...and she was absolutely right! So, thank you.
We planned it as a day trip. Our train left the Termini station in Rome at 7:43.
After waking up at 5:30 and skyping with an all too exuberant Laura Stingl preparing for an evening out in Madison, we began the 30 minute walk/subway trip to Termini. We made it with 5 mins to spare.
The train ride lasted two-and-a-half hours. Most of us slept. A little scare occurred when we found out that we were supposed to stamp our tickets. Thankfully, the ticket inspector didn't seem to want to deal with it.
When we got there, things were already different... no English. I liked it that way. Our adventure was starting to become a little more challenging. After deciding on the right bus to take into town, we headed up fifteen minutes to Piazza Italia.
And I mean UP. It's a miracle how everyone drives stick shift here. The views from the bus ride alone were spectacular.
We arrived in Piazza Italia, the center of Perugia.
Let me explain briefly that neither pictures nor words will ever come close to capturing the atmosphere and beauty of Perugia. I can honestly say that and I'm sorry.
Foolishly though, I will try.
Two weeks ago, when I arrived in Rome, everything was different: the language, the food, the people, the buildings, the streets, the shops, the toilets, the smell, the sounds... everything. It was a truly unique and exhilarating experience.
When I arrived in Piazza Italia, Perugia, I felt as though it were happening all over again.
If one were to put Perugia and Rome side-by-side, we wouldn't believe that they were even remotely related.
The buildings seem to belong to a different era, the people appear younger, punkier, and less stressed. The side-streets are covered by beautiful, brick buttresses.
The air was dry and cool, the sun was strong but the sky was hazy. The whole town seemed smaller, cozier.
Obviously, the first thing we all needed was caffe. And, a bathroom. We got both at this little bar.
The caffe was delicious.
Surprisingly, the bathroom turned out to be its own little cultural adventure.
After many attempted translations from our Italian experts, Ellen and myself, we concluded that you pull the sting to flush.
Opposite Piazza Italia is Piazza IV Novembre. This is home to the Fontana Maggiore and the Duomo. The Duomo is a beautiful Gothic church.
I didn't even bother taking pictures on the inside because no picture will ever do it justice. The frescoes on the high vaulted ceilings were gorgeous. One in particular made the illusion that angles were hovering just below the ceiling. The monolithic granite columns were each of a different pattern and each 4 stories tall.
This ancient and mid-eval technique was used to symbolize power and control. Essentially they must be getting the different granite from different places all over the world and the only way to do that is by controlling those places. The church was breathtaking.
As we left, we saw some kids playing with the pigeons. Cute.
We also saw the priest's car (no proof). Nice.
The next stop was an ancient Etruscan well, dating back before the Roman Empire. The entrance fee was 3 euro, but we talked her down to 2 euro because we were all art students. Better yet, the ticket allowed us in to two other sites. This one alone was worth 3 euro.
(Credit: Ellen Faletti)
We wondered the streets with no sense of direction. One of the best things to do in Italy is to get lost. We came across multiple little viewpoints over the town.
We continued walking north following an early Etruscan wall and arriving at the Etruscan Arch.
It's actually Roman influenced. You can tell because it's a true masons arch, a technique invented by Roman engineers: dry laid stone wedges with a keystone. It also has Augustus's inscription across the top.
We followed a later city wall to the far north end of the town. On our way, Anna and Ellen spotted a swing set. For some reason, the beauty of a swing set contrasted with an ancient wall appealed to me.
Finally, we came to a beautiful domed church, the Chiesa di Sant'Angelo. It was also siesta time, which Italians here took very seriously. So, it was very quiet and very peaceful.
It was siesta time, so everything was closed until 3pm. We relaxed in the small field outside the church until everything opened up again. That's when we visited this nearby tower. Originally built for defense, it is now used as a viewpoint over the city. The view was incredible.
We started our walk back. The latest train back to Rome left at 8:50. Although, I guess I wouldn't mind being left in Perugia.
It turns out that Perugia is known for their chocolate. Furthermore, Italy is known for their gelato. So, what's better to get than chocolate flavored gelato from the best chocolate shop in Perugia? We asked for directions, essentially "Dove chocolate?" Chocolate is the one internationally understood word. Italians love giving directions with their hands and we found the place with no problems. I ate mine too quickly, but Mickey let me take a picture of hers.
This was the best gelato I've had in Italy and also the cheapest. How does that work?
There was one last stop before dinner that Anna had wanted to make. It's called the lower city. Perugia is located on top of a high hill. Beneath the town is a lower city. Literally a living town, completely underground. There was an escalator to take you down.
Once down, you found yourself in a labyrinth of brick tunnels and cast iron gates. Beautiful cast iron lamps lined the ceiling. It was almost eerie. There were a few shops, a museum and people enjoying the dungeonesque atmosphere.
An otherwise perfect day, there was but one little downside to the trip. No restaurant in Perugia opens for dinner before 7pm. This was a problem because no dinner in Italy takes under 2 hours. It doesn't take a math major to see that we would be stuck in Perugia (again, doesn't sound too awful). Luckily, the Irish pub was open. I was tempted to have a burger but instead had wine and pasta. Joe went for a nice Belgium beer.
So, we were unable to get authentic Perugian food. But, I know I will be returning to this town in the future. Next time, we decided on the train ride back home to Rome.
