Umbria from above: Perugia, Assisi and Orvieto above the valleys

A bar with a panoramic terrace next to the Giardini Carducci, at the edge of the upper town. The view runs over the hills towards Assisi. Wine, beer and something to eat with them; the terrace is open only in summer and it fills quickly, so arrive early. A students' and residents' place more than a visitors' one.

At the southern end of Corso Vannucci, above the Rocca Paolina. The railing of the garden is the city's free balcony: the valley, Assisi on its hill and the line of the Apennines. Italy's tourism site lists it among the panoramic terraces of Perugia. Free and always open.

A five-star relais with a spa, on the upper side of Assisi. The restaurant follows the day from a light lunch to dinner and, in the warm months, serves on the panoramic terrace. The cooking, in the relais's words, tells the territory and the season. Quiet, and removed from the pilgrim routes.

The restaurant of the Giotto Hotel, near the Basilica of St Francis. Tables are set on a panoramic terrace that looks at the town and the countryside, or in a vaulted stone room; the hotel also has a coffee shop with a terrace over the Umbrian valley. Reviews praise the view and warn of slow service on full evenings: book, and ask for the terrace.

The medieval fortress on the hill above the town. The tourist office speaks of one of the most beautiful panoramas of the whole Umbrian valley, from the towers and from the open ground outside. Most visitors never climb this far: the Basilica, the roofs and the plain are below, and there is room to stand.

The tower stands where the main streets of Orvieto cross. From the top the town shows what it is: a slab of tufa with a cathedral on it, and the countryside falling away on every side. Guides to Umbria name it for a unique view over the town. Tickets at the foot of the tower.