Chocolate tour in Perugia and surroundings
Perugia preserves, at an altitude of 494 m S.L. m., the evidence of the various civilizations that have passed through its long history: it has been one of the most significant Etruscan city, a Roman colony Augusta Perusia, an important medieval city and a free municipality, then, it has lived through successive periods that have left their signs in the city, from the Renaissance to the Risorgimento until now.
Today Perugia is the administrative capital of the Umbria region, cultural and tourist destination and prestigious, university city for over 700 years. The historic Academy di Belle Arti, the Music Conservatory and the Foreigners’ University, with students from all over the world, define a strong international vocation. City of art, but also city of music with the Umbria Jazz and the Sagra Musicale Umbra festivals, city of the alternative mobility and chocolate city.
Perugia, its history, its culture and its main monuments:
- Piazza IV Novembre, the heart of the city, where it is possible to find the main monuments: Palazzo dei Priori, the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, and other important buildings. Just in the middle of the square there is the Fontana Maggiore, the symbol of the maximum grandeur of the city.
- City of Culture, for the presence of historical universities: the University of Perugia, the Italian University for Foreigners, the Academy of Music, the Academy of Fine Arts “Pietro Vannucci”.
- City of Art, for its many museums, including the National Gallery – the greatest Umbria museum collection – and the National Archaeological Museum, the Collegi del Cambio e della Mercanzia, churches and oratories up to the Civic Museum of Palazzo della Penna dedicated to the ‘900.
- City of History and Tradition between the past and the present: there are many Etruscan, Roman, medieval evidences (like the city walls, their Etruscan doorways, the dominant Etruscan Arch, the Pozzo of Sorbello, the Hypogeum of the Volumni, the Orpheus mosaic, the Underground of the Cathedral), the original Rocca Paolina, crossed by escalators where stands the powerful sculture Grande Nero of Alberto Burri to seal the continuous and scenographic combination offered by the city of ancient and contemporary, the recent Fontivegge Management Centre, designed by the famous architect Aldo Rossi, the various systems of escalators and the Minimetro designed by the famous architect Jean Nouvel, which connects the historical center to the big parking, crossing the city in the north direction.
- Sustainable City: alternative mobility system (Minimetro, bike sharing, urban trekking).
During the year they will take place international events such as the Umbria Jazz music festival and the Sagra Musicale Umbra. The city is also the capital of chocolate, with the Historical Museum of Perugina and the international exhibition of Eurochocolate. And also… the international Journalism Festival and, from the 2016 the historical commemoration “1416”, dedicated to the figure of the mercenary Captain Braccio Fortebracci, which tells the passage of the city from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.