Umbria commonly referred to as the green heart of Italy is perhaps one of the smallest regions in the country.
If you wish to spend a holiday in Italy, you will easily find excellent accommodation options for getting the most from your holiday. For an extremely fruitful and relaxing holiday rent a farmhouse or a rural villa in Umbria. All what you will have to do is check out prices, descriptions and pictures of our Umbria holiday homes.
Blessed with natural resources and beauty, the region is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. You will find there an array of captivating medieval towns, where century old traditions and culture are still preserved.
It is popular as one of the few regions which offers its guests a number of trekking opportunities. The landscape is rich in captivating fauna and flora species, the majority of them endangered. In Alviano you have a chance to watch rare migratory wild birds and this region is as well home to various amphibian species and reptiles. For art admirers, regardless painting or architecture, Umbria region has prepared great excitement. Perugino and Giotto have left there an essential part of their masterpieces such as frescoes which have been admired by visitors from around the globe;
The truth is that Umbrian customs and traditions die hard … and Umbrians are very proud people, when it comes to their historical past, cultural traditions & appreciation of food…parties are their passion and love. Combine all of the above mentioned and you have these superb joyful local food celebrations known as Sagre presenting seasonal local produce.
Sagre festivals are held in various towns and villages throughout the region and are celebrations of the arrival of the long awaited spring season bringing fertilitiy and abundance. It is a fact that in Umbria each season of the year revolves around food.
Umbrians go crazy at the first sight of wild asparagus and herbs in March. Sage borrage, and thyme grow sufficiently along the country roads. You will often see cars pulled over at dangerous curves on the roads…while the drivers are in quest of tasty funghi .
Throughout the course of spring, summer and autumn seasons each single village celebrates the yield typical for its region. Produce varies from lentils, the smallest sort of sweet onions, which are literally the size of a button, to the so called “black gold” of the region or the delicious black truffle (tartuffo nero in Italian).
Along with honoring seasonal food, other more culturally and historically orientated festivals do take place in Umbria too. These festival are popular around the world and many visitors come to the region to watch the local people, dressed in medieval costumes, bringing back to life to events which once occurred long ago in medieval times.
Various competitions, such as flag-throwing, jousts and, cross-bow are also organized during the festivities. When the parades are over everyone is seated at a long table and indulges in opulent menu consisting of, as you may have expected, medieval recipe dishes. The experience of visiting Umbria and taking part in such festivals is an incredibly new and memorable event which shouldn’t be missed. It is a chance to get unique glimpse into the Italian way of life – past and present.
