Perugia is amazing! Difficult to find a level place to stand but the huge walls, towers and beautiful medieval architecture surrounds you. Liking this week already.
The 5:15am Saturday pick-up from still partying Alstadt in Dusseldorf was challenging but our driver eventually found us. It was with a little relief that we set off for our 7:00 am flight to Florence. We enjoyed Dusseldorf, and Germany overall, but were increasingly getting the impression that Germans love tourists but would prefer they speak German, and are a little impatient with those who don’t.
Dusseldorf Airport was crazy with huge queues, but we made it and ultimately arrived in Florence on time. A quick tram ride to Santa Maria Novella Stazione and we bought our tickets to Perugia.
Interesting train ride past Arezzo and many other towns with hilltop castles and towers, entertained for most of the trip by a group of noisy Australian women celebrating a 50th birthday.
Arriving in Perugia, we rode the Mini-metro up to our stop, a short walk from Via del Parione 10, our home for the next week.
We set out Sunday morning to explore old Perugia and get our bearings, and headed towards the centre of town, Piazza IV Novembre and the Fontana Maggiore ( a medieval fountain). Of course, being Sunday, a market interrupted our walk and Sally found a number of things to inspect and purchase.
The square is spectacular and well patronised by locals and tourists enjoying much food and drinks.
After a light lunch and a couple of wines, we visited the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria located in the massive Palazzo dei Priori. A surprise was a visiting work by Gustav Klimt with the rest of the gallery devoted to a huge collection of amazing 14th to 17th Centuries frescos and paintings.
Tonight we are avoiding the tourist traps and dining at the highly recommended Trattoria Oberdan.
