Perugia itinerary: 1 to 2 days
Plans for one and two days in Perugia, day by day: Corso Vannucci, the Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria, the Collegio del Cambio, Piazza IV Novembre with the Fontana Maggiore, the cathedral and the Rocca Paolina first, then the Oratory of San Bernardino, the Basilica of San Pietro and a day in Spello with its Roman mosaics and Pinturicchio frescoes. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
Perugia in 1 day
Day 1
Etruscan Arch
A massive gate in the Etruscan walls, later inscribed by Augustus, opening onto Piazza Fortebraccio and the university quarter.
Etruscan Well
A deep Etruscan well cut into the hill beneath the old town, seen from a footbridge reached by stairs.
Perugia Cathedral
The Gothic cathedral of San Lorenzo on the main square, with an unfinished facade and chapels inside.
Piazza IV Novembre and Fontana Maggiore
The main square, with the carved 13th-century Fontana Maggiore by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano and the cathedral steps for sitting.
Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria (Palazzo dei Priori)
Umbria's main art gallery in the Palazzo dei Priori, with works by Perugino, Pinturicchio, Piero della Francesca and Fra Angelico.
Collegio del Cambio
The medieval money-changers' guild hall in the Palazzo dei Priori, with a hall covered in frescoes by Perugino.
Corso Vannucci
Perugia's grand main street, from Piazza Italia to Piazza IV Novembre, the stage for the evening passeggiata and cafe stops.
Rocca Paolina
The buried remains of a papal fortress built over a medieval quarter, its underground streets crossed by escalators to the old town.
Giardini Carducci
A small garden terrace at the end of Corso Vannucci with wide views over the Umbrian valley, lovely at sunset.
Via dell'Acquedotto
A raised footpath along a medieval aqueduct, winding above the houses of the old town, one of Perugia's prettiest walks.
Perugia in 2 days
Day 1
Etruscan Arch
A massive gate in the Etruscan walls, later inscribed by Augustus, opening onto Piazza Fortebraccio and the university quarter.
Via dell'Acquedotto
A raised footpath along a medieval aqueduct, winding above the houses of the old town, one of Perugia's prettiest walks.
Etruscan Well
A deep Etruscan well cut into the hill beneath the old town, seen from a footbridge reached by stairs.
Piazza IV Novembre and Fontana Maggiore
The main square, with the carved 13th-century Fontana Maggiore by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano and the cathedral steps for sitting.
Perugia Cathedral
The Gothic cathedral of San Lorenzo on the main square, with an unfinished facade and chapels inside.
Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria (Palazzo dei Priori)
Umbria's main art gallery in the Palazzo dei Priori, with works by Perugino, Pinturicchio, Piero della Francesca and Fra Angelico.
Collegio del Cambio
The medieval money-changers' guild hall in the Palazzo dei Priori, with a hall covered in frescoes by Perugino.
Corso Vannucci
Perugia's grand main street, from Piazza Italia to Piazza IV Novembre, the stage for the evening passeggiata and cafe stops.
Rocca Paolina
The buried remains of a papal fortress built over a medieval quarter, its underground streets crossed by escalators to the old town.
Giardini Carducci
A small garden terrace at the end of Corso Vannucci with wide views over the Umbrian valley, lovely at sunset.
Porta Venere, Spello
A Roman gate of the Augustan age flanked by two tall twelve-sided towers at the edge of Spello.
Day 2
Santa Maria Maggiore and the Baglioni Chapel, Spello
Spello's main church, whose Baglioni Chapel is covered with frescoes painted by Pinturicchio around 1500.
Villa dei Mosaici, Spello
A Roman villa outside the walls of Spello with well-preserved 4th-century floor mosaics shown under a modern roof.
Historic centre of Spello
A walk through Spello's steep stone lanes, flower-filled balconies and Roman walls, a quiet hill town near Assisi.
Basilica of San Pietro
A Benedictine abbey church at the southern edge of town, with a painted interior, carved choir stalls and a tall spire.
Oratory of San Bernardino
A small Renaissance oratory with a colourful facade carved by Agostino di Duccio, beside the church of San Francesco al Prato.
Watch: Perugia
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Perugia
Spring and autumn are the best seasons, mild for walking the hilly streets. Summer is warm, and Umbria Jazz fills the city in July; Eurochocolate fills the centre in November, and winter is cool but quiet. In Spello, the Infiorata flower carpets are laid for Corpus Domini in late May or June.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Perugia on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Perugia on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Perugia on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Perugia
- The Minimetrò and the escalators through the Rocca Paolina carry you up from the lower town and car parks to the hilltop centre.
- Book Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria tickets ahead in busy periods, and allow a couple of hours for its Perugino and Pinturicchio rooms.
- Many churches close in the early afternoon; plan the cathedral and smaller churches for the morning or late afternoon.
- Spello is a short regional train ride from Perugia towards Foligno; its centre is steep, so wear good shoes.
- Join the evening passeggiata on Corso Vannucci and watch the sunset over the valley from Giardini Carducci.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Basilica of San Pietro: AliasXX00, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Collegio del Cambio: Adri08, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Etruscan Arch: Francesco Gasparetti, CC BY 2.0
- Etruscan Well: PozzoEtrusco, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria (Palazzo dei Priori): frabuleuse on Flickr.com, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Historic centre of Spello: Hagai Agmon-Snir حچاي اچمون-سنير חגי אגמון-שניר, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Oratory of San Bernardino: Bibopg79, edited and cropped by MenkinAlRire, CC BY 3.0
- Perugia Cathedral: Cycci, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Piazza IV Novembre and Fontana Maggiore: Georges Jansoone (JoJan), CC BY 3.0
- Porta Venere, Spello: Einaz80, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rocca Paolina: Superchilum, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Santa Maria Maggiore and the Baglioni Chapel, Spello: Pinturicchio, Public domain
- Villa dei Mosaici, Spello: Diego Baglieri, CC BY-SA 4.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
