Via della Viola is a narrow, gently sloping street in the north-east of Perugia's historic centre, a short walk from Piazza IV Novembre. Once a street of craft workshops that had grown quiet, it has come back to life in recent years around an old neighbourhood cinema, the PostModernissimo, and is now known for its murals, small bars and student crowd. It is a good place to see the everyday side of Perugia away from the main Corso.
Via della Viola at a glance
- Where: in the old town north-east of Piazza IV Novembre, in the area of the Porta Sole district, near the church of San Fiorenzo and the Carmine.
- What it is today: a lively residential street with murals, wine bars, osterie, artisans' workshops and an independent cinema.
- Good to know: it is a real neighbourhood street rather than a monument, at its busiest in the evening and during university term.
- Time needed: 15 to 30 minutes to walk it, longer if you stop for a drink or a film.
From workshops to a street reborn
Like many streets in Perugia's upper town, Via della Viola is lined with old stone houses, arches and stairways, and for a long time it was home to craftsmen's workshops. As fewer people lived in the historic centre, many of those workshops closed and the street became quieter. Only a small share of Perugia's population lives inside the old walls today, which makes keeping streets like this alive a real challenge.
The turning point was the cinema. A hall in this area, known over the years as the Carmine, the Moderno and the Modernissimo, was run as an art-house cinema by the Donati family from 1978 until it closed around 2000. After standing empty for about fifteen years it was reopened as the PostModernissimo by a group of young Perugians, funded partly through crowdfunding. The cinema brought people back, and artists' studios, wine bars and osterie followed, while the former convent of San Fiorenzo became a meeting place for local associations.
What to look for
- The murals and painted details on walls and doors along the street, which change over time as new works appear.
- The PostModernissimo cinema near the steps at the top of the street, which shows independent films and hosts events.
- The church of San Fiorenzo, and next to it the door to the 15th-century cloister of its former monastery.
- The old stone house fronts, arches and stairways typical of Perugia's medieval upper town.
- The small workshops, bars and osterie at street level, many of them run by young local people.
A street that lives at night
Perugia is a university city, home to one of Italy's oldest universities and to the University for Foreigners, and Via della Viola reflects that. In the evening, students and locals fill the bars and the steps, and the cinema often has screenings in original language. It is a different Perugia from the grand squares and palaces: smaller, more informal and very much lived in.
Tips for your visit
- Come in the late afternoon or early evening, when the bars open and the street fills up.
- Remember that people live here: keep noise down late at night and don't block doorways when taking photos.
- The streets around are steep and paved with stone; wear comfortable shoes.
- Check the cinema's programme if you'd like to catch a film during your stay.
Nearby
- Piazza IV Novembre and the Fontana Maggiore: Perugia's main square with its 13th-century fountain, the Cathedral and the Palazzo dei Priori.
- Porta Sole: the highest part of the old town, with a terrace looking out over the countryside.
- Via Pinturicchio and the Arco dei Tei: an old street with the house where the painter Pinturicchio lived, and the arch leading to Largo di Porta Pesa.
- Etruscan Arch: the monumental ancient gate on the north side of the historic centre.
See Perugia with World City Trail
Our Perugia scavenger hunt turns the historic centre into a game you play on your phone. The route takes around two hours, with about 33 minutes of walking, and leads you through Perugia's squares and alleys at your own pace. You can play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Dutch.
If you prefer a different format, Perugia also has a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game.
Play the Perugia scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Perugia →
Play the outdoor escape game in Perugia →
Facts checked in October 2026.