Italy

Umbria Travel Tips from Paolo Villani, Italian Blogger

Conversations with Locals

Umbria, Italy’s Green Heart, is fast becoming Tuscany’s rival for its lush rolling hills and medieval towns. Gubbio-based blogger Paolo Villani shares his favourite hiking trail in Umbria, the villages to go, and where to find the world’s largest Christmas tree. 

Photo: Paolo Villani 

What should travellers know about Umbria before heading there?

Before coming to Umbria, you should know that it is the paradise of medieval villages. To enjoy it, equip yourself with sneakers and get ready for some good food!

What are some local dishes you feel travellers can’t leave Umbria without trying? 

There are so many local dishes that you absolutely must taste in Umbria, such as cappelletti, which is a closed pasta stuffed with minced meat. It’s a delicacy! Also, do not miss the friccò di pollo con crescia, which is chicken in tomato sauce with bread.

What about your favourite restaurants?

One of my favourite restaurants is here in my city, Gubbio. I’m talking about the restaurant Contessa, where you can taste all the Umbrian specialties without spending too much.

Photo: Paolo Villani

Name one best kept secret of Umbria

Umbria is beautiful, but if you want to admire it in all its glory, you have to go up! I intend to go hiking in the mountains and enjoy the great valleys that contain several small villages. 

What are your favourite hiking trails? 

Gubbio is famous for having the largest Christmas tree in the world, which covers the whole of Mountain Ingino. You can find the best path right here. Once you reach the Basilica of Saint Ubaldo at the top of the mountain, you can take a path that will take you up to the fortress, located at the highest point of the mountain. In winter, the star of the tree is mounted there.

We heard that Umbria is famous for its wines. Where do you go for this?  

My favourite place is located in the city of Gualdo Tadino, a few minutes from Gubbio. It’s called Vineria dei Re.

What about your favourite hilltop towns? 

My favourite Umbrian town are the safe bets – Gubbio, Spello, Assisi, Perugia, and all the villages surrounding Lake Trasimeno. They are a wonder to behold! 

Spello. Photo: Paolo Villani

Photo: Paolo Villani

Umbria is often being compared to Tuscany. What are the biggest differences between these two regions?

They are compared because they are very similar. The biggest differences are the dialect, the food, but otherwise – they are very much alike. Maybe in Umbria, there are more medieval villages. 

Where can we go to see your favourite view of Umbria?

I could never say where my favourite view is, because in Umbria, there are so many. I could tell you about the Carducci Gardens of Perugia, Spello’s alleys, the Church of San Francesco in Assisi, or the Palazzo dei Consoli in Gubbio. The views are wonderful in all these places. 

Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi. Photo: Paolo Villani

WHERE TO EAT IN UMBRIA


Ristorante Contessa
Where: Strada Contessa, 6, 06024 Gubbio PG, Italy
For: Umbrian specialties 

Vineria dei Re
Where: Via Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour, 15B, 06024 Gubbio PG, Italy
For: Wine

WHERE TO GO IN UMBRIA


Mount Ingino
Where: Via della Piaggiola, 06024 Gubbio PG, Italy
For: The world’s largest Christmas tree

Carducci Gardens
Where: Corso Pietro Vannucci, 06121 Perugia, Italy
For: A view of Perugia

 

Spello
Where: Spello, 06038 Province of Perugia, Italy
For: A charming hilltop town

Venice Travel Tips from Gionata Smerghetto, Venetian Blogger

Conversations with Locals

Venice may be overrun by tourists, but Venetian blogger Gionata Smerghetto knows just where to go and where to avoid in the City of Canals. Gionata reveals the one authentic Venetian dish to eat, a magical staircase for a view of the city, and why Venetians are campaigning for tourists to leave. 

Photo: Gionata Smerghetto

What do you feel defines Venetian cuisine?

Venetian cuisine is strongly influenced by the Adriatic Sea. Fresh fish is the highlight of Venetian cuisine – full of delicate flavours, pure and immediate. The Rialto market is indeed the center of Venetian cuisine. Every morning at dawn, fresh fish is sold to the Venetians, who are masters at cooking it. The flavours and tastes are enhanced by the use of spices and oriental scents, originating from the historical trade of the Serenissima Republic with the East.

What is the one local dish you feel travellers can’t leave Venice without trying? 

My favourite Venetian dish that I recommend to any tourist is sarde in soar, which literally translates to sardines in flavour. It is historically a poor man’s dish, which was made using the cheap but very popular fish, stored in a baking pan covered with onions and cooked in vinegar to ensure that the sardines are preserved for as long as possible. The modern version of sarde in saor have also introduced more ingredients, such as pine nuts and raisins. It is certainly a dish not to be missed for the flavour and history of Venice.

What about your favourite restaurants?

My favourite restaurants are found in the areas behind the Rialto Bridge. They are slightly out of the touristy central square, and are not commonly featured in tourist guides. The food is rich in flavour and close to the great Venetian fish market. My favourite places to eat are Al Raspo de Ua, Al Mercà, Antico Calice and Antico Forno. They are so pretty and honest!

Photo: Gionata Smerghetto

Name one best kept secret of Venice 

One of the great secrets of Venice that I can give to tourists is to not stop in the usual tourist spots. The true Venice exists even in the most hidden streets, where you can see the authentic, everyday Venice. Try exploring using Google maps! 

The best way to experience Venice like a local is to explore it with a Venetian. I’d love to visit a city with local eyes, allowing you to see and appreciate the hidden corners of the city that never would have been identified. 

Photo: Gionata Smerghetto

Photo: Gionata Smerghetto

Name some tourist traps travellers should avoid in Venice

I think the traps to avoid for tourists are shops who are not managed by locals. Often, there are restaurants, bars and taverns opened by foreigners. In addition to the poor quality of food, you definitely pay too much for the service! And there’s no fresh Venetian fish!

Where can we go to see your favourite view of Venice?

My favourite view is of course at La Scala Contarini del Bovolo. It is a magical staircase in the heart of Venice; you will definitely feel immersed in the heart of the city and you have a 360 degree view of the Venetian landscape. It is less known to tourists, so I recommend it. 

Photo: Gionata Smerghetto

Recently, there have been news reports of locals in Venice campaigning for tourists to leave the city.

Venice unfortunately turns out to be a very expensive city, not only for tourists but also for residents to live in. Due to the difficulty in building new buildings, it is hard for anyone to develop and upgrade the city. This has caused young people and even tourists to live on the mainland, travelling into Venice everyday by public transport. 

It’s a problem difficult to solve, partly because Venice is one of the most fascinating cities in the world, and at least once in their lives, tourists from all corners of the world want to see it. It is as if it there is always a carnival along the Venetian streets, which can sometimes put a strain on those living there.

WHERE TO EAT IN VENICE


Al Raspo de Ua
Where: Via San Martino Destro, 560, 30012 Burano, Venezia VE, Italy
For: Italian food

Al Mercà
Where: Campo Bella Vienna, 213, 30125 Venezia, Italy
For: Cichetti 

Antico Calice
Where: Calle dei Stagneri, 5228, 30124 San Marco, Venezia VE, Italy
For: Seafood

Antico Forno
Where: Calle dei Stagneri, 5228, 30124 San Marco, Venezia VE, Italy
For: Pizza

WHERE TO GO IN VENICE


Scala Contarini del Bovolo
Where: Via Montacuto, 121 60129 Ancona (AN)
For: A view of Venice

The Eating Guide to Cinque Terre, Italy

Italy

The Italian Riviera is bustling with tourists, and they are all in Cinque Terre – colourful villages atop steep cliffs where no cars dare venture. Life moves a little slower here. Locals carry their goods in hand drawn carts, fishermen go out to the sea for a fresh catch, and the lemon dressing from your plate is probably picked from the tree near the restaurant. These are the five villages, and they are beachy Monterosso, rugged Corniglia, beautiful Vernazza, traditional Manarola and calming Riomaggiore. Here, we seek out the taste of the Ligurian sea. 

Look forward to: Fresh seafood and Ligurian pesto

Ristorante Belforte

Where: Via G. Guidoni, 42, 19018 Vernazza SP, Italy
What: Codfish ravioli with pesto
For: Romantic dining

Fresh seafood, homemade pesto and a view of the sea puts Ristorante Belforte on the top of everyone’s list. Ligurian recipes dominate the menu here. Ligurian pesto is the region’s most celebrated dish, and Belforte’s version has a creamy texture with a zesty lemon aftertaste. The Vernazza seafood salad is a mixture of steamed seafood topped with olive oil, lemon and parsley – the perfect antipasti to whet your appetite. Chances are that sea view seats are not guaranteed for walk-ins, so book in advance to get that spot by the sea. 

Trattoria Locanda Il Porticciolo

Where: Via Renato Birolli, 92, 19017 Manarola di Riomaggiore SP, Italy
What: Roasted fish with vegetables
For: Variety

The casual Trattoria Locanda Il Porticciolo is hard to miss if you look out for the parked boats along Manarola’s main street. Local fish dishes are some of the restaurant’s top dishes. Dig into the pappardelle with swordfish, roasted fish with vegetables, and salted anchovies with peppers. 

Aristide

Where: Via Discovolo, 290, Manarola, Italy
What: Eggs
For: Breakfast 

Breakfast eggs can be hard to come by in Italy, as locals go for a pastry and a coffee to start their day. Aristide provides a good Italian alternative to the all American breakfast. Omelettes are made with stretchy Italian cheese and parma ham. For something sweet, there is always a crostata. If you’re staying in Manarola, make this place your pitstop for your morning pick-me-up en route to the train station. 

Il Pirata delle Cinque Terre

Where: Via Gavino, 36, 19018 Vernazza SP, Italy
What: Cannoli
For: Sicilian cuisine

We may be all the way up north of Italy, but the Sicilian palate is not lost in Cinque Terre. Massimo and Gianluca are the Sicilian brothers who opened Il Pirata delle Cinque Terre, which became a breakfast favourite in Vernazza. As expected from Sicilian cuisine, desserts and pastries are the extraordinary items on the menu. It gets busy during breakfasts, and a meal there is incomplete without trying the cannoli with ricotta cheese.