Where to stay
Black-truffle capital Norcia is home to Palazzo Seneca, and member of gourmet-focused
Relais & Châteaux brand. Its restaurant has a Michelin star for its light, updated Umbrian
dishes. relaischateaux.com
Palazzo Piccolomini in Orvieto offers luxury in a renovated sixteenth-century palazzo
decorated with considerable contemporary chic. palazzopiccolomini.it
What to do
Ristorante Zeppelin in Orvieto is run by Led Zeppelin enthusiast and chef Lorenzo Polegri,
who runs one-day cooking classes, culinary weekends, and various other gourmet-minded
Umbrian tours. ristorantezeppelin.com
How to get there
Qatar Airways flies from Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney via Doha to both Rome and
Pisa. qatarairways.com
More information
italia.itFACT FILEplant pots by doorways, neighbourhood
women chatting from wooden chairs dragged
into the street, kids skipping in alleys.
Settle in for an afternoon of indulgence at Il
Molino. The restaurant is housed inside a
medieval mill and even has some Roman-era
walls. It has arched roofs and a vast fireplace
where lamb is cooked over coals. The menu
features creative modern dishes using local
produce such as black truffle, Norcia
ham, mountain asparagus and porcini
mushrooms. It’s a feast enjoyed in slow time:
a flan of pear and melted pecorino cheese,
gnocchi with fresh tomato and pancetta
sauce, and filet of pork in potato crust
with walnuts. It might be four o’clock before
you stumble out into the afternoon, but
what’s the hurry? This is Umbria, and life’s
to be enjoyed.FOOD & WINEOpposite, from
left Cannoli pastries
on sale in an Assisi
café; Corso Vannucci
in Perugia. Above
Spello offers a quieter
alternative to the
tourist trail.Fast fact
Umbria is notable
for rustic cuisine that
emphasises grains,
herbs, vegetables, olive oil,
and seasonal produce
such as truffles,
chestnuts, asparagus,
and mushrooms.