Lake Trasimeno and Perugia

Monday September 23rd

Today we set off fairly early to go to Lake Trasimeno, the 4th largest lake in Italy. It is also the scene of battle in 217 BC at which Hannibal comprehensively defeated the Romans.

We stopped at a small town called Passignano, which is a town of Etruscan origin. We didn’t go into the town though, just stayed on the lake shores and admired the views and then ran for a café when it stayed to rain. You could see it’s a pretty place in good weather, but it was fairly gloomy today, so we set off for Perugia.

Perugia has always been the largest town in Umbria, much larger than Assisi. The historic centre, at the top of a steep hill as usual, is medieval in appearance but is built on an Etruscan layout. It was settled by the Etruscans in the 5th century BC or earlier, and conquered by the Romans in 309 BC. It’s greatest splendour was in the 13th and 14th centuries, after which civil strife undermined it.

We first took the escalator down to the underground medieval street, which was once buried beneath a fortress which was built in 1543 on the orders of a pope who annexed the city in 1540. 

This is part of the street, which is called Via Baglione Sotterranea. There are what look like the remains of shops and houses, and the street itself is rather like a tunnel.

Once up at ground level again, we went up the main street to Piazza IV Novembre and looked at the Duomo, St Lorenzo, and the Fontana Maggiore.

The Duomo is to the right of my photo, and I haven’t managed to include the doorway, for some reason. We went inside the Duomo, and found it dark and rather solemn, and a bit Baroque.

Outside, I couldn’t resist taking a closeup of the Fontana Maggiore, the fountain built in 1275.

It was designed by a monk whose name I forget, but the decorated panels are by Nicola Pisano and his son Giovanni, in 3 cycles depicting episodes from the Old Testament, the Liberal Arts and the Labours of the Months. On the upper basin are sculptures representing biblical figures, Saints, mythological figures or allegories from the history of the city.

We walked back to the Palazzo dei Priori, which originally was built between 1293 and 1443 to hold the town council’s administrative offices. There are now several visitor attractions housed in it and we were interested in the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria.

This is the imposing entrance, dating from 1346, which is adorned with sculptures and reliefs, representing vices and virtues, as well as mythical animals. The gallery houses a splendid collection of art, so I have just picked out a few which I liked.

It’s all religious art

This crucifix is huge, and they don’t even know the name of the painter. He’s just referred to as the Maestro di San Francesco, and there are a number of his paintings in the gallery.

There are also some better known works




This is the St Anthony Polyptych, painted by Piero della Francesca in about 1468. It shows the use of perspective, which was innovative at the time.

Just slightly later, in about 1473, is this Adoration of the Magi by Perugino.


Pietro Perugino was born Pietro Vannucci. His nickname characterises him as being from Perugia, in fact there is a big statue of him in one of the squares. His most famous pupil is Raphael.

Somewhat more modern is this one, by Orazio Gentileschi, father of Artemisia. 



It’s called St Cecelia at her Spinet, Assisted by Angels. 

We were in the gallery for a couple of hours, and I was ready to eat something and rest my back, so we went to a café in the main street and sat under big umbrellas to eat panini and drink something. Then the rain started, heavier and heavier, until it was really pouring down. We had to move our feet to the table base as rivers of rainwater several inches deep rushed through from outside - the street in on a slope. Then the rain became so heavy it bounced up and under the umbrellas and everyone, including me, was getting quite wet. Some people put their own umbrellas up as well, even though they were under the café umbrellas. Then the thunder and lightening started, and the café owner came out and ordered us inside so he could furl the umbrellas!  I was glad to be inside, my trousers were quite wet, and we drank hot coffee until the rain went off and we could leave. In fact it was nearly time to meet our transport, so we just had time to admire the view from one of the terraces.

You can probably see the rainclouds still hanging over other areas. 

We made a very quick visit to the Etruscan gate which still exists in the city walls. There was too much traffic to stop for photos, but we admired the big blocks so exactly cut that no mortar was needed, even to hold the arch.

We went down to the university, to look at a Roman mosaic of Orpheus and the beasts which was found there in 1875. It was part of the public baths, and was outside the Roman walls. It’s so massive I couldn’t get it all into the photo.

There are 40 different beasts, presumably all being charmed by his music.

We were back in Assisi by 5 in time for a short rest before going out again to wine tasting and dinner with our host Roy. I am now so exhausted I’m hoping for a good rest when I get home!