Day 9: Pretola to Perugia

 Monday 27th May - Pretola to Perugia

One of the limitations of a holiday by train is that you can’t just pop in a car and tour around for the day; every trip has to be planned and the logistics sorted. Also, do we really want another day on the train? It’s less than an hour and a half from here to Spoleto, for example, but when you’re doing so much travelling do we want another half-day on the tracks? Also, the weather forecast predicted 27’ and the local train doesn’t have aircon. After a lot of discussion we decided to catch a bus and do a walk.

A quick bus trip to Pretola and a brief visit to the Tiber (Tevere) to see the river and the old mill guarded by a lookout tower and we were soon on the Sentiero delle Lavandaei, the Path of the Washerwomen. 

For hundreds of years until the second half of the twentieth century the washerwomen used this path to walk to and from Perugia, 7km away. Carts loaded with the washing of the rich and middle classes and those of government officials, from hospitals and other civil walks of life were brought down to the river where the women washed the laundry in the Tiber and hung the washing out to dry on the banks of the river - Perugia’s giant laundry service.

A washerwoman and her guard

Alongside fields of wheat and olives,

through woodlands full of the songs of blackbirds, robins, great tits and black caps (thanks Merlin!),

past hives full of honey

and an ancient fountain,

in two hours we were back in Perugia.

A short detour took us past yet another beautiful, old tower and entrance into the city

past a wonderfully decorated old shop

to the ancient church of St. Michael Archangel. 

This impressive church was originally built in the 5th century, making it one of the oldest in Italy.

It was time for lunch, so we wondered back into town. Our route took us along the old aquaduct.

to a wonderful restaurant where we enjoyed a delicious al fresco meal.