We’re living in a city older than the Romans.

There’s an Etruscan arch 400 meters away that was built in the second half of the 3rd century BC. It’s one of the seven gates along the Etruscan wall of Perugia.

There are craftsmen that make violins all along our short block that has 4 monasteries, a church, and a temple. There’s also another arch north of us, which is less fancy than the Arch of Augustus, but you can’t miss it. Nor could you miss the many hundred steps leading up to Monteripido Monastero with its 15th century gothic apse and 17th century frescoes.

A minute’s walk from us was where the first freemasonry meeting was held in Italy back in 1811. It was organized by Giuseppe Garibaldi, one of the key players in Italy’s “reunification”.

When I say that Perugia is old, I mean it’s very very old. It’s so old that some of the roads were the original roads paved by the Romans – who came after the Etruscans. That makes for a really crappy running surface but, aside from that, you’d be hard-pressed to visit Perugia and not fall in love with this picturesque town. The friendliness of the locals will even encourage you to practice your Italian! No pressure or anything.