Add my vote to the Assissi recommendation. We were there a few weeks ago and were impressed with the serenity and beauty of the town.

1. Best purchase <b>and</b> encounter with local people was going to a ceramic studio in Deruta. There are lots of places to buy ceramics in Deruta, and a couple of places where there are true artists.

We went to the studio of Antonio Margaritelli, on the Via Tiberina, who is an absolute maestro of ceramics, and the most delightful, charming man! He showed us all around his workshop, described all the steps in making his ceramics-- we had a great conversation, even though he does not speak English, and my Italian is pretty rudimentary.

We bought a gorgeous platter and two beautiful shallow bowls that we now have hanging on our wall in our kitchen, and will always treasure.

Another great purchase was little jars of truffle sauce that were SOOO good, and really inexpensive. I gave some as gifts, but I wish I'd kept them all, because now they're gone and I'm not going back to Italy until September. :'(

Best of Umbria? Staying at the agriturismo Malvarina wins hands down! Check it out:
http://www.karenbrown.com/italy/deta...so?RecID=10730

We loved the Castello dell'Oscano-- outside of Perugia.
http://www.oscano.it

The best hilltown - another vote for Spello - wonderful little hilltown - also purchased pottery here.

The best church - again St Francis, Assisi.

Also enjoyed Orvieto - especially seeing the locals out on a Sunday evening walking in the streets and visiting - everyone including the teenagers - young marrieds with children, and the senior citizens too - having a social evening just walking and talking - then in the restaurants having dinner.

Hi,
We will be near Todi for the week of June 5-12 with our 14 yr old daughter. Any other teen in the area that week? Mine would probably love some peer companionship after being stuck with parents for a while. Email me :
[email protected]
if anyone wants to plan a little Umbrian GTG that week.
jan

It's been almost exactly a year since I spent a week in Umbria - I can't wait to go back!

The best hilltown - Spoleto

The best church - the Basilica in Assisi, but I also loved the duoma in Spoleto. We were the only tourists there, and were incredibly moved by it. A wonderful old priest showed us some side chapels.

The best purchase - a gorgeous large mirror in Deruta, a gold necklace in Florence, and more jewelry in a little store in Narni very close to our apartments.

The best event - We were in Narni during the Corso di Anello, and the parade by the 3 sections of the town into the duomo was wonderful, especially since one of our guides was a trumpeter and gave us special flourishes!

The best encounter with the local people - shopping in the local little grocery store every day - we were the only English-speakers in town, and I quickly realized that it didn't matter if I knew how to say &quot;what is this?&quot; if I couldn't understand the answer. Mossimo, the owner, was always so nice and courteous.

The best dining experience - in a truck stop off some highway coming back from a day trip - I was starving and had the absolute best pizza margherita.

Dreamer:

Where did you stay (in Narni?) and would you recommend it as an Umbrian &quot;best&quot;? I am beginning to make plans for a group of us next Spring.

Thanks!

ttt

maitaitom, where is La Badia?

&quot;Le Case Gialle is a group of five apartments owned by Silvana and Mauro Colonna a few km from Gualdo Cataneo, which is a dozen km from Bevagna&quot;

we,too, have some of mauro's olive oil..and unfortunately we are in the last bottle of the case we ordered 2 seasons ago..
any info about mauro and his apartments would be much appreciated.
and thanks for this thread...all of the responses have been worth saving to plan future trips~

&quot;where is La Badia?&quot;

La Badia is a 12th century abbey (now a hotel) where we stayed in 2001. It is a few kilometers from Orvieto. The restaurant at the hotel was fantastic. It also has a pool (with an outdoor bar) and tennis courts. We made day trips to Assisi and Todi and then came back for a little wine out by the pool. It also has a chapel on the premises.

I have the info printed below on the hotel.

Hotel Restaurant&nbsp; &quot;La Badia&quot;,
Localit&agrave; La Badia, 8 - 05019 ORVIETO (Terni), Italy
Ph. +39-0763-301959 +39-0763-301876 - Fax +39-0763-305396
Email : [email protected]
Web Site : http://www.labadiahotel.it
((H))

I first visited these towns as day trips, then I returned to spend more time with longer visits: 1)Assisi 2)Spoleto 3)Gubbio 4)Perugia 5)Todi 6)Spello. Deruta is just a short stop to shop for more ceramics with store after store. Orvieto is also beautiful, but I have only visited as a day trip from Florence.

For dining experience, another big reccommendation for Ristorante Umbria in Todi (via San Bonaventura, 13, tel-075 8942737)
Go for lunch, great food, great view, excellent wine list. Book ahead if you can for a good table on the terrace.

Hi to pfeldman
We are staying 25 km west of Montefalco [in Canalicchio] in June this year. Do you have any tips for Day trip mileage in this area. I'm not sure how slow and windy the roads are. Would a day trip to the Sibilini be feasible from our base do you reckon? It sounds so beautiful

To update regarding Mauro Collona's olive oil: the 2003 crop was a total bust caused by an April freeze. I was there in early October and it was heartbreaking to see all those trees without a single olive. I've only two bottles of 2002 left so am hoping for a good 2004 crop. Also, another Umbrian experience from last October: stayed at Locanda Rosati about five km south of Orvieto. Great place, a gracious host and a truly groaning dinner table with wine and grappa until late. They have a website. Also not to be missed in Orvieto: the woodworking shop of Michaelangeli, right on the main street. Completely blew my mad money.

Topping again...
leaving in 2 weeks! Yikes!!!
j

Topping. We are planning our 2005 trip and hope to spend 7-9 days in Umbria...so I still appreciate hearing from you!

Thanks.

DM

When is Corpus Domini in Spello in 2005?

Wow, can't relate to Assisi as a favorite at all!!. Found it to be too touristy, meals too ordinary, souveniers too tacky, and no place I'd return to with the one exception being San Franceco basilica. Next time, I'd just go directly to the church and get out of town fast.
Umbria favorites are Gubbio, Orvieto, Todi, Montefalco AND Passignano sul Trasimeno, which has some wonderful seafood restaurants and the great boat ride to Isola Maggiore, which is a really bizzarre, but magical place.