La Posta di Confine

touristic itineraries to Corciano and Umbria

La Posta di Confine is situated in a position good for visiting Corciano, Perugia, the main historic centres of Umbria and some areas of naturalistic interest as Lake Trasimeno.

Corciano, panorama

foto: Corciano, a panoramic view of the town

Corciano - Coat of arms Corciano, one of The Most Beautiful Villages in Italy Corciano, European Destination of Excellence

Corciano

Corciano rises on a hill at 408 metres above sea level. Etruscan finds come to light in the surroundings and a name of Roman origin set the birth of this town in ancient times. Today the "Borgo" looks like a typical settlement of the Middle Ages - the "castello" - with enclosing walls that keep inside important historical and artistic evidence.

Monuments

When you reach Corciano through the main road (via Roma) you meet with the following monuments:

Church and former Monastery of Saint Augustine (detour on the right, before the historic centre, via Sant'Agostino) - the monastery was founded in 1334 and the church was modifyed during 18^th century;
Porta Santa Maria - gate preceded by stairs with a circular tower on its left side (southern part of town);
Church of San Francesco - just outside the town walls (near the parking areas), the church is built in Gothic style and preserves mediaeval and Renaissance works of art. The church is seat of exhibitions during recurring or special events.

Entering the "Borgo" through Corso Cardinale Rotelli you can visit the following monuments:

Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall), old residence of the dukes Della Corgna (16th century), whose rooms were decorated by mannerism artists;
Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo o del Contado (15^th century);
Palazzo dei Priori e della Mercanzia (15^th century);
the Piazza Coragino with a 16^th century well;
Church of Santa Maria Assunta, built in the 13^th century and restored in the 19^th century , with a banner by Benedetto Bonfigli that depicts the Madonna della Mercede (Our Lady of Mercy, 1472) and Assunta (The Assumption), a painting by Pietro Vannucci, Perugino (1513);

Museums

Church of San Cristoforo with the Museo di arte sacra o della Pievania;
Museo della Civiltà contadina, with a collection of objects bound up with the old country life;
Antiquarium, with collections of prehistoric, paleontological and archeological finds.

Antiquarium

The Antiquarium is a museum opened in 2009 that shows interesting finds of antiquity. In three sections, finds are collected according to a chronological criterion.

Leaflet of Corciano Antiquarium

Paleontology
- the section shows fossils like Mesozoic ammonites and Quaternary mammal animals.
Prehistory and Protohistory
- the section collects finds coming from various places of Umbria that belong to Upper Paleolithic and Copper Age.
- other finds coming from the territory of Corciano belong to Bronze Age and Iron Age.
Archeology
- interesting Etruscan finds come from the necropolis of Strozzacapponi, in the territory of Corciano. At the Antiquarium you may see reconstructions of tombs, the decorations of three chariots, a sarcophagus, cinerary urns, grave fittings.

Walks and excursions

It is possible to walk along the town walls enjoying excellent views of the surroundings: in the north-east you can see Mount Tezio and Mount Acuto, in the east the wooded Monte Malbe that rises above Corciano with its 652 metres, in the south and in the west valleys surrounded by hills and villages.

A road leads up to the Colle della Trinità, that is the top of Monte Malbe. The place offers attractive walks in the green and panoramic views of Perugia and Lake Trasimeno.

Near Corciano, in locality Strozzacapponi, there is the Etruscan necropolis, whose finds are now at the Antiquarium (informations at Tourist Office).

Tourist office

The office is in Corso Cardinale Rotelli (historic centre).

Territory of Perugia

Corciano is in the Territory of Perugia that includes also the municipal districts of Torgiano and Deruta.

panoramic view of Perugia

foto: Perugia, panoramic view of the town

Perugia

The town was an important Etruscan and Roman centre. In the Middle Ages Perugia was a free municipality that asserted its authority on other towns of Umbria. After a period under the rule of local lords, the town was subject to the Pope's authority until the unification of Italy. Important historic and artistic monuments belong to such periods.

Monuments

Antiquity

Arco Etrusco (one of the two main Etruscan Arches, gates to the town; Piazza Fortebraccio)
Pozzo Etrusco (Etruscan well; Piazza Danti)
Roman Mosaic (2^nd century; Via Sant'Elisabetta / Via Alessandro Pascoli, on the ground floor of Italian University)
Porta Marzia (one of the two main Etruscan Arches, included into the Fortress wall; Via Marzia)
Ipogeo dei Volumni (2^nd century B.C, etruscan hypogeum, museum and necropolis; at Ponte San Giovanni, suburb of Perugia)
Tempio di San Michele Arcangelo (5^th/6^th century, central plan paleo-christian church; quarter of Porta Sant'Angelo)

Middle Ages

Fontana Maggiore (13^th century, sculptures by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano, Piazza 4 Novembre)
Palazzo dei Priori (13^th - 16^th century, Town Hall; Piazza 4 Novembre / Corso Vannucci)
- Sala dei Notari
- Collegio del Cambio (frescoes by Perugino)
- Collegio della Mercanzia
Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo (15^th century; Piazza Matteotti)
Palazzo dell'Università Vecchia (15^th century; Piazza Matteotti)
Chiesa di San Pietro (11^th - 17^th century; Via Borgo 20 Giugno)
Chiesa di San Domenico (13^th - 17^th century; Corso Cavour)
Chiesa di San Francesco al Prato (13^th century; Piazza San Francesco al Prato)
Chiesa di Sant'Ercolano (14^th century; Scalette di Sant'Ercolano / Corso Cavour)
Cattedrale di San Lorenzo (15^th century; Piazza 4 Novembre)

Renaissance

Rocca Paolina (16^th century, Fortress built by Antonio da Sangallo; escalators Piazza Partigiani - Piazza Italia / Via Marzia)
Porta San Pietro (15^th century; Corso Cavour / Via Borgo 20 Giugno)
Oratorio di San Bernardino (15^th century, façade by Agostino di Duccio; Piazza San Francesco)
Fresco by Raphael [Raffaello Sanzio] (Church of San Severo; Piazza Raffaello / Quarter of di Porta Sole)

Museums

It is also on sale a cumulative ticket to visit various monuments

Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria (paintings by Beato Angelico, Piero della Francesca, Pinturicchio, Perugino; Palazzo dei Priori)
Museo Archeologico Nazionale dell'Umbria (Prehistoric, Etruscan and Roman finds; Cloister of the Church of San Domenico)
Museo Capitolare (Cloister of San Lorenzo Cathedral)
Museo delle Porte e Mura urbiche (Porta Sant'Angelo)

Events

Umbria Jazz (July); Sagra musicale umbra (September); Eurochocolate (October).

Torgiano

Torgiano is an important centre of wine production. In August we have two nice events: "Calici di stelle" (tasting of wine and foods, shows) and the "Vinarelli", exhibition of paintings made with colours mixed in wine. Very interesting is the "Museo del Vino e dell'Olio", with a collection of objects and works of art bound up with the two products (wine and oil). Near the smaller centre of Brufa, in a countryside space, we find several scupltures of contemporary artists.

Deruta

Famous since the Middle Ages for the production of artistic ceramics, Deruta can be visited for the Church of St. Francis (13^th century), the Town Hall, the "Pinacoteca" (picture-gallery, 15^th-18^th century works) and the "Museo delle ceramiche" (16^th-18^th century works).

Excursions in Umbria

Lake Trasimeno and the Regional Park

Lake Trasimeno is in the north-western part of Umbria, near the boundary with Tuscany. Lakeshores, which are mainly flat, form bays divided by few promontories. Long stretches of the coasts are covered with beds of reeds, among which we find small beaches. There are three islands: Isola Maggiore, Isola Minore and Isola Polvese. Ferries from Passignano and San Feliciano can lead tourists to Isola Maggiore and Polvese. Isola Maggiore is a singual production centre of laces made by the women of the village, according to the Irish tradition. Important centres are Castiglione del Lago, Passignano sul Trasimeno and Tuoro, with their beaches and buildings.

Lake Trasimeno is part of a Regional Park. Near the village of San Savino we can visit a naturalistic oasis that protects water birds.

Città di Castello (35 km) and the Upper Tiber Valley

The Upper Tiber Valley, the extreme part of which is called Val Tiberina, extends to the north of Perugia. Near the highway E 45 and before Umbertide, you can visit the Benedectine Abbey of "San Salvatore di Montecorona", founded by St. Romualdus in 1008.

After Umbertide, you reach Città di Castello, a centre of medieval and Renaissance art of Umbria. Interesting monuments are the "Palazzo Comunale", the Cathedral, the "Palazzo Vitelli" - centre of exhibitions - and the Burri Museum, that contains several works of the painter Alberto Burri (Città di Castello 1915 - Nice/France 1995). Typical products are white truffles and other products of the woods. Besides, this district is important for the sale of antique furniture and the production of pieces of furniture made with antique wood. Arts and crafts in Città di Castello include the production of textiles, the famous "Tela umbra".

Gubbio (35 km)

The Eugubina Road, which leads to Gubbio, is interesting from the panoramic point of view. At 26 kilometres from Perugia, on the right, there is the Benedictine Abbey of Vallingegno (13^th century), set along the Franciscan Path.

Continuing along the Eugubina Road, past the place of Mengara, you can start to see Gubbio. The town, a true urbanistic and architectural jewel of Umbria, preserves important Umbrian, Roman and Medieval monuments: the Roman Theater, the "Palazzo dei Consoli", the "Palazzo del Bargello", the "Palazzo Ducale" - where Duke Fredrick from Montefeltro was born and sojourned - the Cathedral and the Basilica of Sant'Ubaldo on Mount Ingino. Typical products are salami and cold pork meats, cheese, wrought iron, and ceramics.

Assisi (30 km)

You go through the Tiber Valley and after the centre of Collestrada you enter the Umbra Valley. The first town is Bastia Umbra, then you reach Santa Maria degli Angeli, dominated by the massive structure of the Basilica that preserves inside the little church of Porziuncola.

As you climb to Assisi, you enjoy a unique sight of the town, built on the slopes of Mount Subasio. Assisi is a centre of Umbria rich in history and a place of notable spirituality. Many are the attractions: the Basilica of St. Francis and the Sacred Monastery, many churches bound up with the Saint and Saint Clara, the civic buildings, the façade of the Roman Temple of Minerva, the Medieval Fortress that dominates the town. The territory is full of historic places as the Hermitage of the Carceri on Mount Subasio. Typical products are milk products, DOC wine (DOC stands for "Contolled Denomination of Origin"), DOP extravirgin olive oil (DOP stands for "Protected Denomination of Origin"), ceramics and embroidery.

Todi (55 km) and the Middle Tiber Valley

You go through the Tiber Valley and cross the territories of Torgiano, important centre of DOC wine production (DOC stands for "Controlled Denomination of Origin"), and of Deruta, famous since the Middle Ages for its ceramics. Few kilometres past Deruta and near the highway E 45 you can visit the Sanctuary of the "Madonna dei Bagni", that preserves a very particular collection of votive offerings (ex voto) in ceramics, belonging to various periods.

Going on in direction of Rome, you reach Todi, one of the most beautiful towns of Umbria, of pre-Roman origins, built according to a particular town planning. Many are the monuments: the Cathedral, the civic buildings, the Church of St. Fortunate, with the grave of Jacopone from Todi, the church Temple of Consolation, which is an excellent example of Renaissance architecture. In Todi you can buy the DOC wines produced in the Martani hills. The town is also important for the sale of antique furniture.

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