Umbria

The cuore verde (green heart) of Italy.

Umbria is the land locked central region of Italy. The region is named after the Umbrii tribe which was one of the oldest known in Italy. Umbria was also a hot-spot for the birth places of saints including St. Benedict, St. Emiliano, St. Rita, St. Valentine, St. Clare and the most famous of them all, St. Francis of Assisi.

As with all regions in Italy, food is central to life and Umbria has its own specialities. There is strangozzi, a thicker squarer version of spaghetti, which is often served with a piquant tomato sauce. Roast suckling pig stuffed with herbs (or porchetta as it’s known locally) is widely available from road side vans or in any village or town on market day. It is eaten in a crusty roll with a dash of salt – wonderful!

Other delights include lentils from Castelluccio, black celery from Trevi, the assorted salumis of Norcia, and the famous Umbrian extra virgin olive oil which is a key product of the region and defines its landscape to a great extent.

For the visitor there is plenty to see. The Duomo of Orvieto, the amazing poppy covered fields of the Piano Grande, the Basilica at Assisi with its fabulous Giotto frescos. The world famous arts festival (Le Due Monde) in Spoleto is held in the summer. There are also many charming hill top towns such as Todi, Montefalco, Trevi, and Gubbio.

If you are thinking of visiting Umbria it is easy to fly here. Ryanair operates routes into Perugia, or alternatively you can fly into Rome and travel north by car or train.

Casa Margherita produce stunning Olive Oil from our olive grove in Umbria, Italy. The region is named after the Umbrii tribe which was one of the oldest known in Italy