Gourmet basket

In the field of gastronomy, Umbria excels! First of all, olive oil is an integral part of Italian cuisine. The hills at the foot of the Apennines offer an ideal situation for the slow maturation of the olives, a phenomenon that allows to maintain a low acidity level. Cold pressed, these olives give fruity oils, and with a particularity: their intense green color! In 1997, Umbria was the first region in Italy to obtain the DOP label (literally Denominazione di Origine Protetta, the Italian equivalent of our PDO label, Protected Designation of Origin) for the whole of its production area, in five zones: Colli di Assisi and Spoleto, Colli Martani, Colli Amerini, Colli di Trasimeno and Colli Orvietani. The olive oil is used to season salads, to spread on bread and to season meat dishes. You can find it on sale at local markets, in local grocery stores or in supermarkets. This region, along with the Marches, has also acquired an excellent reputation in the field of truffles. This wonder will be part of many of your dishes during your trip. Truffles (an excellent choice for gifts to pack for your friends back home!) are particularly abundant in Umbria. You will be able to taste truffle creams, sauces and even truffle chocolates in grocery stores and shops to make the best selection to take home. There are several varieties: the rare and excellent white variety (Tuber Magnatum Pico), as well as the black variety from Norcia or Spoleto (Tuber Melanosporum Vittandini), the Scorzone, the white summer truffle, or the bianchetto

, another white truffle variety. If you like lentils, this is an easy package to put in your suitcase. The cicerchie (a kind of lentil with a strong taste) or the famous Castelluccio di Norcia IPG lentils (a European Protected Geographical Indication label) which colour the Valnerina from May to the beginning of July are very tasty! More difficult to take with you, unless you vacuum-pack them, are the traditionally produced and very famous sausage specialities such as corallina, mazzafegati, mortadella, sausages and capocollo... In Marche, the most typical sausage speciality is salame di Fabriano, as well as ciauscolo... As for cheese, pecorino, made from sheep's milk, is a delicacy! You can find it in both regions. The Casciotta di Urbino made from sheep's milk is protected at European level (it is said that it was very much appreciated by Michelangelo). And don't forget the homemade pasta that you can find in the delicatessens, an easy to take away commodity. If you are more sweet than savoury, you can opt for the Bacio Perugina (a brand of the Perugina company, a subsidiary of Nestlé in Perugia). It is a delicious, melting chocolate rock filled with gianduia (a chocolate paste with crushed hazelnuts). Finally, on the drinks front, Umbria is the birthplace of St. Benedict and Benedictine monks were traditionally beer makers. You will find artisanal beers in this region where the culture of barley malt is important.

Handicrafts

The Italians are renowned for their traditional craftsmanship. Traces of ceramics can be found from the 4th century B.C. onwards with the production by the Etruscans of buccheri, a type of pottery in terracotta and in black monochrome. Ceramics (which comes from the Greek keramos meaning "potter's clay") once again found a boom and a particular know-how in Umbria during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The pottery of Perugia, Deruta, Gualdo Tadino, Orvieto (geometric sobriety of forms), Città di Castello or the splendid enamels of Gubbio are masterpieces of craftsmanship. In fact, in Gubbio, 50 km north of Perugia, the fame of ceramics began with the master Giorgio who produced an earthenware highly coveted by the bourgeoisie. Then it was the turn of Master Andreoli who, in the 18th century, worked with white glazed clay. In Ficulle, located in the province of Terni, and Ripabianca, in the province of Perugia, they still work with terracotta according to the ancient methods. Today, the craftsmen continue the traditional production of ceramics, adopting more modern forms. You will have the opportunity to visit many workshops in the area and find a decorative object to offer! Wood is another favourite material of Umbrian craftsmen. The refined panelling of the Sala della Mercanzia in Perugia or the pulpit of San Lorenzo in Spello, as well as many religious buildings and palaces, bear witness to this. Todi still has cabinet makers and restorers, Perugia has antique shops where you might want to buy an authentic piece, and the craftsmen of Orvieto work with wood in an innovative and modern style. You can find wooden toys from Bartolucci (shops in Terni, Assisi, Orvieto...).

Textile

The art of fabrics developed mainly in Perugia in the 12th and 13th centuries. The subtle geometrical figures of men or animals on tablecloths for sacred or secular use, or veils, became famous throughout Europe. The linen fabrics of Perugia (the hand-woven "flame of Perugia"), the laces of Trasimeno or the embroideries of Assisi (the famous "stitch of Assisi") are traditions that are still alive and well. Linked to this tradition, Umbria has developed an industrial activity, especially in the field of industrial design and cashmere. From Castiglione del Lago to Solomeo, from Bastia Umbra to Terni, Perugia, Ripabianca and Torgiano, all are cashmere manufacturing centres (there are said to be more than 500 companies working around the fabric). If you want to buy a nice warm sweater, you are in the right place! There are many shops and outlets in Umbria, the symbol of Made in Italy. It is said that the English have even named the region around Lake Trasimeno the "Cashmere Valley"... Enjoy your shopping!