Since even before the days of Da Vinci, regional rivalries seem to be a part of what it means to be Italian.

And it turns out, even Italy's most cherished saints are tied in with this regional pride.

Hi, I'm Rick Steeves.

Since we can't call Francis of Assisi to talk about Umbria or ring up Catherine of Siena

to describe her hometown in Tuscany,

today on Travel with Rick Steeves,

we've invited friends from those same regions to tell us why they love their home turf the best.

Tusk can is a little bit more sophisticated than Umbria.

Tusk and people are more renaissance. The Umbrian people are more E truscan people in their show.

In one corner Chechilia Botai represents Umbria and in the other

Jamie Blair Gould speaks up for his adopted home of Tuscany.

It's the way of life.

I get a buzz every time I go to a market.

We'll also check in with our listeners

for stories about their travels in Italy,

especially when a Yankee unwittingly commits a faux-pau

and what we can learn from our embarrassment.

Come along with us as we get better acquainted with Italy in the hour ahead.

It's Travel with Rick Steves.

Today on Travel with Rick Steves, we're learning about two neighboring regions of Central Italy, Tuscany and Umbria.

They're both rich with medieval hill towns, scenic vineyards, and farm-stay B&Bs.

But they each boast their own distinct traditions and character.

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