Gubbio, Citta di Castello & north

Northern Umbria

The north of Umbria is the region at its quietest: wooded hills, tobacco and sunflower fields along the Upper Tiber Valley, and stone towns that see far fewer visitors than Assisi or Perugia. It borders Tuscany and Le Marche, so it also makes a good base for exploring three regions in one holiday.

Gubbio is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Italy, built in grey limestone on the slopes of Monte Ingino. The Palazzo dei Consoli rises above a broad piazza with views across the plain, and an open cable car, in small standing baskets, climbs to the Basilica of Sant'Ubaldo at the top of the hill. Below the town are the remains of a Roman theatre. Gubbio is also known for the Corsa dei Ceri, a race in which teams carry huge wooden pillars up the mountain.

Città di Castello and the Upper Tiber

Città di Castello is a lively market town on the Tiber with a walled centre, a round bell tower beside the cathedral and some fine Renaissance palaces. It was the home of the artist Alberto Burri, and two museums show his work, one in a former tobacco drying plant on the edge of town.

Nearby Montone is a small walled village on a hilltop, and Umbertide and Citerna are worth a stop. Just over the border in Tuscany, Sansepolcro was the birthplace of Piero della Francesca, and its museum holds his celebrated Resurrection. Anghiari, close by, is a well-kept hill town.

East of Gubbio, the Monte Cucco park offers caves, beech woods and walking trails along the Apennines.

Food, seasons and getting here

The Upper Tiber Valley is truffle country, and white truffles are celebrated in Città di Castello each autumn. In Gubbio, look for crescia, a flatbread filled with cured meats or greens. Local wines come from the Colli Altotiberini.

Perugia's airport is the closest, with Florence and Ancona also within reach, and a car is essential. Spring brings green hills and wild flowers, and autumn is the season for truffles, mushrooms and the olive harvest. The area suits walkers, cyclists, art lovers and anyone looking for peaceful countryside.

Browse the villas listed below to find your base in northern Umbria, or read more about holidays in Umbria.