ASSISI
Birthplace of St. Francis. Here you will meet Giotto and Cimabue face to face.
Archaeological Museum - via Portica. tel. 075 813053. 10-13, 14.30-19. An interesting walk under the piazza, through the town's original Roman forum. Roman, Etruscan sculpture, fragments.
Basilica di San Francesco - (1253) Proper dress is required to enter San Francesco. Possibly the greatest and most important collection of early renaissance paintings in the world.
Lower church: right transept, Cimabue, Madonna and Child with St. Francis
Magdalen Chapel, Giotto, Cappella di San Martino of Simone Martini
transept and left of altar, Pietro Lorenzetti's Passion of Christ
Upper Church: Giotto's Life of St. Francis
above, Scenes from Old and New Testament, Master of St. Francis, Cavallini
behind choir, Cimabue ruined frescoes
Treasury of the basilica: Lorenzetti, Fra Angelico, Masolino, Signorelli.
Duomo - Piazza San Rufino. Romanesque facade, crypt with Roman sarcophagus, columns.
Pinacoteca Comunale - Via San Francesco - Tel. 075812033. 10-13, 14.30-19. Giotto, Puccio Capanna.
Santa Chiara - (1257) St. Clair's church; the crucifix that spoke to St. Francis; a powerful cult church experience.
Temple of Minerva - a Roman temple (now a church, only the facade remains) that inspired Goethe (Italian Journey) to walk all the way from Perugia to see it.
Books: Zubboli - 19 Piazza Del Comune, tel. 075 813183. Hand-made books, fine papers, art books.
PERUGIA
The capital of Umbria, a lively city, full of students, including from the University for Foreigners. At 5 PM is the passeggiata: everyone in town strolls up and down the Corso, looking good.
Arco Etrusco - Etruscan gate of the city (2-1C BC).
Cappella di San Severo - Piazza Raffaello 13. 10.30-13.30, 14.30-18.30 A fresco by Raphael. € 2.50
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Collegio del Cambio - Corso Vannucci, 25. 9-12.30, 14.30-17.30 tel. 075 5728599. Perugino's frescoed room. € 2.60
Fontana Maggiore - (1275) central fountain by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano.
Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria - Palazzo dei Priori, Corso Vannucci, 19. Tues-Sun 8.30-19.30 tel. 075 5721009. Duccio, Perugino, Fra Angelico, Piero della Francesca, Arnolfo di Cambio, Agostino di Duccio, the Master of St. Francis, Gentile di Fabriano, Orazio Gentileschi, Pietro di Cortona. € 6.50
Ipogeo dei Volumni - 6 km southeast of Perugia, Ponte San Giovanni. 9:30-13, 15.30-18.30, tel 075 393329. Large Etruscan tomb site, detailed sarcophagi. The highway was built right through it. € 2.
Museo Archeologico Nazionale dell'Umbria - National Archeological Museum of Umbria - ex Convento di S. Domenico, Piazza G. Bruno, 10 (crosses Corso Cavour). Tel. 075 5727141. 8.30-19.30. Large prehistoric section, Etruscan and Roman section: cinerary urns, bronzes, Greek vases, bucchero (black pottery). € 4.
Rocca Paolina - built by A. de Sangallo (1540). Subterranean streets, remains of medieval quarter. An escalator goes through it to the center.
Sant'Angelo - 5-6C early Christian church. 14C Gothic portal, 15C frescoes. 16 columns with Roman capitals.
San Bernardino - Piazza San Francesco. Polychrome relief facade by Agostino di Duccio (1457).
San Pietro - Borgo XX Giugno. 10C, below is a small early Christian church. Sacristy, 4 small Peruginos; presbytery, inlaid wooden choir (1525).
The Collection of Greek, Etruscan and Roman Sculpture Plaster Casts - Dipartimento di Scienze Storiche dell'Antichità, via dell'Aquilone, 7. tel. 075 5853807 9-13. Open on request, closed Sat, Sun.