← Strasimeno Marathon·1 night

Perugia: A Hill City Reached from the Lake

A hilltop city of medieval palaces and a famous fountain, with an escalator, a people-mover and a station below to spare your legs.

Duration1 night
TransitTaxi or bus from the finish area to Perugia, roughly 20 to 30 minutes; check the timetable
DepartsSant'Arcangelo

After the Strasimeno Marathon: Perugia

The Route: Sant'Arcangelo → Perugia (1 night) → onward Logistics: Perugia is the closest big city to the finish, and Perugia's San Francesco d'Assisi airport is nearby. Buses and taxis link the lake to the city. Check Sunday services and book a taxi in advance for the finish area. Marathon Month: March Duration: 1 night

Sant'Arcangelo ──(bus or taxi, about 20-30 mins)──> Perugia
                                                        │
                    Piazza IV Novembre ── Fontana Maggiore
                                                        │
                       Corso Vannucci ── dinner, night in the centre

Perugia sits on a long ridge, and every route into the old town is a climb. The Etruscans built here, and a Roman gate and an Etruscan arch still stand. The medieval centre is a stack of palaces around a main square, with a fountain carved in the thirteenth century and a long, gently sloping pedestrian street.

Take the Minimetro, a small automated people-mover, or the escalators through the old Rocca Paolina fortress, and the climb vanishes. The flat part of the old town is surprisingly large.

March in Perugia: the weather is cool and variable, with showers and breaks of sun. The town is busy with university students, and cafés are full. Chocolate shops are open.

Getting there

A taxi or bus from the finish area to Perugia takes in the order of 20 to 30 minutes. Check the bus timetable and last return. If you arrive by train, the main station sits below the old town, and the Minimetro or escalators carry you to the top.

Piazza IV Novembre and the Fontana Maggiore

The main square is flat, and the fountain stands in the middle, with carved panels of biblical and classical scenes. Behind it, the cathedral and the Palazzo dei Priori form a backdrop. The Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria, in the palace, holds a good collection of Umbrian painting. Check the days it is open.

Corso Vannucci

The main street runs along the top of the ridge, with shops, cafés and a view to the valley at the end. It is a gentle slope, and a good place to walk slowly.

Chocolate

Perugia is known for chocolate, and the Perugina brand started here. A few shops in the centre sell local chocolates, and the factory outside the town runs visits that need booking. Check whether visits are running in March.

Where to stay

Stay in the centre, near Corso Vannucci or Piazza IV Novembre, in a hotel with a lift. Check breakfast times and winter opening. Rooms can be busy on weekends.

Eating

Local dishes include strangozzi, roast meats, lentils and torta al testo, a flatbread served with cheese and cured ham. Umbrian wines include Sagrantino and Grechetto. Book dinner on weekends.

Getting back

Perugia's airport is a short drive from the city. Trains run to Assisi and Rome from the main station, and buses link to the lake. Check your onward timetable.