The provincial capital, PERUGIA is the most obvious, if not the most picturesque, base to kick off a tour of Umbria. As usual the centre of town is still medieval, but it's surrounded by miles of fairly ugly suburbs and not a little industry. Buitoni, the pasta people, have a big works, and Italy's best chocolate, Perugino, is made here. Come summer the streets become claustrophobic and exhausting, so if your idea of Umbria is rural peace and quiet and lolling around old hill-... [More]