Umbria Bella

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Umbria Bella
7-DAY TOUR. Staying in Montefalco, visiting Spoleto, Bevagna, Spello, Perugia, Gubbio, Assisi and Orvieto This tour is a unique experience and will introduce you in a relaxed way to real life in one of Italy's least exploited regions.
EUR 2180 /AUD 3452 PER PERSON IN TWIN SHARE SINGLE SUPPLEMENT EURO 300 /AUD 592 *Subject to change
RESERVE NOW FOR 2009 Starting in Spoleto on Sundays 11 JAN, 15 MARCH, Easter itinerary on 05 APRIL, 03 MAY, 31 MAY, 06 SEPT, 04 OCT, 01 NOV Separate Easter Itinerary includes 1 extra day**
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Umbria is a dream landscape of serene valleys and fortified hill towns, vineyards and olive groves, in a setting of unsurpassed beauty nestling at the heart of the Italian peninsula. The tour provides a complete experience of real Italian life while exploring a region rich in an extraordinary wealth of history, art and some of the oldest architecture in Europe.

From one central and comfortable base you will have the opportunity to experience the varied riches of this magical region as yet unspoiled by tourism. This tour is a unique experience and will introduce you in a relaxed way to real life in one of Italy's least exploited regions. The itinerary is organised around guided day trips to impressive locations where Etruscan arches, Roman architecture and Renaissance frescoes form a fascinating collage. You will wander through local markets, delightful piazzas, enjoy a wine tasting of award winning wines and be brought face to face with a vibrant and attractive way of life that has deep roots in an ancient past while admiring the many architectural and artistic features that enrich the central Italian province of Umbria.

Accommodation

You will be staying in one comfortable centrally located accommodation at Camiano Piccolo, the Fabrizi family estate located just outside the walls of the medieval hilltown of Montefalco. The accommodation is ideally situated for our visits to nearby towns and villages. In 1991 a cluster of four of the farm buildings was converted into high quality accommodation, with a swimming pool added later. There are twenty-two rooms, all with their own bathroom and private entrance. Meals are held in a pleasant dining room and there are lounge areas in two of the buildings. There is a garden and terrace with spectacular views across the Vale of Umbria to Assisi, Trevi and Spoleto. This is often used as an outdoor eating area but is also a wonderful place to read or just take in the sun. The rooms are not air-conditioned, but the thick walls and shady trees keep the temperature pleasant even on hotter days. The region also produces some of the finest natural produce in Italy. The estate is still a working farm producing its own wine and olive oil which are used to prepare the delicious simple meals which are such a feature of the tour. Dinner is usually at the accommodation unless otherwise described.

Detailed itinerary

This is a preliminary itinerary and will be altered to accommodate seasonal activities, the weather, local festivals or the availability of guides or restaurants. However the essential content of the itinerary will remain the same. B L D means that breakfast, lunch and/or dinner will be included that day.

Day 1 Sunday Transfer to Montefalco L D
You will be met outside the main entrance of Spoleto railway station at 11.00 am and transferred to your accommodation near Montefalco arriving at approximately 12.00 noon. After lunch on the estate we walk up to the medieval town of Montefalco where you will be introduced to the art and history of the town. A wine tasting in the town's delightful piazza will be followed by dinner at the accommodation.

Day 2 Monday Montefalco markets & Spoleto B D
Today is market day in Montefalco so there is a walk around the town to experience the atmosphere. Leaving from the markets we travel to Spoleto, a town rich in Roman and medieval history. We visit the church of San Pietro Fuori Le Mura which boasts one of the most outstanding Romanesque facades in Umbria before crossing the magnificent medieval aqueduct on our way into the city. We explore the ancient Roman centre of the town including the Roman house and visit the Duomo to see Filippo Lippi's final fresco cycle. On our way home we visit the fascinating paleo-Christian basilica of San Salvatore.

Day 3 Tuesday Bevagna & Spello B L D

Down in the valley and just a short distance from Montefalco, Bevagna is one of Umbria's most evocative towns. Originally Roman, it has a beautifully evocative piazza encircled by three churches and containing roman ruins. We visit a medieval house and roman mosaics as part of the exploration of this small gem. Lunch at the accommodation. In the afternoon we travel to the delightful small hilltown of Spello and include a guided visit to the Baglioni Chapel decorated with superb frescoes by the Umbrian Renaissance master Pinturicchio. Free time in the town to explore the ancient roman backstreets and modern art shops.

Day 4 Wednesday Perugia B D

We drive to Perugia, Umbria’s largest town. In the morning a guided tour including a walk through the medieval ghost town under Rocca Paolina, a stroke of genius by the architect who was ordered to destroy the quarter of the city and build a Palace. Instead it became a virtual underground city. Free time for lunch, followed by a visit to an Etruscan well and the extraordinary Etruscan gate from the 2^nd century BC.

Day 5 Thursday Gubbio B D
This morning we drive to Gubbio, an exceptionally well-preserved medieval hilltown nestling in a remote valley in northern Umbria. We visit the museum in the imposing Palazzo dei Consoli to see the extraordinary Eugubean Tablets, the most complete record of religious practices from anywhere in the ancient world. After free time we drive to the monastery of Sant' Ubaldo where the ancient 'Ceri' that form the focus of Gubbio's annual festival are kept.

Day 6 Friday Assisi B D
We spend the day in Assisi, the home of St Francis, Italy's favourite saint. There is a guided visit of the town, the Roman remains under the still-standing temple of Minerva, and the Basilica of San Francesco decorated with frescoes by Giotto. Dinner at the accommodation is followed by a talk with slides on the apocalyptic fresco cycle by Luca Signorelli.

Day 7 Saturday Orvieto B D
In the morning travel to Orvieto for a guided tour of the town including the Duomo, among the greatest of all Italy’s cathedrals, containing the work of Luca Signorelli. There will be free time to visit the weekly markets and to explore the town centre with its fascinating array of shops, cafes and an award-winning gelateria. Cocktails and farewell dinner at the accommodation. ()

Day 8 Sunday Montefalco to Spoleto B
On the last day of the tour you will be transferred to Spoleto Station leaving the accommodation at 9am in time for the 10.12am train from Spoleto Station to Rome Termini

How much does it cost?

The price of the tour is EURO 2180 (AUD 3500) per person in twin share accommodation. A deposit of EURO 300 (AUD 500) per person is required to reserve a place on the tour. This deposit is non-refundable unless the tour is cancelled. Single supplements in double rooms are available at an additional cost of single use EURO 425 (AUD 700) . A limited number of actual single rooms at EURO 250 (AUD 400). The full balance is due 60 days before departure. The tour is costed on a minimum of five (5) people travelling and is limited to eighteen (18) places. Subject to final tour numbers and exchange rates the price may vary slightly. You will be notified immediately of any change.

What is included?

• Spoleto station or Spoleto hotel transfers
• All land travel by air-conditioned coach
• Accommodation for seven nights (5 days half board, 2 days full board)
• Dinner every night including fresh local produce and local wines
• Guided visits in Montefalco, Spoleto, Bevagna, Spello, Perugia, Gubbio, Assisi and Orvieto
• Admission to all galleries, museums and historical sites included in the itinerary
• The services of a tour leader throughout the tour

What is not Included?

• Airfares

• Meals while visiting local towns are not included in the tour price. We have however carefully chosen a selection of local restaurants and negotiated very reasonable prices for generous set menus of regional specialities usually including excellent local wines. You will have the choice of making your own arrangements.

• Travel insurance (this is essential)

• Entry fees other than those specifically mentioned on the itinerary

• Taxi, or personal transport costs, phone calls or tips

• Wine outside of normal meals

• Laundry: This can be organised with the staff at the accommodation

Additional Information

What kinds of people go on Living Italy tours? The single feature which distinguishes the Living Italy groups is their desire to understand and appreciate in depth the places they visit. The interests of the group are usually wide-ranging - history, fine arts, music, architecture, food, reading etc. The age of group members varies greatly, but most would be more than forty years old and have travelled. With a maximum of twenty places on the tour the group is large enough for you to find like-minded friends, but small enough for us to get to know you all.

How fit do you have to be? In order to visit and enjoy the natural attractions of the countryside and the historical centres of towns it is necessary to be able to walk well, as bus and car access can be difficult. While there are no medical restrictions on who may book a place on the tour, you should be fit enough to stroll for periods of up to an hour (with short breaks) and you should specially note that the towns are not called 'hilltowns' for nothing!. Wherever possible we break up walking tours with coffee stops and extended lunches and we have tried to mix busy and relaxed days in the itinerary. Remember that because you are staying at the one place it is easy to take time off from the program whenever you like.