Umbria is a landlocked region in central Italy, the only one on the Italian peninsula with neither a coastline nor a border with another country. Known as the 'Green Heart of Italy', it is a land of rolling hills, oak forests, olive groves, and medieval hill towns. Umbria is famous for the Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi, the Gothic Duomo of Orvieto, the festivals of Spoleto and Perugia, and a hearty cuisine built around black truffles, cured pork from Norcia, lentils, and the powerful Sagrantino red wine of Montefalco.
Top attractions
The most popular and significant attractions in Umbria.
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1
Basilica di San Francesco (Basilica of Saint Francis), Assisi
The mother church of the Franciscan order and burial place of Saint Francis, a two-level Gothic basilica begun in 1228 and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. Its Upper Church holds the famous fresco cycle of the Life of Saint Francis attributed to Giotto, while the Lower Church and crypt contain works by Cimabue, Simone Martini and Pietro Lorenzetti.
Tip: Entry is free; arrive at opening or late afternoon to avoid the late-morning tour crush · Dress modestly, as shoulders and knees must be covered to enter both churches · Photography is forbidden inside; put cameras away to avoid being asked to leave · Pick up an audio guide or join a guided tour to make sense of the fresco cycles · Start in the Lower Church and tomb, then climb to the Upper Church for the Giotto cycle
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2
Basilica di Santa Chiara (Basilica of Saint Clare), Assisi
A pink-and-white striped Gothic basilica built from 1257 to house the body of Saint Clare, founder of the Poor Clares and a follower of Saint Francis. It preserves the Byzantine Crucifix of San Damiano that, according to tradition, spoke to Francis, along with Clare's relics in the crypt.
Tip: Admission is free; visit early morning for quiet and the best facade light · Dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered, as it is an active church · Photography is restricted inside, especially in the crypt and around the San Damiano cross · Combine it with the short walk to Piazza del Comune and the Tempio di Minerva
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3
Eremo delle Carceri (Hermitage), Assisi
A tranquil Franciscan hermitage tucked into a wooded gorge on the slopes of Monte Subasio above Assisi, where Saint Francis and his companions withdrew to pray. The site preserves tiny caves, an ancient ilex wood and a small church, surrounded by hiking trails.
Tip: Entry is free; arrive early as the small car park fills quickly and the road is narrow · Wear comfortable shoes for the steep approach and the woodland paths · Keep voices low, as it is an active hermitage where silence is requested · Bring water in summer and allow time to walk the trails beyond the buildings
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4
Tempio di Minerva (Temple of Minerva), Assisi
A remarkably intact 1st-century-BC Roman temple fronting Assisi's main square, its six Corinthian columns and portico preserved when the building was converted into the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. It is one of the best-preserved Roman temple facades in Italy.
Tip: Entry to the church is free; visit late afternoon for the best light and square atmosphere · Hours include a midday closure, so check before timing a visit · Dress modestly, as it is a working church · Pair it with a coffee on the square and the short walk to the Roman forum below
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5
Rocca Maggiore, Assisi
A commanding medieval fortress crowning the hill above Assisi, rebuilt by Cardinal Albornoz in 1367 on earlier foundations. Visitors can walk its ramparts and towers for sweeping views over the basilica, the rooftops of the old town and the Spoleto valley.
Tip: Admission is about six euros, paid at the entrance; bring cash to be safe · Wear sturdy shoes for the steep 15-minute climb up from Piazza del Comune · Visit late afternoon for golden light, or early for fewer visitors · The narrow internal tower stairs are tight and steep, so skip them if uneasy in confined spaces
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6
Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria (Palazzo dei Priori), Perugia
Umbria's foremost art gallery, housed on the upper floors of the Gothic Palazzo dei Priori on Corso Vannucci. Its collection spans the 13th to 19th centuries and holds the world's richest gathering of works by Perugino and Pinturicchio, alongside Piero della Francesca's Sant'Antonio polyptych and panels by Duccio and Fra Angelico.
Tip: Visit on a weekday after 3PM for the quietest galleries · Buy a combined ticket if also visiting other civic sites in the Palazzo dei Priori · Photography without flash is generally allowed; pick up an audio guide for context · Allow at least 90 minutes and pause at the panoramic windows over the square
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7
Fontana Maggiore, Perugia
The medieval centrepiece of Perugia's main square, a marble fountain built between 1275 and 1278 by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano. Its two concentric basins are carved with fifty reliefs depicting the months, the liberal arts, biblical scenes and the city's history.
Tip: The fountain is free and always accessible; come at dusk for the liveliest square · Walk a full circle to read the carved panels of the months and fables · Combine it with the Galleria Nazionale and Sala dei Notari in the adjacent palace · It is occasionally screened for conservation, so check locally if the carvings are visible
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8
Rocca Paolina, Perugia
An underground fortress built for Pope Paul III in 1540-1543 over a destroyed medieval quarter, after Perugia's revolt in the Salt War. Today escalators run through the buried streets, vaulted cellars and remains of the Baglioni district, now used for exhibitions.
Tip: Entry is free and the escalators run from early morning until late at night · Use it as a scenic route up from the Piazza Partigiani car park to Piazza Italia · Visit in early afternoon to avoid commuter flows through the passages · Photography is allowed; the brick vaults are atmospheric in the low light
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9
Sala dei Notari, Perugia
A grand vaulted hall inside the Palazzo dei Priori, built in the late 13th century and decorated with brightly coloured frescoes of biblical scenes, fables and the coats of arms of the city's magistrates. Reached by the fan-shaped steps off Piazza IV Novembre, it is free to enter.
Tip: The hall is free; visit in late morning for the best light through the windows · Check on arrival, as it can close for council meetings, ceremonies and concerts · Combine it with the adjacent Fontana Maggiore and the Galleria Nazionale · Look upward, as the frescoes cover the vaults and arches rather than the walls
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10
Arco Etrusco (Etruscan Arch), Perugia
A monumental city gate in Perugia's Etruscan walls, built in the second half of the 3rd century BC and later restored under Augustus, who added the inscription 'Augusta Perusia'. It is one of the finest surviving Etruscan gateways in Italy.
Tip: The gate is free and always accessible; see it on the walk up from Piazza Fortebraccio · Visit in daytime for the clearest view of the inscription and carved shields · Pair it with the nearby Pozzo Etrusco for a short Etruscan-heritage circuit · Pause at a cafe on Piazza Fortebraccio for the best head-on view
Attractions by category
Explore by your interests.
Landmarks
Basilica di San Francesco, Assisi
UNESCO-listed Franciscan basilica with frescoes by Giotto, Cimabue and Lorenzetti
Tempio di Minerva, Assisi
One of Italy's best-preserved Roman temple facades on Assisi's main square
Fontana Maggiore, Perugia
Marble fountain of 1278 carved by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano
Piazza del Popolo, Todi
One of Italy's most harmonious medieval squares above the Tiber valley
Ponte delle Torri, Spoleto
Monumental medieval bridge-aqueduct spanning the Tessino gorge
Museums
Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria, Perugia
Umbria's premier art gallery, rich in Perugino and Pinturicchio
Palazzo dei Consoli, Gubbio
Gothic civic palace holding the ancient Umbrian Eugubine Tables
Complesso Museale di San Francesco, Montefalco
Benozzo Gozzoli's fresco cycle of the Life of Saint Francis
Rocca Albornoziana and Museo del Ducato, Spoleto
Papal fortress with the museum of the Lombard and medieval duchy
Palazzo Trinci, Foligno
International Gothic frescoes in the palace of the Trinci lords
Nature
Cascata delle Marmore
165-metre Roman-made waterfall in a wooded park near Terni
Lake Trasimeno and Isola Maggiore
Italy's fourth-largest lake with a car-free Franciscan island
Castelluccio di Norcia and Piano Grande
High Sibillini plateau famed for its summer wildflower bloom
Monti Sibillini National Park
Wild mountain range of peaks, gorges and high pastures in eastern Umbria
Fonti del Clitunno
Limpid springs and poplar-lined pools praised by Roman poets near Campello
Cultural
Cappella Baglioni, Spello
Pinturicchio's vivid 1501 fresco cycle above a majolica floor
Orvieto Underground
Etruscan and medieval caves and wells dug into the tufa cliff
Narni Sotterranea
Frescoed crypt and Inquisition cells beneath the hill town of Narni
Deruta
Renaissance majolica town with a regional ceramics museum and workshops
Bevagna
Medieval Via Flaminia town with the Mercato delle Gaite re-enactment
Practical information
What you need to know before you go.
- Hours
- Most museums open 9AM-7PM and some close on Mondays; churches, hilltop squares and viewpoints are generally always accessible, with many smaller sites closing midday
- Fees
- Museum entry typically €5-12; major churches such as the basilicas of Assisi and Spoleto cathedral are free; the Marmore Falls cost €12 and many Etruscan and Roman sites €3-8
- Best Times
- Late spring (May-June) and September for warm weather and the Castelluccio bloom and festivals; early mornings to see Assisi and Orvieto before the day-trippers arrive
- Booking
- Book Narni Sotterranea tours in advance, check the Cascata delle Marmore water-release timetable before going, and consider the Spoleto Card or Orvieto combined ticket for multiple sites
Tips for visiting attractions
Make the most of your sightseeing time.
Check the Cascata delle Marmore water-release schedule before visiting, as the falls only flow at set times
A car is the easiest way to reach hill towns like Montefalco, Bevagna, Todi and Castelluccio, though Assisi, Perugia, Spoleto and Orvieto are well served by train
Buy a combined cathedral ticket in Orvieto and consider the Spoleto Card to bundle several museums
Umbrian churches are free but require modest dress covering shoulders and knees
Many historic centres have ZTL restricted-traffic zones and steep parking below the walls reached by escalators or lifts
Smaller museums and sanctuaries often close midday from roughly 1PM-3PM, so plan around the lunch break
Frequently asked questions
When is the best season to visit attractions in Umbria?
May-June and September offer warm weather, festivals and the Castelluccio wildflower bloom without the peak heat and crowds of high summer
Do I need a car to explore Umbria?
Assisi, Perugia, Spoleto, Foligno and Orvieto are reachable by train, but a car is best for the hill towns, Lake Trasimeno, Castelluccio and the Valnerina
How much time do I need for Umbria's main attractions?
Plan at least 4-5 days to see Assisi, Perugia, Orvieto, Spoleto and a cluster of smaller hill towns without rushing
Are Umbria's main churches free to visit?
Yes, the basilicas of Assisi, Spoleto cathedral and most parish churches are free, though chapels such as Spello's Cappella Baglioni and some cathedral museums charge a small fee