Walking in Umbria
Often known as the ‘green heart of Italy’ Umbria is the only Italian region to be landlocked. A land of saints, artists and delicious food, this small, lovely land is one of magnificent hills, enchanting woods , rushing rivers, lush green countryside and high mountain plains, famous for its mushrooms, truffles, chestnuts and game. It is also home to some of central Italy’s most extraordinary art towns – Assisi, home of St Francis, Spoleto, Spello and Bevagna. This tour your will guide you through an Italian region which, despite its proximity to Tuscany, is still relatively undiscovered.
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Tour Features
- Walking tour in Umbria
- Small group travel: maximum group size is 12 guests.
- Guaranteed departure dates
- UNESCO World heritage sites
- Accompanied by a Tour manager throughout your journey
- Tour cost includes entrance fees to main sites/museums
- Tour cost includes all hotel city taxes
- Castelluccio and the Sibillini
- Spoleto
- Montefalco
- Monte Subasio and Assisi
- Visit to delightful roman mosaics in Bevagna
- 3 nights in a charming small hotel in the little town of Montefalco
- 2 nights in a family-run converted mill with swimming pool
- 2 nights in a cosy hotel in Spoleto
- All lunches/breakfast
- Evening meals with drinks
- Arrival/Departure airport for this tour: Rome Fiumicino airport
- Transfers and pick-ups/drop-offs from/to the main airport of arrival on the day of arrival/departure of the tour are included
- Medium grade walking – you should be able to walk 12km.
Full Itinerary
Day 1
Arrival and onward to Campi
We meet at Rome Fiumicino Airport in the early afternoon and drive towards the medieval village of Campi.
In the afternoon, we have a circular walk starting and finishing at Campi. On the slopes of Monte Macchialunga, our walk takes us past some ancient hermitages, including the 15th century Eremo della Madonna di Santacroce.
Walking time: 2 hours
Mostly walking on good paths
Evening meal and overnight at an agriturismo in Campi.
Day 2
Walking from Castelluccio to Campi
This morning we drive to Castelluccio (45 mins drive) to begin our walk.
At 1452m above sea-level, Castelluccio is the highest settlement in the Apennines and its spectacular position above the Pian Grande – a high mountain plain hazed in a spring with a breathtaking carpet of wild flowers – is one you are unlikely to forget. It is famous for its lentils – small, brown and much-prized by gourmets — and for its shepherds. Even today, the ancient tradition of ‘transhumanza’ continues – flocks are brought up to Castelluccio to graze on the rich grass in spring, then taken back down to the valley before the autumn frosts.
We climb west out of the village in a gradual ascent through a forested valley until we emerge near to the top of Monte Patino and from where there are spectacular views over the valley of Norcia and north towards the region of Le Marche.
For the next hour we have a stunning high-altitude walk through grassy uplands until we begin the descent back down into Campi.
Walking time: 5 hours
Total ascent: 400m
Total descent: 1000m
Easy walking on the ascent over grassy farmland, but a long and sometimes steep descent
Day 3
Montefalco
After breakfast we drive to our hotel near Montefalco to drop off our bags. Having done so, we walk from the hotel to the hilly medieval core of Montefalco, a squiggly maze of narrow cobbled streets, where we enjoy a delicious lunch in the town square.
After lunch, we visit the Complesso Museale di San Francesco, where the 14th century church holds one of the finest Renaissance fresco cycles in Italy – the Life of St Francis by Benozzo Gozzoli, a pupil of Fra Angelico.
Dinner and overnight in Montefalco.
Walking time: 2½ hours
Total ascent: 275m
Mostly easy walking over grassy farmland, but includes a steep ascent at the end of the walk
Day 4
Montefalco and Bevagna
Montefalco is famed for its Sagrantino wines and this morning we will walk through picturesque vineyards to the handsome medieval town of Bevagna. Here we will discover another local tradition — a demonstration of paper-making! For those who are interested, Bevagna retains a marvellous Roman mosaic dating back from the time it was a staging post on the Via Flaminia. The mosaic – which belonged to a baths complex – is decorated with dolphins, octopuses and other sea creatures.
Evening meal and overnight near Montefalco.
Walking time: 2½ hours
Total descent: 275m
Mostly easy walking over grassy farmland
Day 5
Spello to Assisi via Monte Subasio
This morning we drive to Spello for the start of our walk which begins with a long ascent – firstly through scrubland and thickets and then across the grassy uplands of Monte Subasio, for spectacular views of the the Umbrian uplands. After a picnic lunch, we begin our descent into the town of Assisi.
In Assisi, there is free time to visit the Basilica of San Francesco – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and its astonishing cycle of frescoes by Giotto — before we return to Montefalco for the evening.
Evening meal and overnight near Montefalco.
Walking time: 6½ hours
Total ascent: 1200m
Total descent: 1012m
Mostly walking on good paths
Day 6
The San Francesco Way
This morning we drive to the medieval town of Trevi. This is the starting point for our walk to the beautiful town of Spoleto. Today’s walk is a long one (26km) but we are rewarded with stunning views over medieval villages.
For those who don’t want to do the whole walk, it is possible to do part of the walk and get a lift in the bus for the rest of the way.
Evening meal and overnight in Spoleto.
Walking time: 6½ hours
Total ascent: 1110m
Total descent: 1186m
Mostly walking on good paths
Day 7
Spoleto
In the morning we have a walking tour of the historic town of Spoleto. One of Umbria’s – and indeed Italy’s – cultural hubs, it has hosted an international theatre festival, the Festival dei Due Mondi every summer since 1958. In the afternoon you have free time to relax, or to explore more of Spoleto. The town is simply full of treasures, ranging from a Roman house to a contemporary art museum with works donated by artists associated with the festival, including Henry Moore, Renato Guttuso, Alexander Calder and Alberto Burri.
Evening meal and overnight in Spoleto.
Day 8
Homeward
Back to the airport
Departure transfers to Rome airport and flights back home.
Please note: this is the standard itinerary, but individual tour programmes may differ slightly to take account of local festivals, closing times and availability.
see photo gallery of this tour
