The winter season gives Perugia a secret and totally unique charm, enveloping the entire city in a festive and discrete climate. The approach of the Christmas time makes the air jovial and sparkling, the lighted streets and the big wheel of "Carducci gardens" as well as the shop windows and Christmas present stalls, invite to enjoy this cheerful atmosphere.
A brisk typical northern wind (tramontana) clashes to this joyful atmosphere blowing from the old city centre in all its freshness. The Perugian people go at a high speed choosing to repair themselves in some pubs to chat in front of a boiling cup.
Often only the impact with the upcoming Christmas gives the necessary courage to defy these cooler and windy days for buying the last present and just take a look on the shop windows.
But once crossed the threshold of the walls, the centre of Perugia shows itself in all its beauty during the evening winter. The illuminations lit up the historical palaces of the old city centre; the soft light and the festive climate pervade all the street and corner.
The snow unfailingly veils the top of "Mont Subasio" but sometimes the whole city go white covered with a blanket of snow which turns its look into a fabulous landscape by soft and immaculate borders. When it happens, it is always well worth not to miss this spectacle and rush out in order to trample on the white and soft streets to enjoy the winter until it last.
The streets of the centre become the ideal place to carry out the original crib scenes which are situated on the adjacent premises in order to shape "The way of crib scenes". This event takes place every year representing the Nativity in different ways to enhance the handicraft and the most beautiful but least know corners of the city.
After Christmas time, there is the New Year feast to greet the past and to celebrate the entrance of the new year with the traditional appointment in the square.
Every year thousands of people choose to participate in this feast along the streets of the city defying cold and tramontana in order to be present at numerous organized concerts and to drink with friends.
Fireworks mark the countdown, hundreds of corks explode, the music conveys the euphoria from one year to another during this all nigh long party.
The artistic and cultural production continues even during the cold season, appointment spread and exhibitions, meetings and events multiply. Almost every day, palaces, galleries and cultural centres of Perugia offer guided readings, concerts and conferences which are very good alternatives to the home fireplace.
At the end of January, like every year, the "Festa di San Costanzo" comes. This is the patron of the city of Perugia and for this occasion there is the traditional illumination which among religious and laic events, ends in the main avenue of the old city centre Corso Vannucci, where people is invited to taste the typical cake of St. Costanzo. It is an exquisitely Perugian cake, which once was prepared almost exclusively in conjunction with the feast of the patron; it is based on water, yeast and flour and characterized by a pleasant taste of anise with candies, raisins, pine and cedar.
According to tradition, a garland of flowers was applied around the neck of the saint to hide the sign of his martyrdom during the recomposition of the corpse. In fact this cake was called "Torcolo"(ring shape) just to remember that gracious gesture.