Perugia - the bustling capital of Umbria

The capital of Umbria, Perugia offers the visitor everything you would expect from an Italian city with stunning historic architecture, breath-taking views across Umbria and a relaxed, Mediterranean atmosphere.

The Corso Vannucci is the backbone of Perugia where you will find many cafés, shops and restaurants. The street is named after Pietro Vannucci, the famous artist who was teacher to Raphael and some of whose works can be found in the Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria.

At one end of Corso Vannucci you will find the Piazza IV Novembre, which is the place where most Perugians like to meet up. The square is surrounded by notable historic buildings, including the Palazzo dei Priori which is seen as one of the greatest buildings in Italy. The palace houses the Sala dei Notori, the lawyers' meeting hall, where you will find beautifully painted frescoes dipicting scenes from Aesops fables, the Bible and medieval coats of arms.

In the centre of the square is the Fontana Maggiore, designed by the monk Fra' Bevignate and sculpted in the thirteenth century by father and son, Nicola and Giovanni Pisano. The fountain displays images from the Bible and the calendar and was built to celebrate the completion of Perugia's aqueduct.

You can get a good feel of the old town with a stroll along Via di Priori where you can visit the Madonna della Luce church. The story goes that in 1513, a young man, having lost money on a game of cards, shouted such profanities that a nearby statue of the Madonna's eyes closed for four days! The church was built to commemorate the miracle.

Perugia is home to some fantastic festivals including the world-famous Umbria Jazz Festival, which has hosted many famous names including Dizzy Galespie and Steely Dan. There is also the delectible Eurochocolate Festival, which is sheer indulgance for any chocoholic!

The city is easy to visit on foot or you can use the recently finished mini-metro, a monorail that offers the traveller some fantastic views.