Moving About In & Around Perugia
An opinion piece by Gabrielle Brown
My car is my best friend. Before I came abroad, I was certain I would miss it and the freedom of driving so much that I would go insane. But after three months without my car, I have found that I don’t miss it at all. Transportation in Perugia is so easy and convenient that after a couple of weeks, it will feel as if you’ve been living here for years.
Walking
To start, the historic city center of Perugia is the most walkable area I have ever seen in my life. Every resident, whether old or young, is walking around the squares or up and down the steps at every hour of the day. The Umbra Institute has the great privilege of being located directly in Piazza IV Novembre, one of the most central hubs of the city. Every apartment for Umbra students is within a 15 minute walking distance from the school, and most are even less than 10 minutes.
Beyond walking to and from school, there are an abundance of restaurants, stores, activities, and more within walking distance in the historic city center. In Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, a three-minute walk from Umbra, you can find two fantastic grocery stores: Coop and Pam. There are also several gelato shops nearby, with one being Umbra’s direct neighbor! No matter what you’re looking for, whether it be a convenience store, a cute place to buy clothes, or even an amazing art gallery, you’ll easily be able to find a place within walking distance.
The Minimetrò
If you want to expand your zone of exploration beyond the historic city center, the Minimetrò (https://www.minimetrospa.it/) will be the perfect fit. This innovative travel solution is a tiny cart that is somewhat like an elevated trolley. Tickets are €1,50 for a single ride and €12,90 for ten rides that can be used at any time. There are seven stops on the Minimet, each covering a popular neighborhood/zone of the city. My favorite stops are Fontivegge, which is only a two-minute walk away from the Perugia train station, and Pian di Massiano, which is directly next to Piazza Umbria Jazz.
Buses
Perugia is also covered by a reliable bus system that runs even after the Minimetrò closes each night. You can get a bus ticket for €1,50, but I highly recommend just using a Minimetrò pass! You can find the bus schedule here (https://www.fsbusitalia.it/eng/umbria/timetables-and-lines.html), or you can use Google or Apple Maps. Buses do take longer than the Minimetrò and tend to be more crowded, but they are a great backup option.
Taxis
I recommend taking taxis to get around Perugia as infrequently as possible. They are quite expensive and, frankly, terrifying (Italian taxi drivers are no joke). However, sometimes emergencies happen and you are left with no other choice. When this happens taxis are always a reliable option for getting from place to place in a hurry.
There are three ways to order a taxi in Perugia. The first is calling (+39) 075.500.4888. The line is always open and all you have to do is give the operator your current address and the address of your destination. The second is to download the intaxi.it app on the app store. But be warned! This is only an option if you have an Italian number. If you have an American number, you will have to call. Finally, if you have an Italian number you can also text Perugia RadioTaxi on Whatsapp. This is an automated chat in Italian, so have Google Translate pulled up and ready!
No matter how you choose to get around Perugia, there is no need to worry or stress! Just remember these two things: Google Maps is your best friend and the Umbra emergency line is always available in times of need.