Cheap flights to Perugia

Quick summary

A hilltop city

Capital of Umbria, between Etruscans and the Middle Ages

Piazza IV Novembre, the heart of the city

Perugia is the capital of Umbria, a medieval city perched on a hill at about 493 m. Its heart is Piazza IV Novembre, where the Fontana Maggiore, carved by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano in the late 13th century, faces San Lorenzo Cathedral and the Palazzo dei Priori. It was one of the twelve cities of the Etruscan confederation, as the Etruscan Well and the Etruscan Arch attest.

A little history

An Etruscan then Roman city, Perugia was resettled in the 3rd century as Colonia Vibia Augusta Perusia. In the Middle Ages the commune asserted itself from the 11th century, and the city hosted five conclaves between 1216 and 1305 (Wikipedia EN). In 1540 Pope Paul III ended its independence after the Salt War and built the Rocca Paolina; the city joined the Kingdom of Italy in September 1860.

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Under the city

The Rocca Paolina, a medieval city underground

The Rocca Paolina, a fortress built from 1540 to 1543 (Wikipedia EN), has largely been dismantled. Its medieval lanes and arches, left buried, can be walked for free, and escalators link them between Piazza Partigiani and Piazza Italia.

The Minimetro

An automated minimetro, running since 2008, links the lower districts, including Fontivegge station, to the centre: a single ticket costs about 1.50 euros (Wikivoyage EN and DE). The historic centre is a limited-traffic zone: park at Piazza Partigiani or Pian di Massiano and come up by minimetro or escalator.

Museums and monuments

National Gallery of Umbria, archaeological museum and Collegio del Cambio

Perugia is a compact museum city: most venues are a few minutes on foot from Piazza IV Novembre. Prices and hours change, and guides disagree on figures: check the official sites before you go; a multi-museum card also exists.

National Gallery of Umbria

Inside the Palazzo dei Priori, about forty rooms of works by Duccio, Piero della Francesca, Beato Angelico, Perugino and Pinturicchio. Perugino worked in Perugia, and Raphael trained here.

National Archaeological Museum of Umbria

Housed in the former San Domenico convent, it holds among other things the Cippus Perusinus, one of the longest known Etruscan inscriptions (Wikipedia EN, DE).

Collegio del Cambio and other sites

The Collegio del Cambio holds frescoes by Perugino. The Etruscan Well, the Palazzo della Penna (contemporary art), San Pietro abbey and the round church of San Michele Arcangelo complete a visit.

Chocolate and jazz

The city of chocolate and Umbria Jazz

Perugina was born in Perugia in 1907, and the famous Baci were introduced in 1922 (Wikipedia EN). The Casa del Cioccolato Perugina, in San Sisto, offers guided visits by reservation. The Eurochocolate festival is usually held in October, but dates vary between editions: check them before booking.

Umbria Jazz

Started in 1973, the Umbria Jazz festival livens up the city in July, with concerts at the Arena Santa Giuliana and free concerts in the centre.

Food

Torta al testo, truffle strangozzi and Umbrian wine

Umbrian cooking is simple and generous: torta al testo, a flatbread cooked on a griddle, comes with cured meats and vegetables; strangozzi, long pasta, are served with black truffle from Norcia; you will also find porchetta, Castelluccio lentils, spelt soup, stuffed roast pigeon and, for dessert, torcolo di San Costanzo (Wikipedia IT). Norcineria is the Norcia pork butcher's tradition.

To drink

Montefalco Sagrantino, Torgiano and Orvieto are the wines of the region (Wikipedia IT); extra-virgin olive oil goes into almost every recipe.

Village festivals

Sagre, food festivals devoted for example to porcini and truffles, are held weekly in the surroundings from August to late October (Wikivoyage DE).

Perugia airport

Sant'Egidio, served notably by Ryanair

The Umbria AirLink shuttle links the airport with the centre for about 5 euros (Wikivoyage EN and DE). By train, Florence is about 2 hours direct and Rome 2 to 3 hours, often with a change; FlixBus links Rome in about 2 hours 15 minutes and Florence in about 2 hours 10 minutes (Wikivoyage EN). The station is at the bottom of the hill: the minimetro reaches it from Fontivegge station, about 200 m away.

Around Perugia

Assisi, Gubbio, Orvieto and Lake Trasimeno

Assisi is about 30 minutes away by car, Gubbio under an hour, Lake Trasimeno about 40 minutes and Orvieto about 90 minutes. Rome is about 164 km away and Florence 145 to 150 km: Perugia offers a less crowded alternative to neighbouring Tuscany. Plan two days in town plus one excursion.

Getting around

On foot, minimetro and buses in a city on a slope

The centre is walkable, though hilly; Corso Vannucci, the main street, is pedestrianised. Buses go up to the top of the hill (about 1.50 euros from a ticket office, 2 euros on board according to Wikivoyage EN). The driverless minimetro runs about every two minutes from Pian di Massiano, the train station or the bus stations.

By car

The limited-traffic zone is closed to non-residents: park at Piazza Partigiani, Pian di Massiano or the Mercato Coperto, and come up by minimetro or escalator.

By train

Perugia station is in the valley, a few kilometres from the centre, with buses and the minimetro going up to the old town.

By length of stay

What to do in Perugia depending on how long you stay

When to go

When to visit Perugia?

Perugia receives about 800 mm of rain a year (Wikipedia EN, DE). Best time: April to June and September to October.

Budget

A mid-range stay, with a peak during Umbria Jazz

Perugia is a mid-range destination: local transport is cheap (about 1.50 euros for the minimetro, about 5 euros for the airport shuttle), restaurants range from trattorias to fine dining, and lodging varies widely and costs more during Umbria Jazz. Museum entry prices differ from one guide to another, so we do not publish ticket prices.

Keeping costs down

Avoid the Umbria Jazz period, stay on the outskirts near the minimetro and check multi-museum cards before buying separate tickets.

In pictures

Perugia in pictures

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