PERUGIA, Italy | Top 5 things to see + bonus tips!

Ciao everyone! I'm Giulia, I'm Italian and I'm travelling Italy to give you the best local tips. In this video I'm going to take you around Perugia, the major city of Umbria region. Umbria is a territory full of nature, indeed it's known as the Langa of Italy, but it also features a series of precious little towns like Assisi, Umbio, Spoleto, Orvieto, just to name a few. And now, let's explore Perugia! The city of Perugia presents three still visible layers, the Etruscan one, the Roman and the Medieval, the latter being the one you feel the most when strolling in the city centre. Indeed, Perugia seems like a representation of what life in the Middle Age could have been. Let's take a look at our top 5 things to do or see here! 4th of November Square is the beating heart of Perugia, where locals usually meet. Three are the major things to visit here. The Fontana Maggiore, a fountain of medieval sculpture with drawings representing scenes from the Old Testament or historical and traditional episodes. The Prior's Palace, headquarters of a political power in the past. Today it hosts the Umbria Arts National Gallery. And the Cathedral, dedicated to Saint Lawrence and built upon Roman wreaths and the ancient Etruscan Acropolis. Don't miss Battisti Street, it's one of the most iconic of Perugia. From here you can also get a glimpse of the ancient walls that surrounded the city before Christ. Below Battisti Street there is also Aqueduct Street, where you can have a nice stroll over the ancient aqueduct of Perugia. There's an important part of Perugia to discover, underground. The Pope ordered the construction of Paulina Fortress in 1540, but it was torn apart in late 19th century with the unification of Italy, when patriots couldn't stand the Pope anymore. What has survived until today are the underground corridors of the fortress, that are open for free to the public and where ancient archaeological finds can be admired. Perugia stands upon a hill surrounded by nature, so you can imagine that the panoramic views around here are amazing. We suggest you stop around Piazza Italia, Italy's square, at sunset to enjoy a very romantic atmosphere. For a fantastic panorama above Perugia, climb the Scirri Tower, the last remaining of the many medieval towers once standing in the city centre. Perugia and the region of Umbria were an important area for the Etruscan civilisation that built the first layer of the city. The Etruscan well was built right in the bowels of the city centre. It is 36 metres deep and about 5 metres wide and can still be visited today. We just told you our five favourite things, but there's more to tell. We'll share now also some extra tips to visit Perugia at its best. Italians associate Perugia with chocolate. A famous chocolate brand was born here, Perugina, and it's the one that produces the famous pralines with aphorism inside the wrap. Baci. Baci means kisses in Italian. And this is the gift that many Italians buy for their lovers for some Valentine's Day. They open the wrap and they read the aphorism inside together. So let's see what mine says today. What the heart knows today, the head will understand tomorrow. Umbria's food and wine are known and appreciated all over Italy. Excellent products of this land are meat, norcia ham and truffle. Our suggestions of must-try are torta al testo, Perugia's original version of a focaccia sandwich filled with ham, cheese or vegetables. Porchetta, a suckling pig that has been boned, seasoned with garlic and herbs and roasted, typically sliced and served as a filling in sandwiches. Also, pair the famous truffle of this land with umbricelli or strangozzi, a kind of thick homemade spaghetti. And finally, drink the local Rosso di Montefalco red wine. Don't get mad if at the end of your holidays you'll have gained some extra kilos! If you travel to Perugia by car, the best way to reach the city centre is to use the Minimetro. You can leave your car in the huge Portanova free parking and hop on this futuristic above-ground metro. The ticket costs €1.50 and carriages pass by every two minutes. It will be like you're flying above Perugia's roofs. Be careful if you pass through Barutoli street because it's one of the steepest in Perugia and indeed it's famous because people tumbled and still tumble today on it. And indeed Barutoli means to fall and to tumble in local dialect. You can visit Perugia's main attractions in one day, but if you'd like to explore it with calm we suggest you to spend two days here. Learn what else you could do in your holidays in Umbria region in this other video. Don't forget to subscribe to our channel if you don't want to miss our tips for your future trips to Italy and ask us anything you'd like to know about Perugia in the comments below. Ciao!