Hill Towns of Umbria

You will arrive in the Terontola train station and transfer to your hotel in Cortona, still part of Tuscany and the setting for Frances Mayes’ best- seller “Under the Tuscan Sun.” Cortona is a small but fascinating city in the province of Arezzo, situated on a commanding hill overlooking Lake Trasimeno. Its massive walls, still in great part preserved, are said to be 3000 years old. It was one of the twelve cities of Etruria and in its vicinity many ruins and Etruscan tombs may be seen. It’s a wonderful city for a delightful afternoon’s sightseeing.

You will enter Umbria and pedal by Lake Trasimeno, whose shores shelter migratory birds that nest in the bamboo that surrounds the lake. All around you’ll notice lovely villages surrounded by olive groves. There will be time to take a boat to Isola Maggiore where old ladies still weave traditional lace, fisherman mend their nets, and where you can savor some delicious fresh fish at Sauro’s Fish Restaurant. Discover the Montecorognola view point over the lake, Monte del Lago and San Feliciano fisherman village. Later you’ll continue biking to our destination, a peaceful agriturismo in the lush countryside. Cooking class is possible ($115 per person, including dinner)

Today you’ll bike through lovely, quiet countryside up to Perugia. Perugia is the capital city of Umbria and the center of major cultural institutions. It was an Etruscan stronghold before it became a Roman colony and was an important walled city in the middle ages, built high on the hilltop to repel invaders. The streets are precariously narrow. The splendid 14th century Palazzo dei Priori sits at its highest point and houses the National Gallery of Umbria with its many artistic treasures. The nearby Corso Vannucci is ideal for more strolling and people watching. Don’t forget to try Perugia’s world renowned chocolates! Your comfortable hotel is conveniently located in Perugia’s historic center.

As you cycle through the heart of Umbria you’ll pass by Deruta. Deruta is famous for beautiful ceramics that have been produced here for centuries. If you decide to visit you’ll have an impressive choice of this gorgeous craft in Deruta’s shops and workshops. You might like stop in Torgiano, home of Umbria’s finest wines produced by Giorgi Lungarotti. Here, you can visit their wine museum which features medieval machinery. Then it’s easy biking to Assisi. Make time in the afternoon to see this city’s artistic highlights. You can visit the magnificent Basilica of San Francesco, painstakingly restored after the recent earthquake. The basilica complex is composed of two churches built one above the other, the lower one dating from 1228 – 1230 and the upper one from 1230 – 1253. Entering the lower part of Piazza San Francesco, you’ll get an unforgettable view of the facade with its simple, harmonious lines. Inside the lower church are beautiful frescoes by famous artists such as Lorenzetti and Giotto, and the wonderful Chapel of St. Martin is completely frescoed by Martini with scenes of the life of St. Martin. It’s one of the most beautiful works of the painter and a masterpiece of Gothic art. You can visit the Crypt and the Chapel of the Relics where St. Francis’ belongings are kept. It’s the upper church, however, where you’ll find Giotto’s frescoes illustrating the life of St. Francis and one of the most important cycles of paintings in the history of Italian art. In the Piazza del Commune you’ll see a 14th century pulpit and the Roman Temple of Minerva, with a well-preserved original exterior.

Today you’ll cycle through beautiful olive groves on top of a ridge to Spello, a small, perfectly preserved town still encircled by Roman walls. It’s possible to make a stop in Bevagna on your way back to Assisi. Don’t forget to sample the famous Sagrantino wine. You could also stay in Assisi today and have more time to explore this fabulous “pink” city.

You’ll start by cycling into the heart of wine country to Montefalco, nicknamed “the balcony of Umbria” because of its spectacular views. Montefalco is also famous for its outstanding wine. Please take time here to admire the dazzling 15th century Renaissance frescoes painted by Benozzo Gozzoli in the huge church of San Francesco. Then cut across the Monte Martani mountains before descending towards Todi, a lovely little town perched on the top of a hill. We spent the night in an historical palace.

Last but not least the road from Todi to Orvieto is winding and turning in a rugged, beautiful landscape, with nice views over the Corbara lake. This Etruscan town dominates the valleys with its brown-red cliffs of soft Tufo stone which, since Etruscan times, have been carved to make tombs and cellars. You should try to make time to visit the Duomo, considered the finest cathedral of its period in Italy with some amazing frescoes by Signorelli. You can take a final stroll up and down Orvieto’s narrow streets where you’ll find many picturesque stores for some last minute shopping.

Your tour ends today with departure after breakfast.