieval city. The rest of the province is equally rich in sites of historical and cultural interest, starting with Assisi, which has been a destination for tourists and pilgrims for centuries. In this charming town, you can admire, in Piazza San Rufino, the Romanesque Cathedral of San Rufino, the Basilica of Santa Chiara—with its distinctive pink and white bands on the façade, which houses the crucifix that spoke to St. Francis—and the Upper Basilica of St. Francis, which features frescoes by Cimabue and Giotto. Also famous is the Porziuncola, an ancient chapel where the saint found refuge, located within the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli. Another place closely associated with the saint is Gubbio, where visitors can see the Roman Theater and the Palazzo dei Consoli, an imposing 14th-century complex that currently houses the Art Gallery and the Archaeological Museum. On the border with the Marche region, Norcia is the birthplace of Saint Benedict, the first monk of Christianity, to whom the 13th-century Basilica of the same name is dedicated.