Northeast of Tuscany, the mountainous region of Umbria presents an enticing combination of urban and rural, modern and medieval, tranquil and bustling. Umbria's capital city, Perugia, was originally built by the Etruscans and is home to some of the region's most innovative architecture, as displayed by the Renaissance-era Rocca Paolina Fortress, the Priori Palace and numerous churches such as the Duomo San Lorenzo and the Basilica of San Domenico. Perugia's nightlife and shopping cater to city's contemporary youth culture, provided by both the University of Perugia, one of Italy's oldest, and the University for Foreign Students.

Listed as a World Heritage Site, the Basilica di San Francesco (consisting of two churches—an Upper and a Lower), lures many visitors to Assisi — its hilltop location and surrounding view almost as much of a draw as the churches themselves, and nearby Gubbio hosts the annual Corsa dei Ceri, an age-old tradition involving three, 400-kg (900-lb) statues of the city's patron saints, a race through the city and crowds of frenzied people.