• Unpacking just once and settling in for 14 nights
• Visiting some of Umbria's most beautiful hilltowns
• Exploring the artistic heritage of Central Umbria, including works by Giotto, Perugino, Pinturicchio and Gozzoli
• Montefalco's award winning wines
• Excellent meals of characteristic local produce at the accommodation every evening.
• An opera or concert performance in one of Umbria's stunning venues
• Lively and fascinating talks on the history & art of Umbria

Sunday 4 October                       Rome to Montefalco                                    L D
You will be met at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci Airport at Fiumicino at 10.30am. A private air-conditioned coach will transfer you to Montefalco in Umbria in time for lunch at the accommodation . The afternoon is at leisure followed by an early dinner at the accommodation. We highly recommend arriving one day early and staying overnight at the Airport Hilton Hotel to refresh after the flight.

Monday 5 October                       Montefalco artisans and Museum            B L D
This morning Neil Moore will introduce you to Montefalco with a walk around the town while describing the local history and art. The Welcome Lunch will be held in a local restaurant where a feast of regional specialties will be served. After lunch we visit some of Montefalco's artisan outlets including traditional weaving using Renaissance designs and Montefalco's beautifully presented Museum which contains a fine fresco cycle by Benozzo Gozzoli on the life of Saint Francis, work by Perugino and many other examples of late medieval and early Renaissance art. An evening meal will be served at the accommodation followed by a talk by Neil preparing you for tomorrow's excursion.

Tuesday 6 October                     Spoleto & included performance                 B L D
Late this morning we drive 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. A welcome lunch in our favourite garden restaurant is followed by an exploration the ancient centre of the town including the Roman house and visit the Duomo to see FILIPPO LIPPI' s final fresco cycle. We stay on for a late afternoon performance. Dinner at the accommodation on our return.

                               5pm  Teatro  di San Nicolò, Spoleto

Wednesday 7 October                Bevagna                                                       B L D
This morning we travel to Bevagna, a little known treasure house of Roman and medieval antiquity. It has one of the finest small piazzas in Umbria with two austerely beautiful Romanesque churches. We also visit the remains of the Roman baths with original mosaic floors and the vaults of the old Roman theatre on which are built medieval houses. Return to the accommodation for lunch and the rest of the day at leisure. I

Thursday 8 October                    Spello                                                           B L D
In the morning we explore the delightful hilltown of Spello including a visit to the Baglioni Chapel decorated with superb frescoes by Pinturicchio. Lunch is included.  Spend the afternoon relaxing in the garden at the accommodation. Dinner is  is followed by a talk with slides on the fresco cycles by Giotto and Simone Martini in the Basilica at Assisi in preparation for our visit. 

Friday 9 October                       Assisi                                                           B D
We spend the day in Assisi, the home of St Francis, Italy's favourite saint, and visit the Roman remains under the still-standing temple of Minerva. There will be free time for lunch, after which we will visit the Basilica of San Francesco decorated with frescoes by Cimabue, Giotto, Pietro Lorenzetti and Simone Martini. Dinner is at the accommodation is followed by a talk on Signorelli's apocalyptic fresco cycle in Orvieto in preparation for your visit tomorrow. 

Saturday 10 October                 Orvieto                                                         B L D
In the morning we travel to Orvieto which is perched on a cliff looking over a plain covered in vineyards. Saturday is market day in Orvieto and time will be organised for a visit to the local market in the morning. Lunch is in Orvieto at a fascinating small restaurant - one of Umbria's best. where you can experience one of Italy’s most famous white wines – the Orvieto ‘classico’. Afternoon guided visit to the Duomo, among the greatest of all Italy’s cathedrals and containing the work of Luca Signorelli. Dinner at the accommodation.

Sunday 11 October                  Small hilltowns & villages                           B D
The morning is at leisure providing an opportunity to stroll across the valley and small forest to attend mass in the monastery of San Fortunato or have lunch in town (not included) and explore the medieval streets of Montefalco Afternoon visits to small mountain villages which dot the Umbrian landscape on the road to Montefalco. We return to the accommodation for dinner.

Monday 12 October            Markets, Wine Tasting & shopping in Foligno   B L D
Wander around to the other side of town and visit Montefalco's markets this morning, a 15 minute walk. Try the porchetta rolls from the stand on the corner.  Lunch will be provided at the accommodation, though if you prefer you may choose to stay up in the town and explore the restaurants there.  In the afternoon we drive on to visit nearby Foligno, the local shopping town.

Tuesday 13 October           Wine Tastings                                                     B L D
Late morning we visit the cellars of the producers of Montefalco's award winning wines, where you will be introduced to the subtleties of a range of Umbria's excellent wines. Afternoon at leisure

Wednesday 14 October          Perugia                                                           B D
We drive to Perugia, an important city since Etruscan times and the capital of the Umbrian region. Our itinerary includes the extraordinary medieval ghost town under the Renaissance Rocca Paolina, the National Gallery with works by Perugino and other great artists of the Umbrian and Tuscan Renaissance and the astonishing Etruscan Gate which is still in use after more than two thousand years! There will also be free time for exploring the shops and backstreets of Umbria's largest town. Dinner at the accommodation.

Thursday 15 October             Farm lunch & Deruta                                      B L D 
This morning we visit Ettore and his family on their ancient estate below Poreta, where they have a biological grain, and pulse farm, including local produce such as lentils, chick peas, and the ancient grain called 'farro'. We enjoy a sampling of their products around the huge fireplace in their ancient kitchen. In the afternoon we travel to Deruta, a major ceramics centre since Roman times, and the home of Corso de' Fiori. Dinner at the accommodation.

Friday 16 October                  Gubbio                                                              B D
We drive to Gubbio an exceptionally well-preserved medieval hilltown nestling in a remote valley in northern Umbria about an hour away. 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. Free time for lunch where you must try the white truffles of this area, and then we drive uphill to the monastery of Sant' Ubaldo where the ancient 'Ceri' that form the focus of Gubbio's annual festival are kept.

Saturday 17 October              Day at Leisure                                                  B D 

Sunday 18 October                 Departure                                                          B
Transfer at 8am by coach to Rome's Leonardo da Vinci Airport at Fiumicino where you arrive at approximately 11am. The tour officially ends here.

• Transfers from and to Rome's Fiumicino Airport

• All land travel within Italy by air-conditioned coach

• Accommodation and breakfasts at a country estate for 14 nights

• Excellent meals of fresh local produce every day at the accommodation

• Four restaurant meals (Montefalco, Spoleto, Orvieto & the farm)

• Wine tasting of Umbrian award winning wines

• A visit to the famous ceramics centre of Deruta

• Visits to Bevagna, Spello, Orvieto, Spoleto, Assisi, Perugia and Gubbio

• Admission to all galleries, museums and historical sites included in the itinerary

• Background lectures on the art and history of Umbria

• The services of a tour leader throughout the tour

• Airfares
• Travel insurance (this is highly recommended)
• Entry fees to places other than those specifically mentioned in the itinerary
• Meals on excursions except where specifically mentioned in the itinerary
• An optional excursion may be offered which is not included in the tour price
• Personal transport costs, phone calls or tips
• Drinks outside normal meal times, or additional wine in restaurants
• Laundry: the staff at the accommodation will do your washing and ironing for you at a cost of Euro 20,00 (approx.$35) per machine load

A series of lively and informative background lectures on the history and culture of the region will be given during the tour. Topics to be covered include:

• The Giotto fresco cycle in Assisi describing the life of Saint Francis

• The dramatic frescoes of Luca Signorelli in Orvieto

What will the weather be like? Autumn is a pleasant and relaxed time to visit central Italy, with the main tourist season over and the Italian way of life having returned to its normal rhythm. Daytime temperatures can be cool with a range from 5 to 15 degrees and the evenings are cool to cold. You will need a warm jumper or jacket and a scarf, and it is reasonable to expect rain on a few days.

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 it is always possible to take time off from the program whenever you like.

You will be accompanied throughout the tour by a local team of intelligent and gracious local Italians including father and son Piero and Giuseppe Fabrizi who own and run the excellent accommodation, Cristina, Giacomo or Katrin who will travel with you most days and Analita our official Umbrian tour guide. The team has collaborated now for over ten years.

Neil Moore (www.neilmoore.it) B.A. (Hons) is a painter and etcher of exceptional ability who has lived with his young family for the last twelve years in the Umbrian countryside. Having graduated and then taught in the Department of Fine Arts at Sydney University, he made a second career as a newspaper illustrator for the National Times, the Sydney Morning Herald and other Australian publications. Now an established artist in his own right who exhibits in Europe and Australia, he divides his time between creative work and operating the Living Italy program together with his wife Carol Searle. Neil’s extensive knowledge and love of the history, art and society of Umbria will become evident in his talks on this undiscovered part of the world.