Description
Book SynopsisBradt's Umbria & the Marche is the most detailed guide to combine these two small central Italian regions, which offer all the beauty, history and culture of neighbouring Tuscany only without the crowds, the traffic or eye-popping prices. Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls (authors of the original Cadogan guide to the area) lived in Umbria in the 1980s and have been returning regularly and writing about it ever since. They are the perfect guides to the region's landscapes, hill towns, food and wine, and art and architecture. The superb art cities of Umbria and the Marche steal the limelight - Perugia, Orvieto, Urbino, Assisi, Spoleto, Loreto, Todi, where art fills every church and palazzo. But never far from these centres wait unspoiled countryside of rolling olive groves, forests and meadows, long walks and towns and tiny villages, nearly all with a masterpiece or two to show off and a great little family-run restaurant. The Bradt guide covers them all, along with the republic of San Marino. The Apennines rule here. The Marche's geography is dominated by a series of east-west river valleys - the Metauro, Esino, Tronto, etc - twisting down to the Adriatic and often ending in long sandy beaches, from the historic towns of Senigallia and Fano through Ancona's Cornero Riviera to the Riviera delle Palme at San Benedetto del Tronto. Landlocked Umbria, where rivers flow into the mighty Tiber, has exceptional water features as well: Italy's fourth largest lake, Trasimeno; the Tiber Valley; Clitunno springs (once sacred to the Romans); and Italy's most beautiful waterfall, the Cascata delle Marmore. Featuring superb photography and expert recommendations to suit all budgets, Umbria & the Marche - the fifth in Bradt's increasingly highly regarded series of Italian regional titles - is a timely guide to a more authentic corner of Italy.
Table of ContentsCONTENTS Introduction PART ONE GENERAL INFORMATION Chapter 1 Background Information Geography, Climate, Natural history and conservation, History, Government and politics, Economy, People, Language, Religion, Education, Art and architecture, Music, Literature, Cinema Chapter 2 Practical Information When to visit, Highlights, Suggested itineraries, Tourist information, Tour operators, Red tape, Embassies, Getting there and away, Health and safety, Women travellers, LGBTQ+ travellers, Travelling with children, What to take, Money and budgeting, Getting around, Accommodation, Eating and drinking, Festivals and annual events, Opening times, Shopping, Sport and activities, Arts and entertainment, Media and communications, Cultural etiquette, Travelling positively PART TWO THE GUIDE Chapter 3 Perugia History, Getting there and away, Getting around, Tourist information, Where to stay, Where to eat and drink, Entertainment and nightlife, Shopping, Other practicalities, What to see and do, Around Perugia Chapter 4 Lake Trasimeno and Surrounds Getting there and around, Tourist information, Where to stay and eat, What to see and do, Città della Pieve Chapter 5 Northern Umbria Città di Castello, The Upper Tiber Valley, Umbertide and around, Gubbio, Parco Regionale del Monte Cucco, Gualdo Tadino Chapter 6 Assisi and the Valle Umbra Assisi and around, Spello, West of Spello: Cannara and Urvinum Hortense, Foligno, Nocera Umbra, Up the Menotre Valley, Bevagna and around, Montefalco and around, Trevi and Clitunno, Spoleto Chapter 7 Down the Tiber Valley Todi and around, Orvieto and around, Amelia and around Chapter 8 Up the Valnerina: Narni to Norcia Narni and around, Terni and around, Upper Valnerina, Norcia Chapter 9 Ancona and Its Province Ancona, Riviera del Conero, South of Ancona: 'Hills of Infinity', Jesi, Around Jesi, Parco Naturale Regionale della Gola della Rossa e di Frasassi, Sassoferrato, North of Sassoferrato, Fabriano and around Chapter 10 Northern Marche and San Marino Pesaro, Urbino, Montefeltro, South of Urbino, Fano and around, Up the Via Flaminia and the Candigliano, Senigallia and inland, San Marino Chapter 11 Macerata Province and the Sibylline Mountains National Park Macerata, Recanati, Macerata's coast, South of Macerata, North and west of Macerata, Tolentino, West of Tolentino, The Sibylline Mountains Chapter 12 Fermo and Its Province Fermo, Fermo's coast, South and west of Fermo Chapter 13 Ascoli Piceno and the Southern Marche Ascoli Piceno, Riviera delle Palme and the Tronto Valley, North of Ascoli Piceno, West towards Umbria Appendix 1 Language Appendix 2 Glossary Appendix 3 Further Information Index
