ABOUT PERUGIA (At 55 Kms.)

Perugia the great "Guelf strong-hold" rises up in the region's heart, with its 5 historical quarters closed-in by its Etruscan town walls. These enormous bastions formed by cyclopic square masses, were constructed 22 centuries ago and are still visible for long stretches. Entering the city via Porta San Pietro,  you'll arrive at the basilica of St. Dominic on the right-hand side; the very important National Archeological Museum of Umbria is to be found in the adjacent cloisters and convent. Continuing along, you'll reach the Piazza del Sopramuro, where the 15th century Palace of the Old University and the adjacent Palace of the People's Captain look down on the square. Further on, after a short climb, you'll find yourself in one of Italy's most important squares, where you'll see the Priors'Palace, the Cathedral and the 13th century fountain  at the center.  At the extreme end of Corso Vannucci you'll find famous panoramic gardens built on the foundations of the Rocca Paolina, a strong-hold built by Pope Paul III in 1540.

CITTA DI CASTELLO (At 17 Kms.)

Città di Castello is a regional center, of decidedly urban aspect, on the upper reaches of the Tiber, 20 Kms N of Umbertide and 17 Kms SE of Sansepolcro in Tuscany. On the economic front, it produces farm machinery, textiles, ceramics and furnishings, mostly in a sprawling industrial area N of town. The town has several large medieval churches, much reworked in the Renaissance and later periods. Its civil architecture is more characteristic of the Middle Ages, especially the striking Palazzo Comunale and the tall thin city tower, the Torre Comunale.
The Pinacoteca Comunale houses a good collection of paintings, mostly of the Renaissance. Raphael worked here for a time but his paintings are now elsewhere. The cathedral museum is not to be missed, with some very good medieval reliquaries and the 5c-6c Tesoro di Canoscio, a set of silver tableware with Christian motifs.