From harsh gorges to sweet hills, wild woods to fertile plains transformed by wise and varied cultivations; oases of fresh, crystal-clear spring water; chis is the typical Umbrian landscape - a region spread over 8456 sq. kms., nestling between Tuscany, Marche and Lazio. The area is divided between plains, hills and mountains but, as statistics show, it is the mountains which prevail. 53% of the total surface is classified as mountain terrain, 41% hills and the remaining 6% as plainland. Profound differences and contrasts make the countryside extremely varied; a result of the geological, hydrographical and climatic features of the area.

The Mountains and the Hills
Towards the Marches (le Marche) the Appenine chain winds in a north-west south-east direction. The peaks of these mountains rarely rise above 1500 metres and only in the extreme southeast do they reach a height of 2476 metres with the imposing Mount Vettore and its summit of Redentore in the Sibilline range, only part of which is in Umbria. The prevalently limestone relief creates huge stores of water and numerous springs. Conical depressions known as dolines or multiple basins with swallow-holes are common. The most famous of these basins are chose of Castelluccio above Norcia at about 1300-1400 metres, dominated by Mount Vettore with Colfiorito at 750 metres.
The rivers are almost all a part of the Tevere irrigation basin. In the mountains they have gouged out deep, narrow gorges such as that of the Nera river, one of the major tributaries of the Tever along with the Sordo, Corno and Velino rivers which meet at the Marmore waterfall. The lake of Piediluco, fed by the waters of the Nera, opens out with Mounts Corno, Caperno and dell'Eco in sight.
The steep crevices of the south west fluvial zone are a stark contrast to the rounded tops covered with meadows and the tectonic basins with the typical karst limestone erosion and wide lakes, found for example on the Piano Grande of Castelluccio di Norcia. The northern mountains are less harsh wich the alluvial basins of Gubbio and Gualdo Tadino. Moving west is the distinctly flatter but hilly upper valley of the Tevere. The agriculturehere is continuous, ranging from the ancient tobacco crop, introduced in 1575 in San Giustino and now concentrated around Città di Castello, to vineyards and the more recent cultivations of tomatoes and peppers.
Towards Tuscany, framed by a gentle landscape planted wich vines and olives, is Lake Trasimeno. Returning south one encounters the smooth hills of the sub-Appenines, with wide flat areas of intensive fruit-farming.
The Plains
The plains areas are made up of fluvial valley floors, karst plains and alluvial basins ever-present between the hilly and mountainous zones. The valley of the Tevere, whose upper and middle reaches are on Umbrian territory, is a large basin interrupted by a series of broader sections such as are found at Città di Castello, Umbertide and Todi. It becomes more of a real valley along the south-western borders of the region. The Valle Umbra is the largest of the Umbrian river basins. It runs along the whole arc from Torgiano to Spoleto and is fed by the rivers Marroggia, Clitunno, Topino and Chiascio. The basin of Lake Trasimeno, part of the basin which covers the vast depression of Valdichiana, and the Terni basin, which has similar origins, complete the lowlands of Umbria.
Natural Beauty Spots
Human intervention, the morphology of the area and its vegetation have created a region of great attraction for tourists.
The Marmore Waterfall
It is not perhaps universally known that chis waterfall is no natural phenomenon but was engineered by the Romans in the 3rd century B.C.. It is formed by the waters of the Velino river and Lake Piediluco which cascade into the Nera from a height of about 160 metres. The force of the water is exploited by a hydroelectric power plant.
The Clitunno Springs. Situated near Trevi the springs are immersed in an enchanting oasis of peace which has inspired generations of poets from Virgil to Carducci. The waters surge in weil-heads from cracks in the rocks and gather in a small lake no more than 4 metres deep. They then flow north along the "Forma Nuova", an ancient artificial river bed whose purpose was to transport water to the mills of Pissignano. If one observes carefully the bottom of the lake between the island and the road it is possible to see the white sand bubbling from the eddies of in-coming water. About 1 km along Via Flaminia just below the small Temple of Clitunno, the springs of Vene del Tempio emerge from the chalky limestone.
The Fossil Forest of Dunarobba A fossilised deposit of remains of large Taxodiaceae tree trunks similar to sequoias, the forest developed about 1,200,000 years ago on the banks of the ancient lake Tiberino which occupied all of the valley between Spoleto, Perugia and Todi.
The Plain of Castelluccio This closed valley is a phenomenon of karst water erosion of limestone. It is divided into Piano Grande, Piano Piccolo and Piano Perduto. Of tectonic origin, it is at a height of about 1300 metres between Mt. Vettore and Mt. Ventosola. The surface waters are absorbed by a karst swallow-hole at the foot of Mt. Ventosola.
Limestone Grottoes of Mt. Cucco To reach Mt. Cucco one turns off the Via Flaminia at Sigillo (Gubbio). Access to the grotto is by way of an easy mule track and then a pathway from the village. One descends to the grotto below the mountain top by a 30 metre-long iron ladder. It is advisable to use a safety rope. The cave, which extends for about twenty kilometres and is 922 metres deep, constitutes the largest limestone system in Italy. The chambers normally accessible are those on a level at the main entrance, and they run for about 500 metres. The complex is connected hydrogeologically with the Scirca springs.
The Oasis of Alviano Extending over an area of 800 hectares betwen Alviano, Guardea, Montecchio and Civitella, the lake basin has an average depth of 30/50 cm. It was formed by a damming of the Tevere. It is a humid area, ideal for the passage and nesting of rare migratory birds for the delight of bird- watchers.
The Plain of Colfiorito This vast area of 1840 hectares is at a height of about 750 metres above sea level. It is one of the multiple drainage basins with a grassy flat bottom and marshy features typical of the karst phenomena in Umbria. In 1977 it was declared a wetland zone of international interest and hosts a swamp which is permanently waterlogged.
The Springs of the Nera Gorges In the deep incision of the calcareous rock in the stretch between Lecinetto and Neramontoro are numerous springs which pump out a total of 19 cubic metres of water per second.
The springs of Lecinetto and Neramontor are extremely charming as they emerge from a small karst cave closed by a door, as are those of Lavatoi which gush out at Stifone and pour into the Nera river by way of a waterfall.
Before the dam is a big pool fed by a large spring which is used by the italian national electricity corporation, Enel.
Crossing the small bridge an the Nera and going up a mule track over the railway, there is a beautiful view of the whole area.