Acht Ideen für die Osterpromenade

In every village or town, Holy Week events are organised, such as the typical Good Friday processions; discover with us the ones not to be missed. You will be able to appreciate the importance residents place on participating in these traditions; often they collaborate for weeks on their organization.

Easter breakfast is a family tradition still very much followed, especially in small towns. The well- set table offers the inevitable Easter cheese bread (Torta) accompanied by local cured meats, capocollo, corallina salami and ciauscolo, as well as Pecorino cheese, hard boiled eggs, wine and vinsanto. Usually everything is blessed before being put on the table. Try the Torta recipe at home, but if you are in Umbria, take the opportunity to taste the different interpretations; in some areas there is also a delicious sweet version. In Collazzone, Gaglietole, Montecchio, and Montecolognola, public wood-fired ovens are still in operation, where people meet to bake cakes or other Easter dishes and to exchange happy chatter about the holidays.

Painting eggs for the Easter season is a custom that dates back to the Middle Ages; in the countryside, eggs were boiled with herbs or flowers to give the shell intense colourful hues. The Museo Ovo Pinto (Painted Egg Museum) established in 1982 in the small village of Civitella del Lago houses a collection of thousands of eggs of all animal species, painted or sculpted by artists from around the world. The collection is expanded every year thanks to the Mostra Concorso Nazionale Ovo Pinto (National Painted Egg Competition Exhibition) open every year during the Easter holidays.

Easter in Perugia would not be the same without Ciaramicola, a dessert that young ladies used to give to their sweethearts. It is served at the end of Easter lunch, paired with vin santo, a sweet Umbrian wine. The recipe is simple, like most Umbrian desserts, but aesthetically pleasing. In Perugia don’t miss visiting the artisan chocolate shops scattered around the city, which has a historic relationship with this ingredient. Our last suggestion is the Perugina Casa del Cioccolato .

We take you to Orvieto, the town with the magnificent cathedral perched on a cliff; April’s ever- changing weather suggests a visit to Orvieto Underground, a real underground city of tunnels, narrow passages and 1,200 chambers! The entrance is in the Parco delle Grotte, an unexpected and restful green area in the middle of the historic centre, laid out on steps and equipped for outdoor picnicking.

The la Valle Nature Oasis is a perfect destination for birdwatchers as well as those wishing to celebrate spring and nature. Thanks the reserve’s binoculars and special birdhouses, you can admire and photograph specimens in flight (more than 200 species have been surveyed) and participate in interesting activities dedicated to children with educational trails and guided tours. The natural wonders of Lake Trasimeno complete the pleasures of a day spent outdoors.

Montefalco, the ‘Balcony of Umbria’, offers a perfect vantage point from which to admire Umbria and its characteristic landscape of hills covered with olive trees and grapevines. We’re in the land of Sagrantino, one of the most prestigious red grape varieties of the entire peninsula; during the Easter period Montefalco offers a unique opportunity to discover the goodness of the area with events dedicated to the excellent food and wine and craftsmanship of Umbria.

To counteract the rich Easter lunches, what could be better than a nice walk? Set out from the Colfiorito Regional Park , an authentic treasure chest of biodiversity with great environmental, cultural and historical value. All of the itineraries are passable on foot, horseback or mountain bike and also designed for educational tourism.