This work delves into Tuscany's lavish natural beauty: the dense concentration of Renaissance art that spills out of Florence into Pisa, Lucca and Arezzo. It helps the reader cheer on Siena's frenzied Palio; wander through the sumptuous vineyards of Chianti; explore the medieval hill towns of green Umbria; and visit historic Perugia over the Tiber Valley, the newly restored monuments and architecture of Assisi and the famous cathedral of Orvieto. '[Umbrians'] devotion to Umbrian food can reach astonishing proportions: Umbrian teenagers on their summer language courses in England who had to be flown home after two days because they were starving to death; adventurous Umbrian diners who dared to enter a Chinese restaurant, but could only eat the rice; our Umbrian landlord who went to Dalmatia on his honeymoon, found the pasta overcooked and returned to Terni, swearing he would never leave again as long as he lived.'

Tuscany and Umbria

by Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls

Published February 1989