PERUGIA AND PERUGINA

While out guest Annette was here we drove into Perugia to check out the new Perugia City Tour on an open-top bus.  We parked in the free lot and took the MINIMETRO up into the centro.  Since Annette's from Seattle we had to take her picture in front of the totem pole that was a gift from Perugia's sister city of Seattle. 

It was a cloudy day with a few drizzles, so there was a clear plastic covering over the bus. The weather did clear up, and we could have done without the cover, but I guess the driver decided better safe than sorry.  The tour, which begins at Piazza Italia, takes about an hour and covers pretty much all of the historical center of Perugia.  Because Perugia is so hilly, and because of the iffy weather, this was a great way to introduce Annette to Perugia without walking her to death.  We had some time before our tour began so we took a step back in time in the Rocca Paolina, just trying to imagine what life must have been like in those ancient streets. 

During the tour the driver stopped for about five minutes so that we could walk up to il Tempio





and the tour continued through the city, weaving in and out of the many ancient city gates.  After the bus tour was over we wandered down the Corso Vannucci and ended up at a great pizza place, Pizzeria Mediterrania, just around the corner from the Duomo. 

By the time we'd finished lunch the sun was shining and the skies were blue again.  We took the MiniMetro back to the car and drove the short distance to the Perugina chocolate factory.  We were joining a tour group for a tour in English at 2:30.  Eugenia, the woman who took over for our friend Corinna as the head of the museum, led the tour and answered all our questions.  After touring the plant several times I have to say it's always interesting.  Chocolates were being prepared for the Christmas season, but the most fun to watch, at least in my opinion, is when they're making the huge hollow Easter eggs. 

After the tour we sampled some chocolate and I bought gifts for my daughter and daughter-in-law.  Although the birthday gifts aren't much of a surprise - I think now they've become almost a tradition! 

After eating chocolate, naturally we needed to try some great red wine, so we headed to Vini di Filippo for a mini-sampling. The only thing that could have made this better would have been to have the chocolate and the wine together!

It certainly won't be a surprise when I say that we were all too full for dinner, so we stopped at the grocery for some arugula to make a salad.  Annette is a foodie, so she enjoyed looking around the grocery and bought a few things to take home with her.