If you’re after a quintessential Italian holiday, Umbria boasts the best of everything. With its rolling landscapes, picture-perfect towns, expansive lakes, and food served with liberal amounts of olive oil, this region allows you to truly live like the locals.
However, while it may seem like a sleepy Italian province at first glance, Umbria has a lot more to offer than what first meets the eye – you can take in the natural beauty by foot, mountain bike or even Vespa!
Looking to uncover everything this Italian region has to offer? Our luxury villas in Umbria offer the perfect base to explore and see it all.
Discover the Oliver’s Travels way, where style and character define every handpicked villa in Umbria. Our destination experts curate unique homes in beautiful locations that are perfect for families and guaranteed to ‘wow’.
Once you book a holiday, the service doesn't stop there. Our Concierge Service means you'll be in good hands to arrange in-house chefs, fridge stocking, housekeeping, and so much more, to make your stay truly extraordinary.
Umbria is Italy at its very best: staggering natural landscapes, quaint little towns, castles, cathedrals and locally-run restaurants galore! No matter your interest, you’ll find something of note in this region. Plus, contrary to its serene reputation, there’s also a lively festival or two held throughout the year.
What’s more, Umbria is ideal for visiting even outside of the peak summer months. In fact, while July and August serve as the busiest and hottest periods, spring and autumn are delightful times to take a trip here, with cooler weather that allows you to hike, sight-see, and also simply unwind to your heart’s content.
With our luxury Umbria villas, you'll be at the heart of it all. But if you're hoping to explore more of this beautiful country, you can check out our full collection of holiday homes in Italy.
Wilderness adventurer or foodie fanatic? Whatever type of traveller you are, you’ll have plenty to discover in Umbria. As Italy’s green heart, we’d suggest taking advantage of the unending sunshine and prioritizing outdoor activities. Some top picks include truffle hunting in the countryside, white-water rafting along the Nera River, and appreciating the majesty of the Marmore Waterfalls, a seriously impressive man-made system of waterfalls built by the Romans in 271 BC.
Enjoying a self-catering stay in one of our luxury villas in Umbria? You may wish to take a traditional Umbrian cooking class, using locally grown ingredients to create traditional dishes. Our concierge team can even help to arrange this service, while restaurants in the nearest village or town may also offer the experience prior to dining.
But if you’re looking to work up an appetite ahead of time, you can’t go wrong with a cycle ride across the various valleys or even the Monte Cucco Regional Park. Everything truly comes back to the captivating natural surroundings here, so get those cameras at the ready to snap away at the sights.
Cascate delle Marmore - the world's largest man-made waterfall system
The astoundingly beautiful countryside of Umbria, with its sprawling vineyards and farming lands, is responsible for producing some of the finest fresh Italian produce. As well as having abundant olives, herbs, vegetables and grains, Umbria is also truffle country, and you can even go scouting around for the sought-after delicacy yourself. On top of that, you’ll find melt-in-your-mouth cured meats and ooey cheeses on most menus.
Wondering what specific dishes to target? We’d suggest local prosciutto crudo – this dry cured ham is packed with flavour and best served with wedges of melon for a refreshing appetiser or snack. When it comes to the main course, try porchetta al finocchio – also known as roast pork and fennel.
Vegetarians aren’t left out though. Umbria produces some fabulous lentils, which rapidly soften to produce a creamy texture – perfect in a harvest soup or saucy pasta. And to round it all off, while you could go for a scoop or two of classic gelato, save room for crescionda – a traditional Italian chocolate cake enriched with amaretti biscuits and aniseed liqueur.
Great for kids: There are numerous outdoor activities to enjoy, meaning they can let off some steam as you relax.
Great for teens: Italian cuisine is varied but also far from unfamiliar - great fir widening their palates while on holiday.
Every July, Umbria is home to an international jazz festival – an unexpected delight worth planning your summer holiday around.
People tend to speak pretty generally about Umbria as a region – peaceful and picturesque are terms that often spring to mind. However, you’ll find so many different towns and villages worth visiting throughout your stay in one of our luxury villas in Umbria. Whether they boast medieval artwork, Renaissance architecture or are simply a quiet place to spend an afternoon ambling around, there’s a settlement to suit every tourist.
Want to extend your trip further? We've got holiday homes to rent across Tuscany, Sicily, Rome, and along the Amalfi Coast.
The quaint town of Spello is beloved for its views over the Spoleto Valley. Grab a glass of wine and want the sunset from one of the terraces – a true pinch-yourself moment guaranteed.
Serving as Umbria’s capital, the medieval city of Perugia is a must-visit throughout your stay. Found on top of a cliff – so you already know you’re in for a treat when it comes to those views – its main San Lorezo cathedral is well worth a visit, while the Palazzo dei Priori holds several prized artworks within its walls.
Assisi is known for being home to San Francesco, who was born there in 1181 and went on to become the Patron Saint of Italy. However, aside from his namesake basilica, there’s plenty more to see from the town’s hilltop position. Expect cobblestone streets, gorgeous green valley views and UNESCO World Heritage sites aplenty.
Nestled in the mountains, Norcia is an unexpected hotspot for Italian foodies. Allowing you to sample everything from local salamis and hams to some of the smelliest goat’s cheeses, it’s also a great destination to go truffle hunting. This town also boasts several culturally significant icons around the central square.
Perugia San Francesco d'Assisi is the major airport in Umbria, which is located in the centre of the region near Lake Trasimeno. However, very few international airlines fly there, so you’re better off flying into Rome or Pisa and then hiring a car to your final destination. The flight time is around 2 hours 30 minutes.
We definitely recommend getting a car to make the most of your time in Umbria. Not only does this allow you to travel under your own steam, but you can also visit some of the harder-to-reach towns, villages and vineyards.
Keep in mind that the rural roads often have little signage, meaning the winding roads can be difficult to navigate without a Satnav.
The Umbrian railway connects Perugia with some of the smaller towns in the region. The trains offer a comfortable ride, allowing you to hop between towns such as Narni, Spoleto, Trevi, Assisi and Perugia both easily and affordably. Use the Trenitalia website to plan your route and find out exact prices.
Keep in mind that sometimes the train stations aren’t actually in the town, so you’ll have to hop on a bus to get there.
Once you’ve arrived at your chosen destination, exploring by foot is the one of the best ways to get a real sense of any place. Many of our luxury villas in Umbria are located within walking distance of restaurants and shops, so you can take a stroll and soak up the atmosphere.
