Perugia - the historic town

Perugia the capital of Umbria has all the picturesque scenes anyone can hope for. If you are staying in a hotel from the 1200s which has been restored to some of its former glory you have a heightened sense of what is on offer. The Fortuna Hotel is found behind a veritable wall of ivy - we had some difficulty locating it. Inside, the reception is not unlike most hotels, but exploring a little further and you find corridors with some of the original colours of the walls, lovely chandeliers with Murano glass, vaulted ceilings, frescoes painted on the ceilings and period furniture. There is a roof top with views over the city and a reading room with a painted ceiling. Rooms look out onto courtyards with tended pots on the balconies and flags of the Eu draped here and there. Charming and quirky it is just the perfect place from which to explore the historic capital of Umbria.

The city is perched on a hilltop and cobbled stones lead to big wooden doors, secret passages and walled gardens. The piazzas have imposing buildings in simple and worn marble which we found very appealing. It seemed to us that the town was alive and lived in by locals not just a place for tourists so we went in search of some of the locals ... 

The imposing griffin and lion stand out on this church. The alleyways are full of small bars and eateries with simple but delicious fare. This is where we ended up ... with the local rugby team, lots of good wine and delicious cheeses and hams.