Last spring, Michael and I got to take a trip to Italy and I can’t get over how amazing it was. I’m sure I’ll still day dream about wandering those cobblestone streets and eating hazelnut gelato when I’m 80. It was one of the highlights of my life.

While planning our trip, we decided we wanted our first destination to give us the most authentic taste of Italian culture we could find. Based off a recommendation from my sister, we settled on the city of Perugia located north of Rome in the region of Umbria.

We flew into Rome and took a train from Rome Termani to Perugia. From the station, a taxi picked us up and delivered us to Castello Di Monterone. The driver sped through narrow cobblestone roads like a scene from a movie. We couldn’t contain our excitement while we took in the colorful city and stunning countryside. I thought the pictures I’d seen of our hotel were too good to be true but the castle exceeded all my expectations. We briefly explored the grounds and were taken to our room. The view was extraordinary! Although we were exhausted from 24 hours of travel, we were rejuvenated by the beauty of our surroundings and ready to explore Perugia!

We walked around the heart of the city and I took it all in through the lens of my camera. Naturally, we had to stop at the first gelato shop we passed! We got lost in search of the Via dell’ acquedotto while eating our gelato. Content to see the city as we wandered, we stopped in at some quaint shops including an old bookstore filled with historic treasures. Eventually Michael asked an Italian woman for directions and, after a little more searching, we found the famous Aqueduct built in the 13th century. It winds for three kilometers through town, past gateways, under archways, and between buildings, providing a fantastic glimpse into Medieval Perugia.

While we waited for the recommended local pizzeria to open (Italians eat late), we explored a couple churches and shops. We tried little desserts similar to tiramisu and listened to musicians in the city square. Our first taste of authentic Italian pizza did not disappoint! Pizzeria Margarita made the best pizza we had on the trip.

Once back at Castello Di Monterone, we couldn’t keep our eyes open. We dosed off to the sound of live music playing and fresh air blowing through the open window.
Our jet lag gave us a jump on the next day since we were wide awake at 5 am. As the sun rose and the birds chirped, we walked around the gardens like characters in a novel. The breakfast options were endless and delicious. It felt like we were walking in a dream, sipping our cappuccinos and taking in the view of the countryside.

Our time in lovely Perugia passed too quickly. After breakfast, we taxied back to the train station to journey to our next destination: Positano.

See any photographs that you love? I’ve created a gallery so you can purchase prints to help us raise money for adoption! You can find my favorite captures from our travels here. If you don’t see the size or print you are interested in, send me an email and I will happily do a custom order for you!