The heart of traditions

This is a journey to discover the true heart of this land, which has never abandoned the traditions of the past. Indeed these traditions have constantly been reinvented through the talents of men and women who, for generations, have handed down the secrets of the land, metalworking techniques, the ancient art of making lace and more.

Tradition and simplicity: this is the winning combination of the region’s cuisine, which bears witness to a farming culture that has never been forgotten. Simple, wholesome – often connected with the agricultural and religious calendar – gain their unmistakable flavour precisely from the poverty of their ingredients.

The Valnerina area is one of the main centres of this millenary culinary tradition. Here, you can try precious, delicate black truffles, considered the king of all cuisines: the ancients were convinced that they had magical properties. Then there are Castelluccio lentils, so tender that they do not even need to be soaked before cooking, fragrant spelt, the favourful red prawns of Nera, and the golden delicacy of honey.

In the glorious tradition of meat courses, charcuterie products are among the highlights of the regione. Pork processing has always been considered an art in Norcia and the term norcini, or the ancient Benedictine physicians of Preci, is now used to refer to those who produce charcuterie products.

Around Assisi you can try the guinea-hen alla ghiotta, named for the traditional copper receptacle that was placed under the spit in order to cook this fowl. Instead, the cuisine of Foligno boasts wild pigeons. Although Umbria is a landlocked region, the famous fish of Lake Trasimeno is widely appreciated.

There is also a wide variety of first plates that, particulary in southern Umbria, includes homemade egg pasta, as well as a type of handmade rustic ‘spaghetti’ that goes by different names, depending on the area. Ciriole in Terni, bigoli in Gubbio, umbricelli in Perugia, strozzapreti in Todi and strangozzi in Spoleto.

In addition to breadk each dish is also accompanied bay traditional flatbread known as torta al testo. The ingredients could not be simpler – water, flour and salt – but the secret lies in baking it strictly on a disc (testo), which was once made of gravel-stone but is now made of cast iron.

Vegetable deserve special mention, from the black celery of Trevi, to Cannara onions and the red potatoes typical of Colfiorito.

There is nothing more genuine than a good bruschetta: a slice of toasted bread sprinkled with salt and a drizzled with Umbrian extra virgin olive oil!
Oil is the region’s quintessential product. For centuries, the rolling hills of Umbria – particularly along the Apennine area of Assisi, Spello, Foligno, Trevi and Spoleto – have been dotted with endless rows of olive trees.
In 1997, Umbrian oil, 90% of which is extra virgin, obtained sought-after EU certification of “Protected Designation of Origin” (PDO).

Umbrian wine has been farmed for its quality since ancient times. There are eleven areas classified as DOC: Assisi, Colli Altotiberini, Colli Amerini, Colli del Trasimeno, Colli Martani, Colli Perugini, Lago di Corbara, Montefalco, Rosso Orvietano, Orvieto e Torgiano. Two areas are classified as DOCG: Montefalco Sagrantino and Torgiano Rosso Riserva.
The success of wine tourism, with Umbria as a favourite destination, led to the establishment of the Wine Roads in 1999. These itineraries combine the area’s rich artistic heritage with the beauty of its environment and the distinctive features of its agricultural products.
The Wine Roads that have been established in Umbira are the Wine Road of Trasimeno, the Wine Road of Sagrantino (Bevagna, Castel Ritaldi, Giano dell’Umbria, Massa Martana, Montefalco and Trevi), the Wine Road of the Canticle (in the Assisi area) and the Road of Etruscan-Roman Wines in the Province of Terni.