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Umbria

Umbria property information : known as “the green heart of Italy” tends to have more reasonable property prices than its neighboring Tuscany and is awash with lush countrywide and woodlands run with rivers and streams. It has the benefit of having fewer tourists and foreign property owners than Tuscany, but the situation is changing fast.

Umbria has two principal towns: Perugia and Assisi. Assisi, birthplace of Italy’s patron saint, St Francis, was badly damaged in the 1997 earthquake. It is home to the Basilico de San Franciso, the 14th century castle Rocca Maggoire, the Duomo and the unscathed Templo di Minerva. The medieval centre of Perugia is surrounded by modern suburbs, often industrial, but it has maintained a strong artistic and cultural tradition. Every summer the city buzzes with the international festival, Umbria Jazz. The University for Foreigners, set up by Mussolini in 1925, attracts students from all over the world who give the city a surprising cosmopolitan flavour. It also runs short courses in Italian, which might be useful for new homeowners still struggling to master the language.

Umbria also has various enchanting smaller towns, particularly in the north. Spoleto is noted for its Festival of the Two Worlds, an international celebration of drama, music and dance; Todi and Gubbio are heralded as two of Italy’s best preserved medieval towns. Generally, the local architecture is similar to that to Tuscany. The people enjoy good wholesome cooking and the special ingredient in Umbrian cuisine is the black truffle (tartufo nero), which is celebrated in summer festivals throughout the region. Norcia is famous for its pork sausages and lentils. Other specialties include spit-roasted meat, especially suckling pig (porchetta), wild asparagus and mushrooms.