Free walking tours in Gubbio and what to see

Must-sees

Gubbio is a medieval town of grey stone in north-eastern Umbria, resting on the slopes of Monte Ingino. Its centre is Piazza Grande, a terrace open above the rooftops, dominated by the Palazzo dei Consoli. Inside, the civic museum holds the Iguvine Tablets, bronze plates with texts in the Umbrian language. Higher up are the cathedral and the Ducal Palace, and below, outside the walls, the Roman theatre.

To get up Monte Ingino there is a cable car with small open cabins that drops you in a few minutes by the basilica of Sant'Ubaldo, the town's patron saint. Here are kept the Ceri, the great wooden structures carried in a race during Gubbio's most important festival. Below, the church of San Francesco and the San Martino quarter, by the river, round off the walk.

Free tours and guided visits

Gubbio has no regular free walking tours. What you can book is a private guided tour of the historic centre and a tourist train around the town, useful given the hills. Day trips that include Gubbio also leave from Perugia or Assisi.

How long to spend

A full day is enough for Piazza Grande, the Palazzo dei Consoli, the cathedral and the cable car up to Sant'Ubaldo. With two days you can take it slowly, see the Roman theatre and walk on Monte Ingino. If you are driving, Perugia and Assisi are under an hour away and can be combined on the same trip.

Where to stay

Ideally, stay in the historic centre, where there are hotels in restored palazzi and apartments in stone houses. Bear in mind that the streets are steep. By the walls, in the lower part, there are places to stay with easier parking. In the surrounding countryside there are agriturismi and country houses.