Understanding Umbria
Umbria isn’t another city to tick off a list. It’s a region where countryside, quietness and everyday life shape the journey as much as any landmark. Here’s what I’d love you to know before you visit.
When the Duomo Became a Concert Hall
Every summer, Piazza del Duomo in Spoleto quietly transforms into one of Italy’s most remarkable open-air concert venues. During the closing evening of Festival dei Due Mondi, I discovered that the most memorable performance wasn’t only the orchestra - it was also the changing light, the ancient cathedral and the art of noticing.
Looking Again
Returning home to Umbria after a few days in London, I found myself slowing down among the sunflowers. Looking closely at what first appeared familiar became a quiet reminder that paying attention can be one of the simplest ways to feel grounded again.
The Space Between
Some cities are remembered through their landmarks. Others reveal themselves in quieter ways. During a few days in London, I found myself lingering in neighbourhoods, watching markets wake up, and discovering that the moments between destinations often become the ones we remember most.
A Summer Lasagna
Living in Italy has taught me that familiar recipes often change with the seasons. This fresh summer lasagna swaps ragù and béchamel for white bean cream, basil pesto and ripe tomatoes - a light, no-bake dish that celebrates the rhythm of summer.
My Third Summer in Umbria
Three years after moving to Italy, June feels less like a season and more like a way of life. Long days, ripening fruits, lingering lunches and familiar routines reveal an Umbria that guidebooks rarely describe.
The Shape of Repetition
Years before I moved to Umbria, I bought a face mask called Umbrian Clay. I thought little of it at the time. Years later, that small memory led me to a ceramics studio in Perugia, where a curiosity I had carried for years finally took shape.
Waiting for Tomatoes
Every summer, I find myself photographing tomatoes again - in gardens, markets, restaurants and kitchens across different places and seasons. Somewhere along the way, I realised I was not really documenting tomatoes, but the quiet role they play in daily life, memory and the way we eat.
Seeing Someone Twice
At the Far East Film Festival in Udine, a Singaporean film, an aperitivo at sunset and a conversation with friends became reflections on memory, migration and human connection.
Travel, Pre-Experienced
Increasingly, many travellers arrive at places they already feel they know. From viral cafés and luxury hotels to destinations shaped by films and social media, modern travel is becoming emotionally pre-scripted long before the journey even begins.
The Joy of Aperitivo
Aperitivo became one of my favourite rituals after moving to Italy - not because of the drinks themselves, but because of the feeling surrounding them. A relaxed moment of good company, small bites and evenings unfolding slowly.
The Luxury of Silence
Living in Umbria has made me question what silence, slowness and rest truly means in modern life. On overstimulation, performative travel, il dolce far niente, and learning to sit quietly with oneself in a world shaped by constant movement.
The Performance of Living Well
A reflective essay on modern travel, perfectionism and the quiet pressure to constantly optimise experience - and why perhaps the most meaningful moments are often the least performative.
Colours of Umbria
Beyond the familiar imagery of central Italy, the visual journal explores a quieter Umbria shaped by changing light, seasonal rhythms and the slow discovery of colour through everyday life.
The Craft of Gelato in Spoleto
On a summer evening in Spoleto, a conversation with world champion gelato artisan Alessandro Crispini reveals a philosophy rooted in craftsmanship, family, continual refinement, and the art of making things properly.
The Places We Carry
Moving between Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Umbria, I began noticing how food, family rituals and atmosphere quietly shape our understanding of home. This is a reflection on memory, migration, slowness and the emotional places we carry within us.
Where Rome Softens
Beyond the monuments and familiar postcards, Rome softens through hidden courtyards, jasmine-covered facades, evening rituals and quiet moments best discovered slowly.
Orvieto: The Ancient Umbrian Town Suspended Between Sky and Stone
Perched atop volcanic stone in Umbria, Orvieto is a town suspended between sky and earth - where cathedral mosaics shift with the light, underground tunnels carved through ancient rocks, and centuries of history remain deeply embedded within the landscape.
Spoleto, Between Stone and Silence
In Spoleto, medieval streets give way to forests, mountain paths and a quieter rhythm of life shaped by stone, silence and seasonality.
Why Umbria Feels Like Italy’s Best-kept Secret
Beyond Italy’s better-known cities, Umbria unfolds through hill towns, long lunches, stone streets and a quieter rhythm of life shaped by landscape, memory and slowness.