You live in London, right? it's not like you live in Alice Springs - have you considered perhaps visiting Perugia first before you decide to live there for 3 or 4 years? You guys in the UK crack me up. :-)

Hello thomas144, thought my post might illicit a moderately sceptical response as the title was deliberately divisive. Actually, I moved to Parma one year ago and really like living here but fancy a change. I really hated living in London. Prefer smaller friendly towns myself.

My timescale is more about the time I intend to stay in Italy but I would not be averse to settling somewhere beautiful and friendly. Actually, going to Perugia for 3 days tomorrow to do a bit of reconnaissance. Quite understand your post but am fractionally more balanced than you might think - just digging for some dirt really. Take it easy!

I have only spent 4 days in Perugia, as a tourist. Not sure how useful my experience will be for you, but here are my answers inserted in your list of questions:

1) <Drug culture… needles on the streets and junkies floating around at night> Have not seen any, which does not necessarily mean they are not there.

2) <the foreign university brings a rough drinking culture to the city> There are bars where youngsters hang out in the evening, have seen some groups standing outside with a glass. Have not noticed one unseemly scene, I think it was all more about socializing than drinking. <Are there large groups of aggressive illegal immigrants> I was there last year and found it much, much less affected than the likes of Florence, Rome, Venice and Milan. Not sure what you mean by aggressive but not one of them addressed one word to me. Correction: I believe on guy was trying to sell us a rose once. We declined, he moved on.

3) <Unfriendly…Could I expect to make good Italian friends through time?> Well, that would depend on individuals and chemistry, wouldn’t it. Everyone I spoke with (I am fluent in Italian) was elegant and charming. Of course my experience was essentially limited to hotel and restaurant staff, museum custodians, taxi drives and shopkeepers.

4) <Urban sprawl> the old walled city sits on a hilltop just as you can see in the pictures. The most prominent sign of industry I have seen in the central area was the (actually entertaining) Perugino outlet on Corso Vannucci.

These said, a city can be very different when one lives there. I’d certainly take a week or two off and experiment with Perugia if at all possible, before making a big decision.

Best regards,

P_M

Did I miss the reason you are going to live in Perugia? Work, study, just because?

I, personally, do not like Perugia. I do not like how difficult it is to get around, to drive, to park in the center, etc. I find the city center to be a bit of a sprawl - nothing feels very cohesive to me.

Now, I know many will argue these points..I'm just giving my opinion. I live in Assisi - and have to go to Perugia often on business matters and to visit friends - but I can hardly wait to get out of there.

It is much different visiting any place for a short stay and living in the same place for longer periods of time. You get to see the good, the bad, and the ugly.

And the industrial sprawl can certainly be found outside the historical walls...but if you are going to be living within the walls, you may never really notice.

I've never seen piles of needles on the street - there is the big story of the American student having been murdered last year in Perugia and stories abound that drugs, sex and whatever were involved - but this kind of thing can happen anywhere...

I think you would be better off in Urbino if the student side is a requirement or perhaps Lucca if it has to be a larger town. Perugia would almost be my last choice for a place to live unless it was to study.

Well, considering people were kind enough to offer opinions I must provide an update. Really great posts by the way! On visiting I have decided Perugia is not for me (living wise) – I prefer Parma (where I am now).

I was most worried about the urban sprawl but this is no worse than many other big towns in Italy. Also, travelling through the Umbrian countryside in July – it’s rather hard to be disappointed.

What got me was the last thing I expected. Parma has beautiful and colourful open cobbled streets in the centre. Perugia is much more medieval with tight steep streets flagged with rather dull concrete grey stone. It’s also a little run down. A slight scruffy Siena if you will.

However, if you are thinking about going don’t be put off with my negative tones. This is a college town and should be a little ragged. It’s not dirty like Bologna and the people are incredibly friendly and kind – actually fun is the best word. The views of the surrounding hills are worth the trip alone.

Italian cities at night are my favourite and this one buzzes. If I was in Umbria or South East Tuscany I would make this a certain stop. Gutted I will miss the Jazz festival. But plan return next year for the music – but will just be staying a few weeks rather than a few years!

Opps, my main response is above but feel I owe Perugia the following:

unfriendly – absolutely not. Was struck by an exceptional warmth of the people.

unsafe drug culture/immigration - there is clearly a punk/hippy element. But much of this is a style choice not a social disorder. No needles or junkies. No sign of cross-cultural tensions. (Only here for 3 days though!)

urban sprawl – much less than most big Italian cities and obscured by the hills. This is no Turin or Verona.

Positivity – a fun place. With a jazz music festival that I will miss. Maybe this is karma for my overtly negative information requests. However, I will happily return next next year for a week or so.

Excuse my selling and sentence structure - it’s been a long day but wanted to write with a sincere spontaneity.

We know Perugia quite well and unless you are going to study there or have a job lined up, we doubt that you will become part of the Perugini way of life there.

Suggest you consider Siena. Voted the best place to live in Italy, (could argue this one), big student population, lively and very beautiful all round.

Hi i lived in perugia for 10 years my doughtr was born in umbria citta di castello Let me tell you something if your going and think youll fit in you will not my husbands from Rome and not even he was acepted there a very closed comuntiy 100% dont get me wrong there nice people but closed shy and almust afraid of poeple from outside there world