New Year's Eve Perugia

Perugia is known throughout Italy to be a lively city and always full of young people: so what better place to spend your New Year?!

The city of Perugia boasts ancient origins: founded by som populations from Umbria, it suffered in the course of history, various dominations, which have left important traces, evident in the various places of historical interest.

After a long period of Roman domination, the city was conquered by the Byzantines, then it became an independent town, allied with the Papal State.

Today Perugia focuses its economic strength in the tourism, also linked to the craft activities such as those of artistic ceramics, fabrics and embroidery.
At the industrial level, very important are the food industries, particularly in the confectionery area, the textile industries and clothing sector.

The city of Perugia, which has architecturally developed, especially in the period between the Middle Age and the Renaissance, boasts historical and artistic beauties recognised at world level: characterized from the use of many marbles for the churches construction and other important buildings, other particularities of the city are the wonderful arches that surround the roads of the historical centre.

But let’s start our visit of the city from the marvellous IV November square: here you can admire important historical buildings, in addition to the beautiful Maggiore Maggiore, dating back to the XIIIrd century.
This presents magnificent sculptural decorations, by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano, who wanted to represent the months, some biblical and mythological characters, saints, animals and geographical places.

Among the buildings in the square we cannot forget the Priori Palace, built between 1298 and the 1350, and entirely in travertine and red and white marble.
Within the building we can admire an interesting Umbria National Gallery, with a major collection of art of the medieval and modern periods.
Among the religious buildings of the city, in IV November square, we find the St. Lorenzo Cathedral, dating back to the period from 1300 to 1400, but then restructured, externally, in Baroque style.
Other important religious building in town is situated in Corso Cavour, and it is the St. Domenico church, dating back to 1300 circa, in Gothic style and designed by Giovanni Pisano.
Inside the church you can visit the Archaeological Umbria National Museum.

Finally, also interesting is the St. Severo church, inside which is kept a fresco attributed to Raphael.
Among the civil buildings we recommend a visit to the Capitano del Poplo Palace.

How not mention, then, the historical walls of the city: these are formed by large stone blocks and are alternated by the beautiful Porta Mandorla (Almond Door), Rocca Paolina, and, of course, the main gates, namely the Etruscan Arch.
Finally, we strongly recommend to explore the Perugia surroundings, where you can admire the natural beauties that you will leave you breathless: these include the magnificent Trasimeno lake, surrounded by magnificent little villages, that deserve a visit.
These small centres are Passignano, Tuoro, Maggiore Island and Castiglione del Lago.