Top Things to Do in Umbria

1. Basilica of St Francis of Assisi

The Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi is not just Umbria's premier attraction — it's one of the most important artistic and spiritual sites in the Christian world. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 as part of "Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other Franciscan Sites," the complex comprises two superimposed churches (Upper and Lower) built into the hillside, plus a crypt containing the tomb of St Francis himself. Construction began in 1228, just two years after the saint's death, and the basilica was consecrated by Pope Innocent IV in 1253.

The Upper Basilica is famous for Giotto's fresco cycle of 28 scenes depicting the Life of St Francis, painted between approximately 1297 and 1305. This cycle is widely considered a turning point in Western art — the moment when painting moved from the flat, symbolic Byzantine tradition toward the naturalistic, three-dimensional style that would define the Renaissance. The Lower Basilica contains frescoes by Cimabue, Simone Martini, and Pietro Lorenzetti, and the crypt houses the simple stone sarcophagus of St Francis. The basilica was badly damaged in the 1997 earthquake (which killed four people inside and collapsed part of the vault), but a meticulous ten-year restoration has returned it to its full glory. Allow 2–3 hours minimum. Entry is free, but the museum and audio guide cost extra. Arrive at opening time (typically 8:30am) to experience it without crowds. Modest dress required (shoulders and knees covered).

2. Orvieto Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta)

If Assisi's basilica is Umbria's heart, Orvieto's Duomo is its soaring soul. Begun in 1290 and not completed until the 17th century, this Gothic cathedral has a façade that is arguably the most beautiful in Italy — a glittering mosaic of gold, polychrome marble, and intricate bas-reliefs depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments. The four marble pillars of the façade, carved by Lorenzo Maitani, are masterpieces of medieval sculpture, their stories so vivid and detailed that they were known as the "Bible of the Poor" — a visual scripture for those who could not read.

Inside, the highlight is the Cappella di San Brizio (Chapel of San Brizio), home to Luca Signorelli's fresco cycle of the Last Judgment (1499–1504). This is the work that Michelangelo studied before painting the Sistine Chapel — and you can see why. Signorelli's muscular, writhing figures, his command of anatomy and foreshortening, and his vision of apocalyptic drama make this one of the most powerful Renaissance fresco cycles in existence. The chapel also contains work by Fra Angelico, who began the decoration before handing it over to Signorelli. Entry to the cathedral is €5 (2026 prices); the Cappella di San Brizio requires a separate timed ticket. The cathedral opens at 9:30am; go early. Beneath the town, the Orvieto Underground tour (€7, book ahead) takes you through 3,000 years of excavated caves, tunnels, and dovecotes carved into the tufa.

3. Cascata delle Marmore (Marmore Falls)

Cascata delle Marmore is a genuine spectacle — at 165 metres, it is the tallest man-made waterfall in Europe and the second-tallest waterfall of any kind in Italy (after the Serio Falls). It was created in 271 BC by the Roman consul Manius Curius Dentatus, who ordered a canal to be dug to divert the stagnant waters of the Velino River into the Nera River below, solving a malaria problem in the Rieti Valley. The result was a waterfall that has been inspiring awe for over two millennia — Virgil mentions it in the Aeneid, Lord Byron wrote about it, and generations of Italian schoolchildren have visited on gita scolastica trips.

The falls cascade in three dramatic tiers through a gorge of limestone and forest. The water is controlled by the Galleto hydroelectric plant, meaning the full flow is only released at scheduled times — typically 2–3 times daily during the tourist season (March–October), with reduced frequency in winter. When the full flow is on, 700 cubic metres of water per second thunder through the gorge — a genuinely immersive experience that you feel in your chest. Six hiking trails (routes 1–6) offer different perspectives, from the panoramic Belvedere Superiore to the soaking-wet Balcone degli Innamorati (Lovers' Balcony) where you can stand directly in the spray. The park also offers rafting, canyoning, and hydrospeed on the Nera River below. Entry to the falls is €10–12 (varies by season and flow status). Check the official marmorefalls.it website for the release schedule. The falls are about 7km from Terni; parking is available on-site.

4. Lake Trasimeno — Boats, Islands & Birdlife

Lake Trasimeno (Lago Trasimeno) is the fourth-largest lake in Italy at 128 km² — a shallow, shimmering expanse of water surrounded by olive groves, reed beds, and medieval villages. Unlike the deep Alpine lakes of the north, Trasimeno is warm, gentle, and distinctly Mediterranean in character. Its maximum depth is just 6 metres, which means the water warms quickly in summer (swimming is possible from June through September), and the shallow waters create a rich habitat for birds — herons, egrets, cormorants, and migratory species make it one of central Italy's best birdwatching sites.

The lake has three islands accessible by ferry from the mainland ports of Castiglione del Lago, Passignano sul Trasimeno, and Tuoro sul Trasimeno. Isola Maggiore is the only inhabited island — a tiny village of about 15 permanent residents, with a 14th-century church (where St Francis spent Lent in 1211), a lace-making tradition that goes back centuries, and a hiking trail that circles the island in about an hour. Isola Polvese is the largest island, now a scientific park and nature reserve with walking paths, a medieval castle, and swimming spots. Isola Minore is privately owned and not open to visitors. A full circuit of the lake by bicycle (60 km, mostly flat) is one of Umbria's most rewarding day trips — you can rent bikes in Castiglione del Lago or Passignano. For lunch, order tegamaccio, the local lake-fish stew cooked in a terracotta pot with tomatoes, garlic, and white wine.

5. Perugia Underground City — Rocca Paolina

When Pope Paul III crushed Perugia's rebellion in 1540 during the Salt War, he did something extraordinary: instead of simply demolishing the rebellious Baglioni family's palaces, he buried them. The Rocca Paolina fortress was built directly on top of an entire medieval neighbourhood, entombing streets, houses, towers, and workshops beneath metres of brick and earth. For over 300 years, this buried quarter lay sealed beneath the fortress — a symbol of papal domination over the defiant Perugians.

After Italian unification in 1860, the Rocca Paolina was largely demolished as a hated symbol of oppression — but the underground streets beneath it were preserved and opened to the public. Today, you can walk through a surreal subterranean time capsule: vaulted brick streets, the remains of the Palazzo Baglioni, an ancient bakery with its oven still intact, and the Porta Marzia, a 3rd-century BC Etruscan gate that was incorporated into the fortress wall. The underground route is free to enter and connects to the scale mobili (escalators) that link the lower town with the historic centre — one of the most dramatic city entrances in Italy. Allow 30–60 minutes to wander. For a deeper dive, book a guided tour of the Perugia Sotterranea (Underground Perugia), which includes the archaeological area beneath the cathedral — a complete Etruscan-Roman urban block spanning fifteen centuries.

6. Orvieto Pozzo di San Patrizio (St Patrick's Well)

The Pozzo di San Patrizio in Orvieto is a feat of Renaissance engineering. Built between 1527 and 1537 by order of Pope Clement VII (who had fled to Orvieto after the Sack of Rome), the well was designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger to ensure the city's water supply during a siege. It descends 53 metres into the tufa rock with a double-helix staircase of 248 steps — two independent spiral ramps, one for descending with empty vessels and one for ascending with full ones, designed so that laden donkeys could pass each other without meeting. The well is lit by 72 windows cut into the central shaft, creating a cathedral-like play of light and shadow. The name "St Patrick's Well" comes from the medieval Irish legend of a bottomless well in Lough Derg where St Patrick was said to have shown pilgrims a glimpse of Purgatory — though the Orvieto well has nothing to do with Ireland beyond the evocative name. It's open daily; entry is around €5. Climbing the 248 steps back up is a workout, but there's a great gelateria at the top.

7. Gubbio — Medieval Streets & the Corsa dei Ceri

Gubbio might be the best-preserved medieval town in Umbria — an extraordinary ensemble of pale grey limestone, terracotta roofs, and vertiginous streets climbing the slopes of Monte Ingino. Unlike Assisi or Orvieto, which have been polished by centuries of tourism, Gubbio feels lived-in and slightly wild — the kind of place where you half-expect to see a knight riding through the Piazza Grande.

The Palazzo dei Consoli, a 14th-century Gothic palace that seems to defy gravity on its hillside perch, houses the Tavole Eugubine (Iguvine Tablets) — seven bronze tablets inscribed in the ancient Umbrian language, dating to the 3rd–1st centuries BC. They are the most important surviving document of the Umbrian people and a UNESCO Memory of the World registered item. Take the funicular (basically an open cage, thrilling and not for the faint-hearted) up to the Basilica of Sant'Ubaldo at the summit of Monte Ingino. On 15 May, Gubbio erupts for the Corsa dei Ceri — a folk festival dating to at least the 12th century, where three teams race massive wooden "candles" (ceri), each weighing over 300 kg, through the streets and up the mountain. It's one of Italy's most visceral and ancient festivals.

8. Infiorata di Spello — Flower Carpet Festival

On the Sunday of Corpus Domini (usually late May or June — check dates for 2026), the hill town of Spello transforms into one of Italy's most beautiful sights. The Infiorata di Spello is a flower-petal festival that covers nearly 2 kilometres of the town's winding medieval streets with intricate, brightly coloured floral tapestries. Teams of local artists — often families who have been competing for generations — spend months collecting and preparing millions of flower petals, leaves, and seeds, then work through the entire night before the festival to create their designs on the pavement. The results are astonishing: faithful reproductions of Renaissance paintings, abstract geometric patterns, and religious iconography, all made entirely from petals. The Corpus Domini procession walks over the carpets the following morning, in what is simultaneously a religious ritual and the destruction of an ephemeral artwork. It is free to attend, but arrive very early (well before 8am) to see the carpets before the procession. Spello is also one of Umbria's prettiest hill towns in its own right, with Roman gates, a fine Pinturicchio fresco in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, and wonderful views across the Valle Umbra.

9. Truffle Hunting in the Valnerina

For a genuine, immersive Umbrian experience, nothing beats truffle hunting in the oak woods of the Valnerina valley. The area around Norcia, Scheggino, and Cascia is one of Europe's richest truffle regions, and the tradition of hunting with trained Lagotto Romagnolo dogs (the curly-haired breed specifically developed for truffle work) goes back centuries. A typical truffle-hunting excursion lasts 2–3 hours: you follow a truffle hunter (tartufaio) and his dogs through the woods, watching as the dogs sniff out buried truffles and the hunter carefully extracts them with a small spade. The experience is as much about the walk — through beautiful oak and beech woodland, with the Apennine peaks in the background — as it is about the truffles themselves.

After the hunt, most experiences include a tasting: truffle-infused olive oil, cheese with truffle shavings, bruschetta, and a glass of local wine. You can book through local tour operators, agriturismi, or the tourist offices in Norcia and Spoleto. Prices typically run €60–100 per person for a group experience, more for private hunts. The winter black truffle season (December–March) is the most productive, but hunts run year-round and the summer months (June–August) are for the less valuable but still delicious summer truffle (tartufo estivo). Book at least a week in advance, especially during peak truffle season. Wear sturdy, waterproof shoes — the woods can be muddy.

10. The Sagrantino Wine Road (Strada del Sagrantino)

The Strada del Sagrantino connects the wine towns of Montefalco, Bevagna, Gualdo Cattaneo, Castel Ritaldi, and Giano dell'Umbria in a scenic driving route through rolling vineyards, olive groves, and medieval villages. This is the birthplace of Sagrantino di Montefalco, and the wine road is your best way to explore it — hop between cellar doors, taste the full range from Montefalco Rosso to the powerful Sagrantino DOCG and the sweet Passito, and meet the winemakers who have turned this native grape into one of Italy's most respected wines.

Notable wineries to visit include Arnaldo Caprai (the producer most responsible for Sagrantino's modern renaissance — book the full tour and tasting, about €30), Antonelli San Marco (an organic estate with beautiful grounds and excellent olive oil too), Paolo Bea (a cult natural-wine producer — wines are hard to find, but the experience is unforgettable), and Scacciadiavoli (one of the oldest wineries in Montefalco, founded in 1884). Most wineries require advance booking for tastings. The town of Montefalco itself — known as the "balcony of Umbria" for its panoramic views — is worth exploring, with a fine civic museum and excellent restaurants. Bevagna, just down the road, is one of Umbria's most perfectly preserved Roman towns, with a forum, theatre, and baths that you can still visit.