Blessing the Animals in Assisi on the Feast Day of Sant’Antonio Abate
The Piatto di Sant’Antonio Abate is a winter festival near Assisi that features a parade of horses and a blessing of animals.
Umbria
A landlocked region, Umbria is a lovely green region in central Italy known for its hill towns.
Who Was Saint Valentine?
Saint Valentine, a Christian bishop from Umbria, was martyred in Rome in the 3rd century AD. Learn more about his life, death, and legend.
Will Work For Wine: Luca Signorelli’s Orvieto Duomo Contract and His Intoxicating, Apocalyptic Fresco Cycle
In 1499, Tuscan artist Luca Signorelli signed a contract to paint two remaining sections of the Cappella Nuova (new chapel) of the Duomo in the Umbrian town of Orvieto. By 1502 (or 1504, depending on which documentation you read), he had completed his “End of the World” fresco cycle in what is now known as the…
Three Reasons to Love Perugia
Perugia, the picturesque capital of the region of Umbria, is a destination I like to recommend to travelers looking for a new place to explore in Central Italy. Perugia is an austere, university town – indeed, it’s one of Umbria’s hill towns – with several unique characteristics that make it ideal for discovery. Here’s my…
World’s Biggest Christmas Tree in Gubbio, Umbria
Rockefeller Center has nothing on this tree. The biggest Christmas tree in the world is, in fact, in Gubbio, Umbria. But this is not any tree. No, this is not a tree at all. Gubbio’s Albero di Natale is a dazzling neon feat–and Guinness Book of World Records holder–that has been lighting up the hills…
The Hill Towns of Umbria
Eight beautiful hill towns to put on your Umbria itinerary.
Keeping Up With the Antinori
Italian wine enthusiasts (that includes most of us, right?) may find this past weekend’s 60 Minutes story on Italy’s Antinori family intriguing. Considered one of Italy’s premier winemaking clans, the Antinori have been in the wine business for more than 500 years. Today, even the Antinori daughters are in on the act. To learn more…
Coloring the Skies: Kite Festival in Umbria
This weekend, the incredibly picturesque town of Castiglione del Lago, located on the banks of Lake Trasimeno in Umbria, will become even more beautiful as the skies fill with kites of all shapes, sizes, and colors. The event is called Coloriamo i Cieli, and it features some of the world’s most interesting kites commandeered by…
Jazz in January: Umbria Jazz Inverno and Other Winter Festivals in Italy
Winter means the music season for most of Italy. Opera productions and church-sponsored chamber music events are typical fare from Lecco to Lecce at this time of year. But you’ll also find jazz and blues in the mix. Umbria, which is home to Umbria Jazz, hosts a summer and winter version of its well-regarded festival. Umbria Jazz…