Umbria, a landlocked region in central Italy, is bordered by Tuscany, the Marche and Lazio. It is green, hilly and noted for olive oil, black truffles and wines, including the white Orvieto and the red Montefalco Sagrantino. Its capital, Perugia, is a notable artistic center. There, Perugino, tutor of Raphael, decorated a room in the Collegio del Cambio with an exquisite series of frescoes. Nearby, Assisi is the birthplace of St. Francis. He is buried in the famous basilica, begun immediately after his canonization in 1228, which contains astonishing frescoes by Giotto. Spoleto is a charming city that annually hosts the Festival dei Due Mondi, a three-week summer schedule of music, theater and dance founded by Gian Carlo Menotti in 1958. This year it will be held from June 28-July 14, 2024.