Black truffles of Norcia, one of Umbria's most celebrated delicacies

Food and wine are as much a part of Umbria's charm as its scenery and history. Regional dishes are flavorful without being fussy or fancy. Umbria is known for its olive oil, salami, farro, lentils, grilled meats, game birds, chocolate and honey.

Orvieto is one of the Slow Cities of Italy, a fact which is celebrated each year at the extravaganza of “Orvieto con Gusto – l’Arca dei Sapori.”

Fresh produce takes center stage in spring and summer, while fall and winter bring the bounty of the hunting season – and the precious black truffles of Norcia. Truffles are underground fungi that grow among the roots of trees. Their season is late October through February, and this alone makes Umbria well worth visiting in wintertime, when truffles adorn grilled meats and pastas and are shaved and grated onto every kind of dish imaginable. Truffles are usually hunted by dogs that can detect their scent even a foot underground. Sometimes pigs are used, but they tend to eat the truffles once they find them!

When it comes to pasta, each region of Italy has its own particular favorites. In Umbria, the native pasta is strangozzi (sometimes called stringozzi). Related to the word ‘strangle,’ it is a rough noodle, long and thick. 

Castelluccio lentils have been awarded the IGT (Indicazione Geografiche Tipiche) and are famous for their delicate taste and tiny size.

Chianini cattle have been raised in Umbria for over two millennia and are considered a delicacy. But the king of meats here is the pig – cooked in a wood-fired oven or roasted on a spit. Norcia is famous for pork processing; this is where you will find one of Italy’s best prosciuttos. Umbria’s lakes and rivers mean plenty of fresh fish, too.

The wines of Umbria include the “magnificent thirteen” – eleven DOC wines and two DOCG. Montefalco is known for its Sagrantino di Montefalco (DOCG) and Montefalco Rosso (DOC), but the most prestigious Umbrian wine is Torgiano Rosso “riserva” (DOCG). Orvieto produces one of Italy’s best-selling DOC whites. There's an old story that says that, when Luca Signorelli was asked to paint the fresco in the cathedral in Orvieto, he had it put into his contact that he be given as much of the wine of Orvieto as he wanted.

Take advantage of your location in the heart of the famous Orvieto Classico white wine region to visit some of the smaller local vineyards. Call a day or two ahead of time to arrange a tasting at Decugnano dei Barbi, between Todi and Orvieto; or just stop where the vineyard attracts or the cantina sign entices you.