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Guided Tour of Perugia

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Guided Tour of Perugia

Discover Perugia and its Etruscan and Umbrian origins. Immerse yourself in its history, architecture and art

If you are planning a trip to the city of Perugia and if you want to discover its most characteristic nooks and crannies as well as its rich heritage of historic monuments and impressive artworks, don’t miss our guided tour in the fascinating Umbrian capital.

Thanks to the expert knowledge of our guides, you’ll soon find yourself caught up in the exciting history and vicissitudes of the city’s ancient past, discovering all sorts of interesting anecdotes and curious insights.

Your tour will begin at Rocca Paolina, a huge fortress built by Pope Paul III Farnese, between 1540 and 1543, after having won the salt war against the forces of Perugia. Numerous houses were destroyed in order to build the fortress, including those of the Baglioni family, and others were incorporated into the building. You will be able to admire the parts of the fortress that have survived the successive attempts at its destruction by the inhabitants of the city, including the wonderful underground passages. A walk through the fortress is guaranteed to make you feel overwhelmed by the atmosphere of a bygone time. Don’t forget to observe the elegant arch, the capitals and the columns of Porta Marzia, the ancient Etruscan gateway dating back to the 3rd century BC which survived the attacks of Perugia.

Walking through the historic centre, you will reach Corso Vannucci, Perugia’s main street, which is dedicated to the illustrious painter Pietro Vannucci, better known as Perugino. Several imposing palazzi are situated here including Palazzo dei Priori with its gothic-style facade, which today is part of the town hall. Inside the Palazzo you’ll be moved by the beauty of the Sala dei Notari, named after the ‘Arte dei Notai’. The hall, where the municipal public assemblies were originally held, has large arches and lovely frescoes. Palazzo dei Priori also houses the Nobile Collegio della Mercanzia, the ancient seat of the merchant guild and the Nobile Collegio del Cambio, the former headquarters of the guild of money-changers and bankers. The latter preserves a wonderful cycle of frescoes that are among the most important in the Renaissance period, created by Perugino. The itinerary will continue with a visit to the majestic Cattedrale di San Lorenzo, dedicated to the deacon who was martyred in Rome in 258. The church has a 14th-century portal in Baroque style designed by Pietro Carattoli on the main facade, which is less elegant and majestic however than the 16th-century lateral facade overlooking Piazza IV Novembre, a work by Galeazzo Alessi.

Opposite the lateral facade of the Cathedral, you’ll see Fontana Maggiore, with its 50 bas-reliefs and 24 decorative statues. Created by the Pisano brothers as a celebration of the new aqueduct, it is considered one of the most important sculptures of the medieval period.

Continuing your tour of Perugia, you’ll find yourself in front of the monumental Arco Etrusco or Arco di Augustus, an 11-metre high gate dating back to the 3rd century BC. This was considered the city’s most important gate due to its size and its grandeur; it has reached us today in excellent condition, and because it has remained so intact throughout the centuries, it is now considered the most important gate of ancient Etruria. You can then continue your tour, feeling privileged and excited to be able to walk through the medieval alleys and admire numerous charming, characteristic panoramic views. Finally we will visit the Pozzo Etrusco (well), located in the underground recesses of Palazzo Sorbello and dating back to the 3rd-2nd century BC. The well, designed to function as a cistern, was built using travertine blocks and could hold more than 400 cubic metres of water.

If you choose the full-day tour of Perugia

After lunch you can complete your tour by walking through the narrow streets of Rione di Porta Santa Susanna (neighbourhood), one of the oldest and most characteristic parts of Perugia with its Arco dei Priori and its Church of San Francesco al Prato, or you can visit the Rione di Porta Sant’Angelo, named after its Church of San Michele Arcangelo, and its neighbourhood which extends as far as the woods. Alternatively, you can admire the Rione di Porta San Pietro and its beautiful Benedictine and Dominican settlements or visit the wonderful Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria. The latter is located in the upper floors of Palazzo dei Priori di Perugia and in it are displayed, chronologically, numerous works of art from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance by artists of the calibre of Arnolfo di Cambio, Nicola and Giovanni Pisano, Beato Angelico, Piero della Francesca, Perugino, Pinturicchio and others.

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Photo gallery

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Plan

  1. 1
    Rocca Paolina
  2. 2
    Porta Marzia
  3. 3
    Corso Vannucci
  4. 4
    Palazzo dei Priori
  5. 5
    Sala dei Notari
  6. 6
    Cattedrale di San Lorenzo
  7. 7
    Fontana Maggiore
  8. 8
    Arco Etrusco
  9. 9
    streets and alleys

Recommended clothing

We will be moving mostly on foot so we recommend comfortable clothing, sun glasses or a hat for the sun in warmer times of year, and a anorak or a warm hat in the colder seasons.

Included

Certified guide.

Not included

  • Entrance tickets to paid sites or museums are not included. Entry will never be obligatory and we will agree any visits involving entrance fees with you in advance.
  • Snacks or various accessories are not included (such as audio guides).

Time

The activity will last about 2.5 – 3 hours, depending on the pace of the group and the availability of the guide. If you want to extend the duration of your tour you can do so by contacting us in advance or on the day of your visit. We will do our very best to satisfy your every request.

If you choose the whole day:
the afternoon visit will begin immediately after lunch, between 2.30 pm and 3.00 pm, and will last as long as the morning tour.

Languages

  • Italian
  • English
  • German
  • Spanish
  • French
  • Dutch
  • Russian

When

You can enjoy this experience throughout the year.

Children

This activity is also suitable for children.

Pet policy

You can enjoy this experience in the company of your four-legged friend.

Requirements

Get ready to learn and have fun.

Impaired mobility

The activity is also suitable for people with motor or other disabilities. In any case, we invite you to discuss your needs with our staff. If you find out that the experience is not suited to you (or others in your group) we will be happy to offer you an alternative activity or a full refund.

Additional information

  • This activity lasts half a day, so lunch is not provided. In your itinerary you can still select the lunch option, above your timeline. We will be able to recommend one of the best places to eat when you return.
  • We strongly advise you to bring a camera to take photos of the spectacle of nature that will appear before you.

Important

  • You can enjoy this experience in any kind of weather. Some points of interest, however, may be outdoors, so it might not be possible to visit them on bad weather days. The guide will evaluate the weather conditions 48 hours before your tour and, in the event that some monuments/attractions cannot be visited, we will notify you promptly. You can choosewhether to proceed with the tour, replace it with another activity or receive a full refund of the price paid.
  • This activity is subject to our operators’ availability. We have a large selection of collaborators capable of leading this activity, but if on the day you selected we do not have operators availabile, we will immediately, or in any case within 48 hours of booking, suggest an alternative activity you might wish to do or the choice of receiving a full refund of the price paid.
  • The times shown in the program are indicative and may vary according to your requests or those of the other participants in the group. These are always and in any case previously agreed with our staff or with the guide.
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Data sheet

Recommended clothing

We recommend comfortable clothing

Warm hat

Hat with a sun visor

Sunglasses

Windcheater/anorak

Included

Certified guide

Not included

Entrance tickets to paid sites or museums (*)

Snacks or various accessories (such as audio guides)

Everything that’s not listed under the heading ‘what is included’.

Time

The activity will last about 3 hours, including small stops. However, the duration may vary depending on the pace of the group and the need to take fewer or more breaks.

Languages

Italian

English

French

Spanish

German

Dutch

Russian

When

You can enjoy this experience throughout the year.

Requirements

Get ready to learn and have fun

Suitable for children

Provided they are accompanied by their parents

Suitable for people with motor disabilities

In any case, we invite you to discuss your needs with our staff. If you find out that the experience is not suited to you (or others in your group) we will be happy to offer you an alternative activity or a full refund.

Pets are allowed

If easily managed

We invite you to liaise with our staff to check whether you can bring along your four-legged friend.

Additional information

This activity lasts half a day, so lunch is not provided. In your itinerary you can still select the lunch option, above your timeline. We will be able to recommend one of the best places to eat when you return

We strongly advise you to bring a camera to take photos of the spectacle of nature that will appear before you.

Important

This activity can only be undertaken in favourable weather conditions, which will be evaluated by our partner and confirmed 48 hours in advance. In case of poor weather conditions we will immediately contact you and propose an alternative activity or a refund of the price paid.

This activity is subject to our operators’ availability. We have a large selection of collaborators capable of leading this activity, but if on the day you selected we do not have operators availabile, we will immediately, or in any case within 48 hours of booking, suggest an alternative activity you might wish to do or the choice of receiving a full refund of the price paid.

The times shown in the program are indicative and may vary according to your requests or those of the other participants in the group. These are always and in any case previously agreed with our staff or with the guide.

Always communicate through Exploring Umbria to ensure you receive the best bespoke service to suits your requirements. In order to protect your payments, never transfer money via channels outside the Exploring Umbria website.

Cancellation policy

If you cancel the reservation for this activity up to 24 hours before the event we will refund you 100% of the price.

Where you can do this activity

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