Destination: Umbertide

 C O M U N E    D I    U M B E R T I D E

Formerly known as Fratta but later changed to Umbertide (after Prince Umberto), the Comune di Umbertide has transformed itself from a small rural environ of Perugia to a bustling, hip - but still off the beaten path - town with excellent restaurants, contemporary & modern art museums and a growing commercial shopping area. Many Italians come to visit the town and the multitude of little hamlets that surround it and it has become quite popular with celebrities such as Ralph Fiennes, Colin Firth and Monica Bellucci.

Umbertide can easily be reached by many modes of transportation. By car, simply take the E45 and get off at the Umbertide/Gubbio exit. If you are traveling by train, it is possible to catch an FCU train from Perugia to the center of Umbertide or you can take a train to Terontola (an environ of Cortona) which is about 45 minutes away by car.

Map of Umbertide (click picture to enlarge)

Here is just a brief overview of some of the main attractions one can find in Umbertide:

• the castle of Civitella Ranieri, 5 km (3 mi) NE, one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in Umbria.
• the abbey of S. Salvatore di Montecorona 4 km (2.5 mi) S, which has a beautiful eleventh‑century crypt with early Romanesque capitals and naïve 18th century painted ceilings.
• the medieval castle of Polgeto
• the abbey church of S. Bartolomeo de' Fossi, sited on a sharp ridge with distant views on either side
• the walled medieval village of  Borgo Santa Guiliana
• Chiesa della Collegiata (church)
• La Rocca (modern & contemporary art museum)
• Re-designed area below La Rocca which includes a new footbridge and other changes to make the town more aesthetic and accessible.

The official website for the Comune di Umbertide can be found HERE and is a great resource for all of the latest information and news on everything going on in Umbertide.

You can find more detailed information about town of Umbertide in our section Altabella: A slice of Tuscumbrian Paradise.

Umbertide is a very nice town to visit if you are passing through the area or stopping over for a couple of nights. The historical part of Umbertide (we call "Old Umbertide") has a very beautiful old piazza where many of the locals like to hang out having drinks, playing cards, shopping at the outdoor market or catching a summer concert. There are many very good restaurants and places to shop. In the evenings it is not difficult to find something interesting going on.

Our son playing with his car while kids pass by on their bicycles

Posing for a picture in the main piazza

If you walk just outside the main piazza it is possible to find two major landmarks, The Rocca and the Collegiata. The Rocca is the old forte which now houses a contemporary & modern art museum and the Collegiata which is octagonal building that is one of the primary churches in the historical part of Old Umbertide. In front of La Rocca, is a newly renovated and redesigned area that has a footbridge, landscaped walkways and is very pleasant to walk around. Events such as wine tasting have taken place in this new area and the new design makes it incredibly beautiful both at night and during the daytime. 

A view of the newly redesigned part of Umbertide

Getting a piggy-back ride in front of the Collegiata

Posing on the new footbridge in Umbertide

Just a five minute drive on the road leading you out of Old Umbertide and to the E45 one will find the commercial part of Umbertide which has many of the bigger stores and shopping centers such as COOP and Maestro. This part of Umbertide is more modernized and also has a growing number of residential buildings, parks, playgrounds and restaurants. Over the past ten years we have witnessed a marked growth in this part of Umbertide. 

We highly recommend visiting Umbertide if you are traveling near Perugia or happen to be passing through or staying somewhere in the Niccone Valley. You will find friendly people, great restaurants and historical attractions. If you would like to share your knowledge of Umbertide with us please do so in the comments below or contact us directly using the feedback tab on the left.

To view more pictures of Umbertide click HERE

 

Restaurant Review: Lo Sberleffo

R E S T A U R A N T     R E V I E W S

SR = Strongly Recommend 

HR = Highly Recommend 

LE = Look Elsewhere 

L O   S B E R L E F F O

Localita ' Laghi Di Faldo Montone snc
6019 Umbertide (PG)
Marco's cellular: 340 2450891
Restaurant Tel: 075 9411316
Email: lo.sberleffo@live.it
Facebook Page
GPS & Map: 43.318059,12.305031

Lo Sberleffo is a little difficult to find if it is your first time going to the restaurant. We have posted a map in a link above along with the GPS coordinates if you have a GPS to help you navigate. We found that the best way to get to Lo Sberleffo is if you drive around the Collegiata in the center of Old Umbertide and go down the street named V.V. Veneto which turns into the street named Via Cavour. Once on Via Cavour, you will see a sign for "Lo Sberleffo" on your left. Take the left and go straight. The road will fork but you will keep to the right. Keep your eyes open for directions to Lo Sberleffo which will take you through several turns before reaching Lo Sberleffo.

Once you arrive at Lo Sberleffo you will see several large parking lots with several large buildings in front of a lake reserve. A very nice playground for kids is on your left just before you enter the restaurant and it is possible to rent rods to fish at the lake. The grounds are very nicely kept and the parking lot fills up quickly.

Our son loved the playground slide

We had heard from friends that Lo Sberleffo offered diners a unique experience. Unique? This piqued our interest and we made it a point to find time to eat at Lo Sberleffo. 

When we walked into the restaurant we noticed that the dining area is separate from the entrance area which is more for bar type eating - cappuccini,cafe, expresso, pannini, etc. The dining room we were taken too was sheltered but the sides of the vast room were open to the elements which allowed the cool breeze to flow through. The room has tall ceilings with posters and ribbons hanging from corner to corner giving the room a very festive feel. We noted that this restaurant had a different feel to it and the atmosphere was not like a typical restaurant in and around Umbertide. The atmosphere was electric and yet very warm and inviting at the same time. The vast majority of diners that evening seemed to be comprised of locals as many of the diners interacted with the waiters and waitresses as though they knew them or were regulars.

Enjoying the festive atmosphere

Decorated ceilings

When we sat down we were attended to pretty quickly. The service was very efficient and our drinks came out right away. We ordered pizza as it seemed that most of the diners were eating pizza. The pizzas were delicious and we were very happy with the quality of our meal.

So what made Lo Sberleffo so unique? Marco, the owner who doubled as a waiter, is exceptionally charming. His booming voice and exaggerated gesticulations can be heard and seen from all corners of the dinning room. When he came over to our table, however, his tone was very pleasant and he seemed genuinely interested in learning who we were and where we were from. At one point in the evening, Marco came over to show us a large tray of porcini mushrooms that were to be used in the dishes for the next day. It was very clear to us that Marco, a native of Umbertide, had perfected the skill of working the room. His infectious personality amplified the already festive feel of our dinning experience.

Cariacature of Marco

Marco in action

We had a terrific experience dining at Lo Sberleffo and would strongly recommend [SR] visiting Lo Sberleffo for lunch or dinner. The quality of the food is excellent and fresh. Meeting the owner, Marco, will give you a unique and memorable dining experience. We will certainly eat at this restaurant again in future visits to the Umbertide area.

If you liked reading our review of this restaurant (or any that we review) and you intend on going to eat at the restaurant please do mention to the restaurant management that you read our review. Additionally, we encourage all our readers, family and friends to submit their own reviews of their restaurant experiences either directly to us, through the submission link above or in the comments section below each review. Thanks!

Destination: Pienza

C O M U N E   D I   P I E N Z A

 

Formerly known as Corsignano, Pienza is a comune in the province of Siene, in Central Italy, located between the towns of Montepulciano and Montelcino. Pope Pius II (Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini), born in Corsignano, returned to rebuild the town as an ideal Renaissance town and applied humanist urban planning concepts to its design which later influenced the design of other Italian and European cities.

Getting to Pienza is fairly easy if driving by car. If you are traveling from the north, take the A1 Highway (Firenze-Roma), exit Valdichiana/Bettolle. Then follow indications to Torrita di Siena and then Pienza. If you are traveling from the south, take the A1 Highway (Roma-Firenze), exit Chiusi/Chianciano Terme. Take National Road SS 146 to Chianciano Terme, Montepulciano, Pienza.  From Siena, there are buses, not very often, to Pienza. Go to Train-Spa for bus schedules and one can also look HERE (then scroll down to bus number 112 'Siena FS' is the route that includes Pienza) for the Pienza bus line/route. Always make sure that the bus route is up to date and running on the day you wish to leave. Keep in mind that bus routes sometimes cease to run if there are national strikes, holidays or inclimate weather.

Map of Pienza (click picture to enlarge)

We were very excited  to visit Pienza as we had heard from both friends and family that it was a very beautiful Tuscan town. So we packed our two boys into the car and headed out to check it out for ourselves. When we arrived, we parked just outside of the town in a parking lot 5 minutes walking distance from the town center. 

The main attractions worth visiting in Pienza include the following:

• Palazzo Piccolomini - One of four buildings that create a piazza designed very much like Piazza Ruccelai (trapezoidal) in Florence opens up to spectacular views of Central Tuscany.
• The Duomo - The Cathedral in Pienza has German architectural design influences as Pope Pius II spent time in Germany and loved how German design allowed for more light.
• Palazzao Vescoville - A building built to house the Bishops visiting Pienza to attend to the Pope.
• Palazzo Comunale - Another building in the main piazza that is very beautiful and was intended as a symbol for humanist urban planning.
• Piccolomini Gardens - Very beautiful and well taken care of gardens with breathtaking views of Central Italy.

The first thing that we noticed upon entering the town was the beautiful archway entrance which opened up into a very nice small piazza with restaurants and shops. Just to the right of the archway entrance is a public toilette which is very convenient for visitors just arriving after a long drive.

The second thing about Pienza that we noticed were the narrow streets leading away from the piazza that presented breathtaking views of the Tuscan hills below. We had the instant urge to explore the narrow corridors to see what amazing views they might open out to.

 

As we made our way back to the piazza we continued down the main avenue which was bustling with visitors going in and out of the various shops lining both sides of the avenue. The shopfronts are elegantly designed and it is possible to find many specialty shops that sell aged balsamic vinegars, truffles, oils and, ofcourse, wines. We were particular to a cheese shop (humongous slice of pepper flake cheese on a roll) and the pinnochio shop where we purchased 10 whistles for our relatives back home.

We were taken by the beauty of the town and at how wonderfully maintained every street was. The streets were clean. The restaurants were full and there was just a real pleasantness about the town that made us just want to grab a gelato, sit and people watch for a bit. 

We also loved the architecture of the town and the attention to detail on the doorways, the windows and the street names.The variety of flowers outside of people's windows and in front of their homes was a pleasure to see as well. 

 

All in all, Pienza lived up to our expectations. Pienza is a beautiful place to go for a day or half-day trip and we would highly recommend anyone looking for a beautiful Tuscan town to visit Pienza.

To view more pictures of our trip to Pienza click HERE

Giotto and the Arena Chapel: Art, Architecture and Experience

 

Every so often we will take the time and opportunity to highlight books and artwork that are especially interesting to us and that we believe will be of great interest to our readers.

In this post, we will be highlighting a ground-breaking art history book entitled Giotto and the Arena Chapel: Art, Architecture and Experience by Laura Jacobus.

Giotto di Bondone (or more widely known as "Giotto") was an Italian painter and architect from Florence during the late Middle Ages. He is best known for his exquisite fresco paintings that adorn the walls in the Arena Chapel in Padua and the walls in the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi. He is generally considered the first in a line of great artists who contribute to the Italian Renaissance. 

Giotto and the Arena Chapel: Art, Architecture and Experience is divided into two parts, the first presenting new evidence and reconstructions of the Arena Chapel's design and early history; the second offering new interpretations of Giotto's frescoes. (Publisher comments)

The author, Laura Jacobus, discusses a wide range of topics related to the Arena Chapel including the origin and history of the Chapel itself, the iconography of the interior design and a biography of its patron, Enrico Scrovegni. The book also discusses in great detail Giotto's frescoes, and the subjects and the iconography used throughout them. The author offers new perspectives and interpretations on many of these topics and uses all original sources, some of which are newly discovered, unpublished or previously published in inaccessible editions.

This book is a must-read for Giotto fans and all art-history buffs and can be purchases here.