bethyk

We are travelling to Italy next week with our two girls ages 12 and 15. We are staying one week of our trip in Umbria near Bevagna (Le Case Gialle). Other than visiting all of the surrounding towns and scenery, I do not have anything specifically planned for this portion of our trip. Does anyone have any suggestions for things to do that would more appeal to kids or teenagers in Umbria?

cmt

All I can tell you is that I was in Italy with my parents when I was 16, long ago. (We did not go to Umbria, but we did travel by car from Milan, to Florence and Venice and Rome and Naples and through the south into Sicily, including to a tiny mountain town, and then back up through Italy, through France to Paris.) Italy was different then, of course, but the Umbria that I visited in 2002 was just the type of area that I would have loved when I was 16. At that time I hated Milan, loved all the medium sized and smaller cities with well preserved streets and architecture, and passionately loved small towns. Depending on their interests and personality, your girls may love Umbria for what it is, without needing special kids-only type things to do. I did not go hiking in Umbria, but I did in Tuscany (as a middle-aged adult), and I think Umbria, with somewhat similar geography, would be ideal for hiking, if you family likes that. Maybe there's also swimming at Lake Trasimeno, which I saw only from the train (in western Umbria near the Tuscany border).

nnolen

Hi bethyk,

I posted the reply below to someone else's message regarding things to do in Umbria with teenagers, so I think this would apply for you, too!

As far as things to see - I'd head out to Isola Maggiore in the middle of Lago Trasimeno. It's very quiet and very beautiful, and St. Francis spent some time there during the 13th century so there is some history related to that. The island is pretty small and won't require more than half a day.

Passignano sul Trasimeno (nearby) is also nice for strolling along the lake - which is what most people do in the evening.

Other cities and towns nearby that I would recommend would be Perugia (http://www.perugia.com/indexen.htm), Arezzo, Assisi, and maybe Cortona.

You are also not too far from the Republic of San Marino, which is (I believe) the smallest independent republic in the world. It is kind of hilly (being perched on a mountaintop) but you can drive almost all the way up and the views from the top are absolutely stunning. There are quite a few things to do there, so would be an interesting choice maybe.

Another thought would be to visit the Perugina chocolate factory, which is just outside of Perugia in San Sisto. They have a museum and the smell in that area is unbelievable...

You could also try Citta' Della Domenica outside Perugia. There is a zoo, reptile preserve, and rides. Theme parky, but kind of neat. Here's a link to a site that describes it in english:
http://www.perugiaonline.com/citta_della_domenica.html

Also, just driving around the region and popping in where you feel like it is cool.

Grinisa

For spectacular scenery, visit the Valnerina area of Umbria between Spoleto and Norcia. The teens might enjoy seeing the ruins of Umbria's first town, Umbriano, perched halfway up a mountain. You can hike up there and walk around the ruined buildings and fortifications--kind of creepy. Across th valley is the Abbey of San Pietro in Valley which is beautiful and has a great early fresco cycle. Just up the road from there is the town of Ferentillo which has a Mummy Museum. You can see the naturally preserved bodies of a hanged criminal, a Chinese couple who came to Rome on their honeymoon and went to Ferentillo to escape a cholera epidemic only to die there, a mother and baby and some other very interesting corpses. For less macabre sightseeing, the waterfall at Marmore is nearby and the lovely Lake Piediluco is worth a stop.

DRJ

Perhaps a bit prosaic, but Mauro can direct you to Il Bacco Felice in Foligno. Salvatore will not only serve you well (with some of Mauro's olive oil) but is a singular character.