8 Reasons Umbria is Worth Visiting in 2024

Wondering ‘is Umbria worth visiting?’ This might just be my favorite region in Italy – so much so that we’re planning our wedding here! It’s got similar medieval vibes to Tuscany but without the crowds. A fantastic lesser known wine scene and tasty rustic food. And some of the most distilled culture and traditions I’ve ever experienced. All set against a backdrop of green mountains, silvery olive trees, vineyards and hilltop towns seemingly untouched by time. 

Keep reading to find out just why the wild green heart of Italy is worth visiting now!

Best time to visit Umbria

Umbria is located in Central Italy, so it experiences a climate similar to Tuscany. This means hot summers and cold winters (it can even snow, although generally not for more than a week!) That said, the best time to visit weather-wise for sightseeing is during the Spring or Fall/Autumn periods. In the Spring and early Summer, new flowers bloom throughout the countryside and paint the region in fantastic shades of yellows, reds, blues, and pinks. In fact, this is the best time of year to visit Spello’s infiorata festival if you’re flower obsessed. 

Whilst the summers in Umbria are hot, if you want to experience some of the most wonderful Umbrian traditions, this is when most of their festivals and sagre (food festivals) are held. The dates tend to change slightly from year to year, but from mid June and later into the month, the town of Bevagna turns into a living, breathing medieval replica! 

Fall is another wonderful time to visit especially for foodies with the wine and olive harvests. If you have never tasted ‘new olive oil’, you must visit Umbria in late November to try the liquid gold!

8 Best Reasons to Visit Umbria in 2024

There’s no denying that the Umbria region in Italy isn’t normally on a first trip to Italy itinerary. However, if you’re looking to do Italy a little different from everyone else and add somewhere a little ‘off-the-beaten-track’ to your itinerary, this is the place! I’m so excited for my family and friends to experience this region during our wedding – many of them would never have considered a trip here and I can’t wait to open their eyes to just how magical and ‘authentic’ it is. 

If you’re considering a trip, these are my top favorite things to help convince you to visit Umbria in 2024.

1. Discover a lesser traversed Italian region

Many people tout that Umbria is ‘Tuscany without the crowds’, and whilst it’s somewhat true it also does a disservice to both regions. Umbria has it’s own unique culture and landscape but that general premise is true. A trip to Umbria means you can still experience ‘medieval central Italy’ but with none of the tourists that will be hanging around Tuscany! 

It blows my mind every time we visit Umbria that the highways are virtually empty and the towns are pleasant to walk through with no crazy crowds like in Florence. The exception to this is Assisi which is firmly on the tourist route as well as Spello which is becoming busier every summer. Everywhere else though? A dream!

 It’s a good idea to brush up on your Italian here given the lack of tourists outside of those two towns, so I would recommend you speak Italian (some basics) before your trip, or join our Untold Italy tour.

2. Experience local traditions 

My two most favorite memories around ‘traditions and community’ in Italy are from Umbria. In this region, traditions run deep and the locals still honor centuries old customs! My favorites are the Infiorata festival in Spello where the town works in small groups to create incredible flower mosaics, as well as the Festa dei Ceri in Gubbio. Locals flock to the medieval town of Gubbio, dressed up in their ‘Saint teams” colors as they watch a medieval giant candle race!

These are just a snippet of some of the traditions you can witness in action here. The summer time is a wonderful time to visit if you’re interested in immersing yourself in these festivals – look out for Bevagna’s medieval fair, as well as the new oil festival in Spello too and plenty of sagre/food festivals in each town. 

3. Discover incredible Umbrian wine

Have you ever tried Umbrian wine? Whilst I’m sure you’ve had a Chianti or Sangiovese at least once before, it’s likely that you’ve never seen wines from Umbria on the menu list in the States or Australia. Umbria is such an exciting wine region, especially if you love big, bold reds (hello Sagrantino or Montefalco Rosso). There’s something for our white wine drinkers here too with Orvieto Classico whites and even sparkling rosè wines.

There is a wonderful organic wine scene to explore too and excellent wineries just waiting for you to visit. As with all wineries in Italy though, do make an appointment and don’t just show up unannounced.

4. Marvel at local crafts like Umbria’s ceramics

The ceramics in Umbria are next level! Deruta is home to the region’s ceramic making traditions and full of wonderful workshops where you can live out your Italian ceramic dreams. Most will ship to you, and everytime I’ve been to Deruta I rarely see any other tourists!

5. Taste local delicacies 

Whilst the food in Umbria is quite rustic, the region produces some of the most delicious products in all of Italy. Move over Piedmont, because Umbria also has black and white truffles! In fact, many of the truffles you find at Alba’s International White Truffle Fair actually come from Umbria to keep up with the high demand. Similar to Turin, the capital of Umbria also has a tasty history of chocolate making and is the home to the famous Baci chocolates.

Different to Piedmont, Umbria is full of olive trees and personally, I think their extra virgin olive oil is the best in the entire country! Check out Frantoio Guadenzi’s oil which we use at home. If you’re a meat eater, you’ll love their tasty cured meats particularly in Norcia as well as the porchetta or roast suckling pig. Cheese lovers are also in for a good time – Umbria is famed for their pecorino cheese!

6. Wander pretty hilltop towns without the crowds

A distinguishing feature of this region are the countless medieval hilltop towns you can explore. They all offer incredible views over the Appenine mountains, olive groves, vineyards and countryside. Besides Assisi and Spello, one of my favorites where you’re unlikely to meet any tourists is Trevi which just might have the best view in Umbria. Other must visits include Orvieto, Todi, Gubbio (our wedding location!) and Montefalco.

7. Visit incredible pilgrimage sites

Assisi is no secret – it’s been firmly on the pilgrimage route since the 13th century! Whilst it might be busy, it’s definitely worth the trip to gaze inside St Francis Basilica – and not only. The town itself is full of interesting sites like the remains of an Ancient Roman theatre and so much more. The best way to experience this town and understand the history and context is with a guide. They’ll be able to direct your attention to the most interesting parts of the Basilica and help you discover the town itself away from the main street of tacky souvenir shops. 

8. Soak in the peaceful Umbrian nature

Last but not least, if you’re looking to get lost in nature or spend some time somewhere relaxing, Umbria is definitely worth visiting. Consider spending some time by the Lake Trasimeno  or heading for hikes in the Monti Sibillini National Park. Nature lovers will definitely want to add Castelluccio to their list, especially if they like flowers! From May- July you can gaze upon exquistely beautiful fields of blooming wildflowers and lentils.

Should you visit Umbria or Tuscany?

Given that Umbria and Tuscany are located next to eachother in central Italy, they are undoubtedly often compared. Both regions are worth visiting and offer unique landscapes, food, wine and culture. That said, Tuscany can be thought of as manicured as large areas of forests were cleared in the past whereas, Umbria is more of a wild beauty. One can definitely get off-the-beaten-path in Tuscany, but it is a lot harder to do so as such a popular tourist destination. By contrast, in Umbria, it’s very easy to escape the crowds.

Still wondering if Umbria is worth visiting? Have a read of my guide to Spello, a gorgeous Umbrian town. Looking for accommodation? Have a read of my guide on where to stay in Umbria.