Umbrian Delight Walking

To arrive, you’ll take the metro (the Minimetro) directly to the center of town and your comfortable hotel. Perugia is the capital city of Umbria and the seat 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 up on the hilltop to repel invaders. The streets are precariously narrow. The splendid 14th century Palazzo dei Priori sits at the highest point and houses the Galleria Nazional di Umbria and its many treasures. The nearby Corso Vannucci is ideal for strolling and people watching. Don’t forget to try the chocolates Perugia is so famous for!

In the morning you’ll transfer from your hotel to Valfabbrica, a quiet and charming village with ancient origins where you’ll find the start of your hiking trail. The beginning of the walk is a bit tough but then it will become easier. You’ll walk over rolling hills and through thick woods, and be rewarded with a breathtaking view of Assisi. Your Assisi hotel is just outside of the center of town and within walking distance of the basilica. From the terrace you’ll have a wonderful view over the surrounding hills. You can enjoy a refreshing dip in the hotel pool at the end of a tiring but rewarding first day.

Today you’ll have an optional walk in the “Footsteps of St. Francesco” as you visit the Eremo delle Carceri, a small monastery located on the spot where St. Francis would pray in solitude. At the top of the trail, 500 meters from the Eremo, is a nice picnic spot with tables and benches. Today could also be your day to just visit Assisi, a “precious, medieval jewel” set against a lovely natural backdrop. 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.

You’ll start from the hotel and walk on a trail which cuts through the Natural Park of Mount Subasio, a protected area with serene paths meandering through open meadows with ancient oak and chestnut trees. Mount Subasio is a haven of subtle beauty and spirituality, and a wonderful place for walking as you head towards Spello. Spello is a lovely walled town, another medieval jewel with picturesque, steep cobbled streets and peaceful squares. It’s much less touristy and quieter after Assisi. From your hotel you’ll have a view over the whole valley.

Monte Subasio, with its unusual, flat top, is often called the “roof of Umbria.” It’s the mountain of Assisi and St. Francis. Views from the top are magnificent due to centuries of forest cleared for grazing animals. Even today you might meet a lonely shepherd with his flock and feisty, barking dogs. You’ll walk to the Madonna della Spella shrine and then to the lovely hamlet of Collepino where you can have a picnic lunch. From here you’ll walk back to Spello for another night in this enchanting village.

You’ll start the day with a 20 minute transfer by van from Spello to Collemancio to begin a spectacular walk to Bevagna. Here you can visit the genuine and rustic cellar of the Dionigi family, one of the producers of Umbria’s well known and distinctive wines, the Sagrantino di Montefalco (Umbria’s answer to Brunello wines!). Tonight you’ll stay in Bevagna at the Palazzo Brunamonti, once the home of the noble Pietro Brunamonti.

Today’s walk will loop through the heart of the best wine area of Umbria, but first you’ll visit more of Bevagna which is known for its medieval market during the month of June. Then you’ll head to Montefalco, nicknamed “the balcony of Umbria” because of its spectacular views. Don’t miss the dazzling Renaissance frescoes painted by Benozzo Gozzoli in the 15th century in the huge church of San Francesco. You could have lunch at the enoteca on Montefalco’s main square, sample some wine at one of the best wineries of the area.

Today after breakfast you’ll be transferred to the railroad station in Foligno (between Perugia and Spoleto) from where you can take direct trains to both Rome or Florence.