The Solo Scale:

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If you’re going to Perugia, your mind might instantly veer towards chocolate. The association of Baci with Perugia is pretty strong, after all. Once you arrive in town whether by the mini-metro or parked car, you’ll find that there’s so much more to downtown Perugia. For one, the Baci factory isn’t even there. It’s further outside on the outskirts. In town, you can try local Perugina chocolates (recommended by the locals), visit the cathedral, walk the aqueduct, and learn about the history of the town.

The main piazza is resplendent in the shadow of Perugia Cathedral in Piazza IV Novembre. This is locally known as Cattedrale Metropolitana di San Lorenzo; Duomo di Perugia. If you have time, you can also head inside to see the relic claiming to be the Virgin Mary’s wedding ring.

Nearby, you can wander the streets and on top of the aqueduct. It’s a nice little walk that gets you away from the crowds. If you want a meal, you can dine at many of the open-air cafés and enjoy a drink. You can buy chocolates for your family, but the shopkeepers will warn you off Baci and tell you that it’s produced in North America. Instead, like me, you may be redirected to a local brand — priced at far cheaper than the Nestle Baci product. The owner gave me a sample as well, and yes, I did speak Italian so maybe I got a little extra treat, but it’s worth asking if you’ve got a sweet tooth.

Close to the chocolate stores, the cafés and the cathedral is another impressive and hidden gem — the Etruscan Well. There is a charge to get in and see the site, but it’s very affordable. Plus, this fits into any itinerary as the visit is quick. The visit begins with a video about the history and construction. Then, you’ll head into the well itself. Between the video and the visit, I spent an hour lingering, which was more than enough time.

The well is still fed by three veins of water. You can see it bleeding out of the walls and down into the well. During your visit, you can walk across the wall to watch the water seeping from the walls. Be cautious because this path is definitely slippery.

You can find more information here. Make sure that you’ve got directions to get there as it’s in an unobtrusive and hard-to-find spot as it’s down a little alley in the main area. If you’re in Perugia and want something a little more unique, this is definitely the stop for you.

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