The 8th December in Italy marks the Feast of the Immaculate Conception bank holiday. Having a good chunk of days off together, Nadia, my Canadian friend, and I decided to embark on a road trip to Umbria. For such a long time, I have wanted to go to Perugia and Assisi. Im not particularly religious, but I knew that Assisi is a must visit, if you are living in Italy!
Having settled in Italy almost two decades ago, Nadia has her life established here and has two children that probably identify more as Italian than part Canadian. All this to say, that for Nadia, it is second nature for her to get in an Italian car and just drive. For me, it is still met with some trepidation. Literally everything is back to front for me- steering wheel on the other side (so the gearstick is in the “wrong” place), the opposite side of the road and everything is obviously written in Italian, a language that I’m comfortable in but I still have work to do before I can be considered in anyway fluent! I was therefore delighted when Nadia volunteered her car and driving services! She’s great company, a good laugh and speaks my language, literally and metaphorically! Something that I often think here, communicating with friends in a language that I’m still trying to master, is damn, I wish you knew how much more eloquent I can be in my own language. Readers here might disagree, however! Ha ha! It reminds me of the episode on the American series, Modern Family, when Gloria the Columbian step mum says, in frustration, “Do you even know how smart I am in Spanish?”
On the morning of Friday 8th December, Nadia arrived to pick me up, case in hand and I was full of excitement for my first proper road trip since moving to Italy. Within minutes, we were in the local bar (café) having a coffee! A couple of hours later, following some missed turns, due to too much chatting and not enough focussing, we arrived in Perugia. The capital of the region of Umbria, the city is spectacular. To access the city, we parked up in a large park and ride. The ride was not a bus, however, but a monorail! Super convenient, with multiple stops, we were in the city centre in no time. Perugia is known for having defensive walls around the city. I was not prepared though for the incredible views that I would have from up on high, as I looked over the valley below. Just wow. Literally the thing of dreams.
At its heart is a 14th century village but it has obviously grown over time and has a very vibrant atmosphere, thanks to its two universities- The University of Perugia, founded in 1308 and the University of Foreigners. As Christmas is just around the corner, the streets were alive with locals and tourists in the Christmas Market. Maybe it’s subconscious, but perhaps another big draw to Perugia for me is the high quality brand of chocolate, Baci di Perugia. If you have never tried these, you need them in your life. They are just delicious! Having had the idea of stocking up on them for presents for when I return to the UK at Christmas, I ended up opting for the more artisan chocolate that I came across in the Christmas Market. Besides, Baci are widely available in the UK…
We had a delicious lunch in the main square and wondered around the streets that were beautifully decorated with white strings of Christmas lights. Much more beautiful in real life than I could ever describe.
I realised that I would need to come back again to dedicate more time to exploring this beautiful city. This was literally a flying visit. I really want to visit the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria, as well as more time in the historic centre. Perugia is also mega famous for its jazz festival, Umbria Jazz, which runs every year in July. There are also Winter sessions.
As the night came in, we returned to the car and made our way to the stunning Relais San Clemente hotel.
The origins of the Relais San Clemente date back to its church and were established as a result of a Papal bull from Pope Gregory VI in 1045 who called it “Ripa fluminis positam cum omnibus earum pertinentis et adiacentis” (located by the edge of the Tevere river with all its lands and buildings).
It was the perfect base for our mini break. Dining in the hotel restaurant was very pleasant and they offered a really good buffet breakfast. I recommend this place and will definitely be back when the summer arrives.
Have you ever been to Perugia? Let me know below!