Far off view of Assisi Castle with two skinny and tall trees in front with the sky and mountains behind it. (Catherine Torres)

Known as “the green heart of Italy,” the region of Umbria boasts natural beauty worth seeing in person. It is the country’s only landlocked region and is known for its many olive groves, vineyards and grains stretched over hilly lands. A handful of hilltop towns retain their medieval churches, Roman walls and Etruscan ruins, making them must-sees for history buffs. The abundance of fresh, local food makes it a destination for food and wine aficionados, while the breathtaking landscape calls to hikers. 

Rome Fiumicino “Leonardo da Vinci” Airport is a good starting point for your trip to Umbria. Many airlines, including budget airlines, fly from Frankfurt, Germany and London’s Stansted Airport. 

You will need to rent a car. Be prepared for narrow dirt roads and fast Italian drivers. Many of the towns in Umbria are equipped for tourists and often have affordable and spacious parking lots just outside the city walls. 

An alley in Assisi (Catherine Torres)

For accommodations, look into Argo Tourism. These are typically family-run operations on working farms. My family and I stayed on an olive oil farm in a comfortable room. Breakfasts and dinners were included and made in-house. One morning, we ate fresh ricotta cheese made with milk from a sheep that grazed under their olive grove, topped with the farm’s olive oil. Every evening, my two children ran around the property while my husband and I sipped wine on the terrace. Instead of being just a place to sleep, our accommodations were an extension of our Umbrian experience. 

Finally, brush up on your Italian. There will be Italians who speak some English, and you can certainly get by with miming, but knowing a few words helps bridge the communicative and cultural divide. We like the Coffee Break series: bite-sized lessons that focus on accent, vocabulary and realistic situations. 

Umbria is best seen by piecing together a tour of the hilltop towns that interest you most. Larger towns call for a day’s visit, while smaller towns can be a half day, coupled with a half day of hiking or driving. Once you know which towns you want to visit, you can look for central accommodations, or, like we did, spend your first night just outside Rome before moving into the region. Here are some great towns to consider visiting.

Orvieto is a medieval town built on volcanic rock. It features a massive, ornate Duomo di Orvieto with intricate Gothic-style carvings, paintings, mosaics, and a striped exterior wall. There is also St. Patrick’s Well, a 62-meter deep medieval well that was built in case of a siege. You can also join a guided tour of Orvieto’s underground tunnels, which includes remains of Etruscan and Medieval inhabitants. 

Interior of St. Patrick’s Well with the sun beiming in from the hole above (Catherine Torres)

Assisi is a larger Medieval city and garners more tourists than some of the other hilltop towns. It is worth visiting, but perhaps earlier in the day before tour buses arrive. The Papal Basilica and Sacred Convent of Saint Francis features frescoes depicting Biblical scenes that St. Francis often told in his teachings. The saint’s remains are housed in the crypt, making it a site for many Catholic pilgrims. The views from the Rocca Maggiore, a castle perched above the city, are outstanding. All in all, wandering Assisi is like taking a step back into the Medieval Ages, but with modern conveniences and lots of souvenir shops. 

Spello is a small and quiet town. It is surrounded by reconstructed Roman walls and arches leading into the town. Narrow alleys are filled with hanging flowers, and some buildings are still connected with medieval archways. This town is ideal for people who like strolling and simply taking in the views. 

Montefalco is well known for its architecture that boasts Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance styles, as well as Roman and Etruscan ruins. It is also part of the Montefalco DOC, a regulated regional area that grows the very local Sagrantino grape variety. This is the town to visit if you want to taste wines and learn about the area’s wine production. 

You’ll eat well in Umbria. Most of the food is seasonal and locally sourced. Umbria is known for its lentils, so try a simple lentil soup typically served with an oiled piece of toast. Beans are also popular: On menus, you likely will see beans for a first course instead of the traditional pasta. Truffles are abundant and used to top everything from pasta to Mortadella sandwiches. Wild boar ragu will also be on the menu (my kids’ go-to for our entire trip). For wine, try the locally produced Orvieto, a crisp, dry white wine, and Montefalco, a typically full-bodied red wine.

Umbria is a beautiful destination and well worth planning to visit. You can enjoy lovely sites, interesting history and incredible food. The downside is you will sorely miss those olive groves and pasta when you return home. 

Statue of a knight on horse in Assisi (Catherine Torres)

Editor’s Note: This article was written by a member of the local military community, not an employee of Stars and Stripes. Neither the organization nor the content is being represented by Stars and Stripes or the Department of Defense.