The Fontana Maggiore

Learn the history of Perugia Old Town on a walking tour for small groups. A local guide will show you through the events that took place in Perugia and that have shaped the city, from the Etruscans to the Romans, until the Papal dominations and the Middle Ages.  Dive into the historic square, Piazza IV Novembre, and admire the masterpiece of engineering and Gothic sculpture that is the Fontana Maggiore. Lose yourself in the splendid landscapes that the city offers and capture photos of the rolling hills and snowy peaks from Mount Subasio to Assisi.  Cross the main street while your guide unveils curiosities and anecdotes about the city, its characters, and some architectural elements that may go unnoticed. See the Etruscan Arch, built in the 3rd Century BC. Then go underground in the Rocca Paolina, a symbol of the power of the Pope in Perugia. Walk around the old fortress and see the exhibitions on display there.

Perugia is a city full of charms and history. Every ancient gate, alley, piazza, palazzo and church will capture your imagination; and every museum and gallery will impress you with a sense of history, culture and art. Perugia is not just a stuffy old showcase of the ancient, it also has a young, vibrant and energetic feel. Perugia is the site of many festivals and concerts, the most important of which are the annual fall Chocolate festival and the summer Umbria Jazz festival, lending the city to a chic and urbane atmosphere unmatched by other Italian cities. Meeting point will be at Piazza Italia, from there you will go first exploring the different strata of Rocca Paolina – the so called 'Perugia underground.' Once back to the city center, there will be a stop at a famous old-fashioned but traditional coffee shop for an espresso or a cappuccino topped with hand-whipped cream. The tour will focus on the main fountain – Fontana Maggiore – together with the other buildings standing in the square.

We will accompany you in the discovery of the true soul of the city, through the observation and narration of its best-known monuments: the Fontana Maggiore, the Palazzo dei Priori, the Rocca Paolina and the Etruscan Arch. Our guides will act as your "cicerone" and like a true Grand Tour traveler, in the footsteps of Lord Byron and James Joyce, they will give you a taste of the true Perugia atmosphere. You will savor the real Perugian atmosphere and we can arrange for the following days the tours that interest you most, choosing from our varied repertoire.

The historic journey begins in Piazza IV Novembre, in the city center, where you will pass the Cathedral of San Lorenzo. The tour then continues through various medieval streets to the Renaissance fortress of Rocca Paolina, which displayed the power of Pope Paul III. Since then, the ancient Etruscan, Roman, and Medieval heritage has been destroyed or preserved in underground galleries that are accessible to the public. Continue to the Maggiore fountain, which was built in 1278. Read the Latin inscriptions of the fountain and learn the history of the craftsmen and their role in creating this monumental medieval fountain. The fountain displays multiple iconographies, such as 50 bas-reliefs and 24 statues. Next, stop in the Palazzo dei Priori, which was the seat of the city government in the Middle Ages and is now the municipal seat of Perugia. Explore the Gothic building and pass the griffin and lion at its entrance.