Discover Umbria

An 8 or 10 day cycling tour

This cycle tour is perfect for those looking to personally experience the unique and unspoiled region of Umbria with its beauty and hospitality. Umbria, nestling between Tuscany, Marche and Lazio, is maybe one of the smallest regions of Italy, but is has a wide range of different landscapes: from harsh gorges, to sweet green hills, wild woods to fertile plains transformed by varied cultivations; oases of fresh, crystal clear spring water and enchanting lakes. This cycle tour combines the beauty of nature with sightseeing in quiet little medieval towns. The trip starts and finishes in the surroundings of the beautiful and fascinating town of Assisi, the pilgrims’ town built against the slopes of MountSubasio.

You will pass many other interesting small towns such as Spello, whichhas Roman origins, as we are reminded by several features including the Porta Venere and Porta Consolare town gates, Montefalco, famous for its delicious wines and Bevagna, which has a lovely medieval square with two Romanesque churches. Two nights you will spend in Torgiano allowing time to visit the county-town of Perugia. Its magnificent old town center is certainly worth visiting, with renaissance palaces, medieval churches, museums and galleries, but of course it is also nice just to wander around the evocative alleys, the characteristic squares and the fashionable shopping street Corso Vannuci. During the second part of the tour you bike through a beautiful unspoiled scenery. The biker-friendly roads, the lovely towns and the green hills with cypresses, vineyards and olive trees make this tour unforgettable.

The 8 day tour can be extended by 2 nights. An overnight stay in Spoleto, a town full of life, with many squares, lovely little streets, shops with local delicacies and handicrafts, restaurants and a lot of sights to visit. The second night is in S.Feliciano on the fourth lake of Italy, Lago Trasimeno. There are many possibilities to discover the lake. One of them is this cycle tour around the lake, passing sunny little fishing villages such as Passignano, Tuoro and Castiglione del Lago with its castle. You can also take a day of rest or bike this tour only partial and take the ferryboat to visit one of the islands.

Programme:

Day 1 arrival at the hotel near Assisi (3 km)

The start of this cycle tour is in Assisi or close to Assisi, the popular pilgrimage town built on the slopes of Monte Subasio. Its impressive ramparts, towers and palace roofs of the town are visible from afar. In the end of the afternoon: collect cycles, route briefing and instruction.

Day 2 Passing the small medieval towns Spello-Montefalco-Bevagna-Torgiano (68 km)

After breakfast in the saddle and cycling along a panoramic road you arrive to Spello. You continue your journey through the valley of Spoleto, passing the valley town of Foligno. Then the route goes up to Montefalco; also called ‘the balcony of Umbria’, because of its fantastic panorama. The next town you will visit is Bevagna, whose characteristic medieval square still hosts two Romanesque churches. Your overnight stay is in Torgiano, a small town with a nicewine museum with nextdoor the ‘osteria’ of the Lungarotti family, where you can taste excellent wines.

Day 3 Visiting Perugiaor a day of rest (34 km)

Today you can visit the neighboring town of Perugia: the provincial capital and a lively, vibrant place. The medieval town centre with its little alleyways is at the highest point of the town. The renaissance palaces, churches, museums and many galleries make a lasting impression. You will spend the night once more in the peaceful, hospitable town of Torgiano.

Day 4 From Torgiano to lake Trasimeno (53 km)

On the fourth day you will bike through a hilly landscape to be rewarded with a magnificent view of the lake and its islands. Your hotel is just in Passignano, a town made of history and nature, art and folklore, peace and vitality.

Day 5 From the lake to Umbertide (46 km)

Today’s bike is through unspoiled scenery to the quiet little town of Umbertide, whose town centre is dominated by a majestic tower, the remains of a castle dating back to 1385.

Day 6 From Umbertide to Gubbio (km 55)

Today you will reach the fortified hill town of Gubbio. Worthwhile visiting are the palaces, the Roman theatre and the monastery of S. Ubaldo, which is built at 827m altitude and can be reached by cable car. Your overnight stay will be near the historical centre.

Day 7 From Gubbio to Assisi (km 60)

At the beginning of this last leg of the tour you still have some hard climbing to do, through a rolling still-life landscape, but after that you have a well-deserved easy descent to Assisi. Cycling through the centre of this little town you will pass its most important monuments, like the Basilica of St. Francis, the temple of Minerva and the basilica of St. Clare. After your tour you return to the hotel you started the tour this week.

Day 8 End of tour after breakfast

The 10 day tour has an extra night in Spoleto, an interesting town in the valley Valle Umbra and an extra night at Lake Trasimeno, waher you can make a ride around the lake.

Hotels: standard version has *** star hotels / the deluxe version **** star hotel and one *** star

Services included:

• 7 / 9 overnight stays with breakfast
• 7 / 9 dinners when booked the half board Version
• luggage transportation from Hotel to Hotel
• 8 / 10 days emergency support hotline
• Route descriptions in English, sightseeing information and maps
• Route briefing on arrival day in starting hotel
• Tour information on spot: brochures

Excluded in the tour

• Local tourist taxes to be paid in the hotels (between 1,00 - 2,00 € p.p.p.n)