When is the best time to visit What to see in Perugia in 2 days?

The recommended time is April, May, June, September and October, when it is less crowded.

Is What to see in Perugia in 2 days crowded?

What to see in Perugia in 2 days is a very quiet destination compared with the more touristy ones.

Where is What to see in Perugia in 2 days?

What to see in Perugia in 2 days is located in Perugia, Umbria, Italy.

What to see in Perugia in 2 days: itinerary through Etruscans, Middle Ages and chocolate

Why visit Perugia in 2 days

Perugia is a city that reveals itself layer by layer, like a living archaeological site. Beneath the medieval streets run Etruscan galleries; above the Gothic palaces rise Renaissance towers. Capital of Umbria and a cosmopolitan university city thanks to the University for Foreigners, Perugia surprises with its cultural energy, its chocolate tradition and views stretching to the Apennines.

Day 1: the monumental centre

Morning (3-4 hours)

Start at Piazza IV Novembre, one of Italy's most beautiful medieval squares. At its centre, the Fontana Maggiore by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano (1278) is a masterpiece of Gothic sculpture with 50 bas-reliefs depicting the months, the liberal arts and sacred history.

Behind the fountain, the Palazzo dei Priori houses the National Gallery of Umbria, the region's most important museum. Perugino, Pinturicchio, Piero della Francesca, Fra Angelico: allow at least 1.5 hours for the main masterpieces. Do not miss the Sala dei Notari on the ground floor, with its 13th-century frescoes.

Beside it, the Cathedral of San Lorenzo has an unfinished facade but a surprising interior: the chapel of San Bernardino and the wedding ring of the Virgin (an agate stone) are the highlights.

Fontana Maggiore: 20 minutes
National Gallery of Umbria: 1.5 hours
Sala dei Notari: 20 minutes
Cathedral of San Lorenzo: 30 minutes

Afternoon (3 hours)

Reach the Etruscan Arch (or Arch of Augustus), the monumental 3rd-century BC gate built with travertine blocks without mortar, standing 11 metres high. It is the most imposing testimony to the ancient Etruscan people in Perugia.

From here descend to the Rocca Paolina, the 16th-century papal fortress built over an entire medieval quarter. Today public escalators pass through the underground streets of the Baglioni borough: walking among the buried medieval houses is a unique experience.

Hidden gem: the Etruscan Well (Pozzo Sorbello) in Piazza Danti, 37 metres deep and 5 metres wide, dug in the 3rd century BC. Descend the metal stairs to the water level: the Etruscan engineering is breathtaking.

Evening

Dinner in the quarter around Via dei Priori. Try strangozzi with black truffle, umbricelli alla norcina or torta al testo with Umbrian cured meats and cheeses. Perugia is lively in the evening thanks to its students.

Day 2: hidden quarters and chocolate

Morning (3 hours)

Explore Perugia's five medieval rioni, starting from Borgo Bello (Porta San Pietro). The Basilica of San Pietro holds an inlaid 16th-century wooden choir among the finest in Italy and a Renaissance cloister overlooking the Umbrian valley.

Continue to the Church of San Domenico, the largest in Umbria, with a 23-metre Gothic stained-glass window. Next door, the National Archaeological Museum of Umbria in the San Domenico cloister tells the story of Etruscan civilisation with exceptional finds, including the Cippus of Perugia.

Hidden gem: walk along Via dell'Acquedotto, a pedestrian path following the medieval aqueduct suspended among the rooftops. The walk takes 15 minutes and offers unique glimpses of the city and countryside.

Basilica of San Pietro: 45 minutes
San Domenico and Archaeological Museum: 1 hour
Via dell'Acquedotto: 20 minutes

Afternoon (3 hours)

Afternoon devoted to chocolate: Perugia is the city of Perugina, founded here in 1907. Visit the Casa del Cioccolato Perugina in San Sisto (bus E, 20 minutes): the museum tells the story of the Baci and includes a tasting. Alternatively, the artisan chocolate shops in the centre (Augusta Perusia, Sandri since 1860) offer extraordinary pralines and chocolate cakes.

Back in the centre, climb to the Giardino Carducci for the final panorama: the Tiber valley, Assisi in the distance and Monte Subasio.

Evening

Last evening on Corso Vannucci, Perugia's drawing room where the evening passeggiata is a ritual. Aperitivo at Sandri (historic patisserie since 1860 with Liberty interiors) and dinner at a trattoria in the centre with roast pigeon or wild boar stew.

Practical tips

Perugia is hilly: prepare to climb and descend, but the escalators from the Rocca Paolina make it easy to reach the centre. Park at Piazza Partigiani (underground, linked to the escalators). The MiniMetro connects the station to the centre in 5 minutes. Assisi is 25 minutes by train.