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Introduction
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Restaurants and Services
• History
and Sights
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Further reading
Introduction
Paciano is described by outsiders rushing through
it as a sleepy fortified hilltop town, probably because
it is Umbria's smallest council with less than a thousand
inhabitants spread over its 16 square kilometres.
But taking your time, you find it has its share of
history, art and good food to boast about, together
with all services and shops needed to make it self-sufficient.
Its visitors decide to stay here because of its views,
peace, tranquillity and location. These were the reasons
David Mc Taggert, the founder of Greenpeace, gave
when permanently moving in. The town's economy is
still based on agriculture, or more specifically,
on the production of olive oil.The road signs by the
town gate clearly indicate that you have to leave
your horses and tractors outside, and continue on
foot. Well, cars are allowed, but only at 20 km per
hour.
History
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The area around Paciano was inhabited
by the Etruscans in the 7th century BC, from which
the remains of the temple (probably) dedicated to
Janus still remain. Theories on the origins of its
names are many, the oldest ones being "Pace di
Giano" (Peace Of Janus) or "Passus Iani"
(Passage to Janus). Other historians believe the name
derives from the Roman Pacci family of Cortona, as
up to the 17th century, it was called Pacciano.
Today, Paciano retains its character as a medieval
castle, accessible through its three arched gates.
Guarding the town are old defence walls and eight
towers which in the 17th century were converted to
dwellings. Inside the town, three parallel streets
connected by picturesque orthogonal alleys hide palaces,
old defence structures and churches. The San Carlo
Church, with its beautiful 15th century portals, is
regularly used for mass. Paciano's oldest church,
Chiesa San Giuseppe, has a painting of the town's
Patron, the "Madonna of Mercy". In total,
seven churches exist both within and outside the town
walls. Each containing works of art by local medieval
and renaissance artists.
The headquarters of the ancient Confraternity of the
Holy Sacrament houses a small art museum that through
its exhibits documents the history of Paciano's art,
from the Etruscans to the early seventeenth century.
The opus of the museum are works by the 13th century
painter Francesco Nicolò from Citta della Pieve,
believed by many to be Il Perugino's teacher. They
include a fresco of the Crucifixion alongside two
wood panels depicting saints. These, together with
paintings, gold and silver artefacts from the 15th
to the 17th centuries, frescos from the 12th, and
Etruscan objects from the 4th century BC make a visit
to this one room museum worthwhile and amusing. Keys
are kept in the house diagonaly across from the museum.
Ring on the doorbell to gain access.
Restaurants
and Services
Hungry? Just outside town, a restaurant called Il
Casale seems to have taken truffles as its main ingredient.
Pina and her daughters will spoil you by grating it
directly on your dishes. They grill their meat on
the open fire, and serve excellent wines. None of
the excess and high quality is reflected in the bill,
which is always very fair. Pizza cravings? No problem,
L'Oca Bruciata (The burnt duck) will serve pizza and
bars will provide you with your mandatory espresso
or cappuccino. A wine bar located in the town walls
has outdoor tables providing a picturesque setting
in the summer months.
A butcher, two grocery stores and flower shop are
all located within the town walls. A bakery opened
just recently, as did a store selling wine and local
products. If you want to get up to date with the local
gossips, the are not one, but two hair dressers! A
store selling local pottery, an art studio and a store
selling their own hand-woven textiles are recent additions,
bringing back old traditions to the community. A bank,
post office and pharmacy exist as well. At the English
Studio you can take Italian (or English !!) lessons,
buy English books on the area as well as check your
email. The train station serving the Rome - Florence
line is only a 20 minute drive, and major supermarkets
and shopping centers even less.
Dropping by in the summer, you will find an outdoor
theatre, music concerts and occasional feasts. The
first week in December is dedicated to the Oil Festival.
The festival coincides with the Olive Harvest, which
alongside program filled with music, plays and festivities,
you can taste the new oil and eat characteristic dishes
in the town's restaurants.
Do you want to get in on the local way of life before
arriving? Then Geoffry Luck's book, Villa Fortuna,
an Italian Interlude is a must read. He is an Australian
who restored a villa in a hamlet outside Paciano and
lived the life of a rural Italian (Well, that is the
way he likes to see it). His stories take you in on
the history of his house, his olive groves, and fun
anecdotes on his fifteen years in Italy. In-between
discussions on food and olives, he happily dishes
the dirt on the local politicians, exposes incompetence
and bureaucracy. Through his Australian eyes, he explains
the contradictions and complexities of Italy, something
you can not get away from, not even in the small sleepy
town of Paciano. It is available on amazon. Order
it in the UK, however, as they ship almost immediately.
Amazon US has been known to take months. You can otherwise
get it on Location at the English Studio.
In Paciano, we can offer the Buitoni
Family's summer residence,
which sleeps six to fifteen people. The house dates
back to the 15th century and features a defence tower,
vaulted ceilings, its private chapel with 17th century
frescos, and endless views across the Umbrian border
into Tuscany. It is furnished with first class antiques,
renaissance paintings and Persian carpets. For smaller
groups, we have plenty of rustic
apartments and farmhouses in the neighbouring
town of Panicale. The Paciano Terrace, in the center of town, is a huge two bedroom apartment available
for stays of six months or longer.
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The south Trasimeno
area is an excellent base to visit the hilltop
towns in the tourist trails of Umbria and Tuscany.
They include Assisi, Orvieto, Cortona, or Sienna.
Or how about a day trip to Rome or Florence? Aside
from these towns and cities however there are
even more anonymous ones offering restaurants,
markets, wineries, walks, churches, and other
sights not included in the guidebooks. With a
little sense of adventure and curiosity you will
be rewarded with unforgettable experiences and
wonderful memories. This page gives you suggestions
to get you started in the hope that your explorations
will take you even farther. Click
for more...
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Why not take a break from exploring the secrets
of Umbria and Tuscany using one of our activities
to better understand the local culture? Take a
cooking course and learn how to make your own
pasta or create that complete Italian dinner you've
dreamt about. You could take Italian lessons or
how about some art classes? We can even help you
with getting married! All the activities are close
to our rental properties and can be booked in
conjunction with your accommodation.Click
for more...
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Here is a list of our favourite
restaurants in the area. There is nothing like
a free lunch, so I will only give you their names
and the town they are located in. It will be then
up to you to find them. Do not get scared by our
irony and have courage, because they are all worth
a visit and the experience. You can start dieting
when you get home, because when in Umbria, do
like the Umbrians do. Live to eat, and not eat
to live... Click
for more...
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