Perugia – city at the green heart of Italy

From the outside, Perugia may not look very enticing. Surrounded by busy roads and crowded suburbs, at first glance, the region’s capital seems a million miles away from the charm of Umbria’s hillside towns. But once you make it to the historic centre, you soon see why Perugia has as much to offer as any Italian city. 
 

Dating back to Etruscan times, Perugia is an explorer’s paradise, with historically significant monuments and architecture at every turn. Get lost in the many backstreets and stumble upon something extraordinary from a distant past. One such building is the enchanting Palazzo dei Priori, one of Italy’s finest Gothic palaces and home to the Umbiran national gallery, collecting treasures that span centuries. In the palace’s Collegio del Cambio, you’ll also find work by Raphael, who was a student in the city. 
 

Even today, people travel from far and wide to study in Perugia, with many historic academies based in the city, with fine arts and music courses particularly popular. Perugia isn’t all about discovering the ancient past. With a thriving business community and brand new Minimetro transport system in the center, the city may have a foot in the past, but its eyes are firmly on the future.