Discover Umbria
Umbria is Italy’s best kept secret, an unforgettable landscape where guests can keep its historical treasures and scenery all to themselves. Famous for the cities of Perugia and Assisi, Umbria sits in the heart of Italy, in a varied countryside of farms, forests and rolling hills. Umbria has a tremendous collection of small, medieval towns and villages, many dating back to the Etruscans. Here traditional Italy still exists, with many crafts and lifestyle pleasures unchanged for hundreds of years.
The famous River Tiber flows from north to south through Umbria on its way to Rome and the sea. Many places in the region are known for their wines, notably Orvieto, with its rich tufa soil. Other produce of the land includes olive oil, fine cheeses and honey as well as wheat on the more fertile soils. From the forests come truffles and wild boar ham .
From Assisi we cross the slopes of Monte Subasio to the town of Spello, which still retains its Roman walls surrounding the mediaeval centre. There are more important Roman remains at Bavegna, which you pass on the way to Montefalco, another ancient walled town set among vineyards and olive groves. Our route then crosses the woods and pastures of the Monti Martani hills, before descending to the river Tiber.
The 6 day tour ends at Todi, a delightful small town with walls dating from Etruscan, Roman and mediaeval times. From Todi it is another 3 days leisurely walk to Orvieto passing Avagliano Umbro with its interesting fossil forest and the ancient village of Montecchio, from where panoramic views extend to Monte Fiascone and to the volcanic Monte Amiata in southern Tuscany.
The 9 day tour ends in Orvieto, originally an Etruscan settlement crowning a precipitous hill-top. A network ofmediaeval streets surrounds the renaissance cathedral. The surrounding slopes are largely given over to vineyards, source of the famous dry white Orvieto Classico.
TRAIL MARKERS: There are some marked paths, but elsewhere it is necessary to follow the route descriptions together with the detailed maps provided.
ACCOMMODATION & MEALS: Double or twin rooms in accommodation of 3* hotel standard. En-suite/private facilities are standard. Half-board (evening meal, bed and breakfast) on 3 or 5 nights, bed and breakfast only on 2 or 3 nights, when there are restaurants nearby. Picnic materials can be purchased at local shops or a packed lunch obtained from your hotel.
ARRIVAL: Shuttle train from Rome airport to Roma Termini station (half-hourly service, journey time 30 minutes) then train to Assisi . Change trains en route at Foligno. Journey time from Rome 2 to 3 hours.
END OF TOUR: train from Todi or Orvieto to Roma Termini (2 hours). Change trains en route at Terni. Then shuttle to Fiumicino airport.
Self Guided Inn to Inn 6 or 9 days
TOURCODE: SDU
GRADE:
P I P E S T O N E...T R A V E L
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