It's All About Perugia

Since our trip is being scheduled around the EuroChocolate festival in Perugia, I thought a little about the town would be in order.  First, the boring stuff about the geographical and political divisions in Italy.

Division	Italy	Population	Size	Division	USA	Population	Size
Region	Umbria	903,679	3,264.9 sq mi	State	California	37,253,956	163,696 sq mi
Province	Perugia	660,040	2,445.6 sq mi	County	Shasta	163,256	3,847 sq mi
Capital	Perugia	166,253	173.7 sq mi	County Seat	Redding	104,504	59.6 sq mi

Perugia is the capitol of the Province of Perugia and the Region of Umbria.  (There are only two provinces in Umbria.  There used to be only one, but then Turnia was carved out of the southern part).  Umbria is one of the smallest regions in Italy, and the ONLY one that is completely landlocked .  It is surrounded by Tuscany, Marche, and Lazio. It is the only region that not only has no shoreline, but no border with another country.

Now on to the important stuff...The Festival. 

The chocolate festival in Perugia is only one of several in Europe, but it is one of the largest.  They have been having this cocoa flavored celebration since 1963, and has involved an igloo made from 7937 pounds of chocolate bricks; a 23 foot long x 7 foot high

Chocolate Scupture

chocolate bar made from 13,184 pounds of dark chocolate with hundreds of hazelnuts; and chocolate sculptures, samples and souvenires. According to Wiki (where I stole most of this) " It lasts for nine days and is located in the squares and areas of Piazza Italia, Piazza della Repubblica, Corso Vannucci, Via Mazzini, Via Fani, The Terrace of the Covered Market, and Piazza IV Novembre". More than a million Italian and foreign tourists attend over the 9 days of the festival each year.

So, where are we going to stay???

Considering the hoards of natives and visitors attending the Festival, lodging can be a major problem.  We are going to be staying outside of town at the Perugia Farmhouse Bed and Breakfast (http://www.perugia-farmhouse.it/).

It sits close to a bus stop a short distance from town, and they even have pick up from downtown at night.

We are planning on staying at least two nights, but may stay a little longer and use it as a base for a couple of short trips into Assisi, Guibbio (Roman ruins AND a castle), Deruta (ceramics), and also just exploring Perugia, if we can get past the "tourists" and the chocolate.  Probably not the best time to explore Perugia.  That might have to wait for "un viaggio senza cioccolata" (a chocolate free trip) another time.

In any case, it could turn out to be just a rest time, and it sounds

like a great place to do it.  There is even a stable nearby that partners with the B&B so we may be able to go ride around a bit.  I only hope we can be there for bruschetta night...can you imagine?  Could be really fun, and because it is rather like a hostel, there could be people there from all over. 

Becky's horse in the back, mine in the front

I have been in communication with the B&B and I am going to make our reservations this week.  I am very excited, but also very nervous, because this is solid...the first real money involved, and nearly at the "no turning back now" stage.

Dee