Umbria beyond Todi

Umbria felt like a more rustic and rugged Tuscany despite the proximity. Not as touristy, generally, with more of an air of authenticity. A bit more of spikier hills, less of the low rolling hills of Tuscany; a browner soil; more Italian speaking, less English, except for Civita, Orvieto, Assisi.

            We used Todi as the center of the wheel and drove out the spokes to Spoleto, Norcia, Assisi. Part of the adventure was traveling back roads on the ways back home, finding Montefalco and Bastardo a couple times.

            Each town and village, large and small had its own charm—detailed in my or Judy’s report.

one of dozens of similar streets off Assisi's main street

Roman columns in Assisi

a long uphill climb from Norcia plops the car into a nondescript Castellucio, surrounded an expansive flat bowl and these mountains

Norcia's specialty - boar & cured meats, cheese wheels, and handsome doors facing the road

expert crafter of Majolica at Deruta; Tim enjoying the pork carpaccio from menu del giorno in Norica

our local paper at St Francis Basilica in Assisi

the empty, odd, and intriguing hilltown of Civita de Bagnoreggio

two street scenes from Orvieto, and one from the deserted, but temporarily summer-busy Civita

the southern wall of Orvieto with deep drop to valley; local & small transport in Orvieto; tourist eight-stage escalator to top of hill - a work saver

chocolate festival in Spoleto

Roman theater in Spoleto; we step back 2000 years