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.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Deruta Majolica Ceramics
Hand-painted tin-glazed majolica from the historic pottery town of Deruta, famous for the Raffaellesco dragon pattern and Renaissance designs, made and decorated by hand in family workshops
Price: EUR 15-400+ (approx USD 16-432+)
Where: Deruta workshops along Via Tiberina, Perugia ceramics shops
Perugina Chocolate and Baci
Italy's iconic chocolate, including the hazelnut-and-dark-chocolate Baci with their love notes, made at the Perugina factory at San Sisto outside Perugia
Price: EUR 5-30 per box (approx USD 5-32)
Where: Casa del Cioccolato Perugina (San Sisto), Perugia confectioners
Black Truffle (Tartufo Nero di Norcia)
The prized black truffle of Norcia and its products, including truffle oil, paste, and sauces, a cornerstone of Umbrian cuisine
Price: EUR 10-80 per jar (fresh truffle by weight, higher)
Where: Norcia norcinerie on Corso Sertorio, Umbrian gourmet shops
Norcia Salumi and Prosciutto
Cured pork specialities from Norcia, including prosciutto di Norcia IGP and traditional salumi; the town gave its name to the Italian word for a pork butcher (norcino)
Price: EUR 8-40 (approx USD 9-43)
Where: Norcia norcinerie, Umbrian salumerie
Lenticchie di Castelluccio IGP
The small, prized lentils grown on the Piano Grande plateau above Norcia, celebrated for their delicate flavour and quick cooking
Price: EUR 5-12 per pack (approx USD 5-13)
Where: Norcia food shops, Umbrian markets and delis
Montefalco Sagrantino and Orvieto Wine
Umbria's flagship wines: the powerful tannic red Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG and the crisp Orvieto white, alongside Grechetto and Montefalco Rosso
Price: EUR 12-60 per bottle (Sagrantino higher)
Where: Montefalco cantinas and enoteche, Orvieto wine shops
Solomeo Cashmere (Brunello Cucinelli)
Luxury cashmere knitwear and ready-to-wear from Brunello Cucinelli, the 'king of cashmere', headquartered in the restored medieval hamlet of Solomeo
Price: EUR 300-3,000+ (approx USD 324-3,240+)
Where: Brunello Cucinelli boutique, Solomeo
Assisi Embroidery (Punto Assisi)
Traditional cross-stitch embroidery from Assisi in which the background is stitched and the motif left voided, often in Franciscan and animal designs on linens
Price: EUR 20-200 (approx USD 22-216)
Where: Assisi embroidery workshops and shops
Umbrian Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Fruity, peppery DOP extra-virgin olive oil from the hills around Trevi, Spoleto, and Lake Trasimeno, prized across Italy for finishing dishes
Price: EUR 10-30 per 500ml (approx USD 11-32)
Where: Trevi and Spoleto frantoi, Umbrian food shops
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Anticamente Perugia (Mercato dell'Antiquariato)
One of central Italy's oldest and most important antiques markets, filling Perugia's grandest squares and porticoes once a month with furniture, jewellery, books, prints, and old ceramics.
Where: Historic centre, Perugia
Hours: Last Sunday of each month and the preceding Saturday, 9AM-8PM
Mercato di Pian di Massiano
Perugia's big open-air weekly market beside the football stadium, a short walk from the Minimetro terminus, selling fresh produce, clothing, homeware, and household goods to a local crowd.
Where: Pian di Massiano, Perugia
Hours: Saturdays 8AM-2PM
Norcineria Market Street (Corso Sertorio), Norcia
Norcia's main street, lined with historic norcinerie whose windows are stacked with cured meats, truffles, and lentils; the best concentrated spot in Umbria for truffles and salumi.
Where: Historic centre, Norcia
Hours: Shops typically 9AM-1PM and 3:30PM-7:30PM (reduced Sun/Mon)