A Visit To Picture Perfect Perugia With Ken Kaminesky

Streets of Perugia

Nestled atop a prominent hilltop in the heart of Umbria about two hours north of Rome, the medieval city of Perugia stands constant vigil over ancient trade routes.  The current capital of the region, Perugia has a long and storied past that pre-dates the Romans and stretches back to the Etruscan period.  With a population of just under 170,000 the city serves as home to a large university, and a plethora of wonderful festivals and events.

Perugia - Metro Line

My visit to Perugia occurred as part of an afternoon photo workshop and walking tour with Ken Kaminesky as part of the Travel Bloggers Unite Umbria conference.  Ken is a fantastic photographer with a specialty in HDR (High Dynamic Range Imaging). He was speaking at the conference and had offered to host one of the workshops which allowed a small group of us to pick his brain and discuss the simple (and not-so-simple) subtleties of advanced travel photography.  After Ken’s initial presentation filled with great info, we piled onto a bus and were shuttled to the foot of Perugia. Once there we were greeted by the city’s futuristic mini-metro cable-driven cars which quickly ferried us up past ugly modern buildings and into the gorgeous heart of the old city.  In a way, it felt as though we had boarded a time-ship and were pulled back hundreds of years in time.

Perugia - Rooftop Textures

We had parked and ascended on the side that was marked by modern structures – hotels, office buildings, and the types of structures you would expect.  The first views as we exited the MiniMetro however,  were breathtaking.   The far side and the overlook were mostly natural and almost completely historic.

Perugia - Rooftop Textures

As we paused to gather our group together and lay out our plan of action I was immediately taken by the rich textures and colors of the surrounding buildings.  Buildings that embody the very image of what I think of when I think “Italy”.

Perugia - Rooftop Textures

There’s something about the brick and earthen tile work on Perugia’s old buildings that really add to their character and charm.  It gives them a mottled aged look, but in a way that still seems fresh, vibrant, and strong – only tempered with depth and added character.

Perugia - Rooftop Textures

One of the things I love about hilltop towns is the varied rooftop levels that result and the crazy quilt juxtaposition of building shapes.  These can be gorgeous to behold. Hilltop towns offer the added depth of windows, portals, and views down partially obscured, winding streets. Each small alleyway begs exploration and beckons enticingly. There is mystery and magic unfolding in the twisting streets below. I pick out a few distinctive elements that I would later search out once I began my exploration of Perugia’s environs.

Perugia - Atrio Postale

With more than 2,000 years of rich history and a far from insignificant role in Italy’s history, Perugia’s streets are decorated with small but historically interesting highlights. There are lots of features to photograph and enjoy.

Perugia - Street Scene

As we wound in towards the city’s core Ken paused periodically to discuss framing, best conditions for lighting different shots, how to hunt for good people shots, and shared what he looks for when capturing a moment. Our path took us past the old palatial city hall before we paused in Piazza IV Novembre by the Fontana Maggiore.

Perugia - Building Textures

I mentioned previously that the city is awash in wonderful textures. Those textures go far beyond the mottled reds and grays of the roof tiles on the city’s building’s. They permeate all aspects of the city, from the wonderful local Italian foods, deserts and famed candies to the marble decorations that highlight the walls of the local buildings.

Old Buildings in Perugia

It is only when you pause and look closely at the buildings that you start to realize just how old the city is! These buildings have stood for centuries and sustained a myriad of renovations and updates.  Closer inspection reveals bricked in doorways, windows, arches, and building dividers.  I find my eye is often drawn to the contrasting elements of  modern plumbing and electrical lines attached to the surface of these ancient stones.  All integrated into the crumbling (and oft repaired) brick walls that support foundations that have seen the passing of countless generations.

Perugia's Rooftop Textures

As we continued to cut across the crest of the hill we were soon met with by another wonderful overlook and a steep staircase that cut down into the small saddle where the majority of the city’s residential districts sit.

Perugia - Rooftop Textures

One thing that made me chuckle were all the satellite dishes. They serve as an interesting reminder that behind the facade of history and tradition lies a thriving, modern, 21st century city that is busy relaxing, working, and engaging with the rest of Italy and the world at large.

The View from Perugia

As we made our way down the staircase, our luck with the weather began to turn.  We had driven through a light rain before arriving at Perugia.  About 2/3 of the way through our walking workshop, the rain decided to make a light (but bearable) return.  While we were all less than thrilled with the prospect of it turning into a more aggressive rain, it did serve to bring the colors out of all of the city’s stone and vegetation.  It left sparkling water droplets on blades of grass and the city’s many flowers adding to their crisp and natural beauty.

Winding Roads of Perugia

The downside to exploring Italy’s incredible hilltop cities is, of course, that they’re actually on hills. Not just any hills – but usually quite steep ones. I can’t imagine what sort of adventure the streets turn into in the rare event that the towns get snow or rain-turned-ice. Regardless, it makes for wonderful curving streets that catch your eye and race with it down and away towards the flat plain below.

Perugia in Bloom

If you find yourself planning a trip to Umbria, definitely consider late April and early May. You avoid the conventional high season, the flowers are in bloom, and the air is fresh and crisp. It is just right for casual walking.

Perugia - Man and Umbrella

Just make sure to pack an umbrella and a sense of relaxed time. The weather in the region often seems to come in waves with a brief afternoon rain that quickly gives way to movie-perfect clouds and drifting skies. While animated, the Italian pace of life in these cities is often fairly relaxed and serves as a wonderful reminder to pause and enjoy the moment before setting aside an hour or two for an amazing meal.

Perugia - People Wandering

Thanks again for Ken for the fantastic tips, TBU, Umbria on the Blog and the Umbrian Tourism Board for a great look at the city of Perugia.

These photos were shot on my new Canon T3i (600D) dSLR Camera with an 18-135mm lens.  My time in Italy was the first opportunity I’ve had to experiment with the camera “in the wild”. It has been a wonderful upgrade to my trusty Canon G11 (which I still love) and I look forward to truly mastering the camera in the future.

I am a travel blogger and photographer. I also am involved in academic research into the study abroad and backpacker communities.

17 Comments

    1. Thanks! I’m loving it so far! I still have a lot to learn and to play with (it’s my first SLR of any sort), but I think i’m making good progress! The added ability to play with DOF is definitely one of the things I like the most about it!

  1. Hey Alex,

    Was great to hang out with you in Umbria and I’m so glad that you enjoyed the talk and photowalk in Perugia. Happy to see that you’re digging the upgraded camera and that you’re experimenting and testing all the features. Keep having fun with it!

    Hope to see you again somewhere down the road 🙂

    1. Thanks Ken! Yep, diving into them – though I still have to follow your advice and sit down and read the manual. I managed a chapter the other day and it was definitely…illuminating. Lot more to that camera than I thought.

  2. I used to live in Perugia so lovely to see some great shots of the place! Amazed they actually finished that mini-metro though! Feeling all nostalgic now…

  3. Great photos, and I enjoyed the contrasts between the B&W and colour iterations. Sad I didn’t have time to see Perugia other than for a brief sunset, but at least I can see it through the eyes of the many who attended Ken’s walk! Thanks for sharing.

  4. Looks like you’ve done a good job of mastering that camera! Your photos are wonderful, and your descriptions add to the effect. You really captured the textures, and your B&Ws are amazing.

  5. A stunning selection of shots – even though I loved my video walk at the conference I really wish I could have come along on this as well! Also I LOVE my G11, but recently got a ‘proper’ SLR too and yes there is a difference – and a lot to learn!

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