Looking for a city!

Perugia and Spoleto

Cortona is located between Assisi and Siena if you haven't already been there.

Lucca. Lucca. Lucca.

Perugia or Chiusi.

We love Orvieto. I suggest Padua and/or Lucca both Village Italy stops.

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Thank you all for your suggestions.

We just spent 5 weeks in Umbria, staying in Orvieto, Perugia, Gubbio, Spoleto, Norcia, and Narni, and visiting many other towns. We loved our return trip to Orvieto, but you've been there.

Our new favorite was Gubbio --- its small size, the medieval streets (many without cars), the hill it's built on, the birdcage funicular, the restaurants, the many things to see and do. I'd say it's a jewel. Not undiscovered, of course, but not spoiled by it. Next favorite was Spoleto. Both places will have more tourists in May than in November/December when we were there.

We did like Perugia and were there for 10 days, but we were both as sick as dogs the whole time and the big art gallery I was looking forward to visiting was closed, so tI'm sure that affected our feelings about it.

Least enjoyed town was Assisi --- we went there for a day to see the frescoes inside the basilica and the exterior of the cathedral (San Rufino). It was surprisingly hard to find the kind of place we like to eat and our walk (plus some meandering) from the first church to the second did not seem very interesting or charming (especially compared to Orvieto and Gubbio). Somehow the town seemed scrubbed of normal businesses like butcher shops and hardware stores ---- this always makes us feel like a town is more like a stage set or a tourist destination than a proper town. But I know many people on this forum love Assisi. I'm sure it helps to spend a couple nights there!

Thank you nancys8
A lot of good ideas in your post for me to consider. Much appreciated!