Compare Umbria’s Green Valley: A Cycle Tour Through The Valle Umbra by Umbria Con Me Sas vs A Taste of Italy by Sarracini Travel

Day 1: Individual arrival at your hotel in Assisi

Collect cycles, route briefing and instruction.

The tour starts near the Middle Age city of Assisi, the pilgrims’ town  built against the slopes of Mount Subasio. Many monuments have been erected here in honour of the saints Francis and Clare.

Day 2: Today you will cycle mainly through the valley, passing Spello and Foligno to arrive at your hotel Casco dell’Acqua (26 km)

You leave your hotel and cycle along the slopes of Mount Subasio to  Spello. There is enough time this morning to wander around this charming ancient town, pleasantly situated on the southern slopes of Mount Subasio. In urban, architectural and artistic terms, Spello is an extremely interesting town, containing many features dating back to the Roman and medieval times. Spello is also called the town of flowers, because of its many colourful little alleys embellished with plants and flowers.  The town is well known for its special flower festival (‘infiorata’) for Corpus Domini. After Spello you descend to Foligno, which is in the valley. You pass along the main square with its beautiful ‘duomo’ which still has a Romanesque façade. Continuing along the lively main shopping street you will leave the town to cycle the last kms of your route, across the fertile valley with its colourful fields and various waterways. Your country house is situated in the village Casco dell’Acqua

Day 3: Cycling to Spoleto (26 km)

This morning a short tour among olive groves will take you to Spoleto. You can already see Spoleto from afar, with its castle dominating the hilltop on which the medieval part of the town is built. The centre is still largely inside the medieval town walls. Spoleto is very famous for its music festival ‘dei due mondi’, held in the first weeks of July. There is a lot to see in Spoleto, including the cathedral with its famous frescoes by the Florentine painter Filippo Lippi, the Roman house and the Roman theatre with an annexed archaeological museum. Your hotel is in the centre of town

Day 4: Cycling to Bevagna and (optionally) Montefalco (35 km –cycle path route- or 40 km)

This morning you can choose for an easy ride along the cycle path directly to Bevagna of a slightly longer route with some more up and downhill cycling. The longer route is passing through an undulating landscape you will already see Montefalco from a distance. At the foot of this town you have the option to continue along the valley directly to Bevagna or to visit Montefalco… but to reach this lovely town you first have to conquer a steep climb. Montefalco (472 m a.s.l.) is also known as the ‘balcony of Umbria’, because of the fantastic panorama. The Franciscan church, now a museum, is decorated with magnificent 15th and 16th century frescoes by artists such as Benozzo Gozzoli and Perugino. Montefalco is well-known for its excellent wines, Rosso di Montefalco d.o.c. and Sagrantino d.o.c.g , produced on the sunny slopes around the town, and of course it is almost impossible to leave the town without tasting them in one of the many wine bars. 

From Montefalco you go downhill to Bevagna. This town has a lovely medieval square with a fountain and two Romanesque churches. The square is a real meeting place for the friendly inhabitants of the town.

Day 5: Bevagna – Torgiano (30 km)

In the morning you have still time to visit Bevagna. Leaving it you continue cycling mostly through the valley to Torgiano, a small ‘borgo’ at the confluence of the rivers Chiascio and Tiber (Tevere), famous for its excellent wines. Your hotel is in the quiet town centre.

Day 6

Today you can choose between two circular routes:

Visiting Perugia (24 km)

This trip takes you to the neighbouring town of Perugia, which is the capital of the province. A short cycle tour takes you to the station in Ponte S.Giovanni  at the foot of Perugia. From here a local train will take you into the historical centre of Perugia.  The centre, with its little alleys and characteristic town squares, is a lively vibrant place. The renaissance palaces, medieval churches, museums and many galleries will make a lasting impression. After your visit you return by train and bike to the peaceful, hospitable town of Torgiano.

A trip in the surroundings of Torgiano (33 or 47 km)

Close to Torgiano (6 km) is the village of Deruta which has, in part, managed to retain the highly distinctive features of its medieval buildings. Deruta is universally famous for its ceramics. The origins of this ancient art go back as far as the Etruscan times and nowadays the many local workshops still make excellent quality ceramics. Numerous Italian and foreign museums have pieces of Deruta ceramics on show, including the Victoria and Albert Museum. The town hall hosts  the art gallery and the ceramics museum. The next stop is the sanctuary of Madonna dei Bagni, which has built after a miracle, which took place in the year 1657. Inside the church there are more then 600 votive tiles, all testimony to the tradition of the Deruta ceramics. Cycling through a beautiful hilly landscape you pass typical Umbrian hamlets like Casalalta. Your cycle back to Torgiano is through the Tiber valley. Torgiano, like Montefalco, is famous for its excellent red and white wines and when you have you can visit the interesting wine museum. Next to the museum you can taste the wines of the Lungarotti family in the ‘osteria’.

Day 7: To Assisi  (25 km)

Today you will cross the valley, cycling on quiet country roads. You will already see Assisi from afar as, like many other Umbrian towns, it is built on a hilltop. Before reaching Assisi, however, you can stop for a moment to visit the Franciscan basilica in S.Maria degli Angeli. Under its impressive dome still lies the humble little chapel ‘Porziuncola’ where Saint Francis came to pray.

To reach the beautiful historical centre of Assisi you have to make a short steep climb, but wandering through the town you will agree that it was worth the effort. You will have enough time to visit the main monuments of the town, like the basilica of Saint Francis with its beautiful frescoes by the painters Giotto, Simone Martini, Cimabue and Pietro Lorenzetti. Your overnight stay will be in the hotel where you started your tour (3 km from Assisi)

Day 8: Departure

Day 1: Rome

Welcome to Rome! After a meet and greet at the airport with your driver, you will be transferred to your hotel. At 8:30 pm reach the meeting point to be ready for the departure of the Rome by Night Tour. The local expert guide will lead you to discover the wonders of the Eternal City, charming by day, absolutely romantic by night. The tour ends in the Colosseum area. Enjoy on your own the rest of the night. Return to the hotel on your own and overnight stay.

Day 2: Rome > Assisi > Siena > Florence

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Early morning departure for Assisi. Visit the Basilica of St. Francis featuring masterpieces by Giotto and Cimabue. Continue to Siena, home of the Palio. End the day in Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Florence

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

After breakfast, you will spend the day venturing around beautiful Florence, the “Cradle of Renaissance, where, with the help of Michelangelo, Italian art reached its pinnacle. Spend the afternoon strolling the cobblestone streets of Florence on your own or take a short trip to Pisa (optional).

Day 4: Florence > Bologna > Padova > Venice

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Depart for Bologna after breakfast in Florence. Wander through some of the city’s many, elegant arcades (or porticos), for which Bologna is famous. In the afternoon, continue toward Padova, with its original Sant’Antonio Basilica. In the early evening, we will arrive in Venice. Check-in to your hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

Day 5: Venice

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, enjoy your private water-taxi transfer to Piazza San Marco, with “Skip the Line” tickets to visit the splendid St. Mark’s Basilica and, after this, check out the most iconic places of the “Floating City”. Spend the afternoon roaming along Venice’s canals at your leisure and then return to the hotel and overnight.

Day 6: Venice > Montepulciano (Tuscany) > Rome

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

After breakfast, depart for Tuscany, known for its romantic churches, castles and beloved wines. Proceed to Val di Chiana with a stop in Montepulciano, a Medieval town rich with history and art. That evening we will arrive in Rome.

Day 7: Rome

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast depart from the hotel for the included tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St.Peter’s Basilica with our exclusive “Skip the Line” access. The tour ends in St. Peter’s Square. Afternoon and evening at leisure. Meals: B

Day 8: Rome

Meals: Breakfast

Final breakfast followed by check-out. Arrivederci!