Living in Rome has its price. It is almost never silent, it can be pretty crowded and it has only a few escapes into its surrounding nature. For me, who grew up with the forest around the corner, it is certainly a bit hard. And I often long for a tête-à-tête with nature. Luckily there are road trips, and last weekend we packed the car and drove to Umbria.

Umbria, which is known to be “Italy’s green heart”, is starting to gain more and more popularity. It is certainly more “untouched”, rural, than Tuscany and the area produces fantastic food and wine. And as the rest of Italy is filled with, we are surrounded by Agriturismi, a type of bed and breakfast but located in a farm. If you want to relax and enjoy good food an agriturismo is the perfect place for you.

After eating too much, which is a common side effect in Umbria, we went for a hike up in the mountains in the surroundings of Norcia. The mountains this time were still covered with snow, but I have to return in the summer time and see the valley under Castelluccio covered in flowers. This area belongs to Monti Sibillini Natural Park with an impressive nature perfect for bicycling and hiking. The fresh mountain air eased my countryside craving for a while and it was nice to come back to a hectic Rome.