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Walled Cities |
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Ancient
Architecture
& Medieval Art
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Staying in one
comfortable base in the countryside near the walled town of Montefalco
Visiting Spoleto,
Perugia, Gubbio, Assisi and Orvieto,
and an exploration of smaller towns and villages including Bevagna, Norcia,
Spello, Trevi, Todi and Deruta |
SUNDAY 27
APRIL to SUNDAY 11 MAY 2008
EURO
3900 AUD 6500
as at 11/07/07. Subject to change
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Call 1 300 65 66 79 (Australia) to reserve a place |
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Umbria today is a living treatise on the history
of European architecture with examples from Etruscan and Roman
influence and with Romanesque and Gothic making striking
appearances. The tour offers an exploration of Umbria's
architectural heritage across 3000 years of Roman, Etruscan and
Medieval history.
Umbria today is both a richly fascinating
example of man's fruitful collaboration with nature and a living treatise on the history of
European architecture. Not only is it replete with traces of the
greatest builders of the ancient world - it sits astride the Roman
Via Flaminia of which there are substantial tracts remaining - but
it was also part of the heartland of the ancient Etruscans from whom
the Romans learned so much of their engineering. But its period of
greatest glory is the middle ages when European civilization comes
out of the dark ages and the foundations of the world in which we
still live were laid down. Here Romanesque architecture seems to
grow naturally out of the ground, but Gothic also makes its
appearance, culminating in the breathtaking cathedral of Orvieto,
and then there is the Renaissance with it's collection of fresco
cycles by masters like Filippo Lippi, Luca Signorelli, Pintoricchio
and Perugino which brings these centuries of creativity to a
brilliant close. The long period of poverty that then ensued may
have been hard on the Umbrians, but for us it's meant that the
region's extraordinary wealth of art and architecture has remained
substantially unspoilt, which together with it's beautiful landscape
of mountains and patterned fields make it one of Italy's most
satisfying tourist destinations.
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Perugia's monumental
Etruscan gate from the 2nd century BC and other
treasures of this city with a history of 2500 years, including the
National Gallery of Umbria - paintings by Fra Angelico, Piero della
Francesca and Pintoricchio - and the Collegio del Cambio, decorated by
Perugino and Raphael.
- Carsulae,
a Roman ghost town on the old Via Flaminia.
Abandoned following an earthquake in the 5th century after Christ, this
evocative site was never lived in again and it's impressive ruins left
to crumble. There are remains of an amphitheatre, the forum and adjacent
basilica, and considerable tracts of paved road including the Flaminia
itself, lined with interesting funeral monuments in a setting of great
natural beauty.
- Spoleto with its Roman house and theatre, its impressive medieval
aqueduct and cathedral housing Filippo Lippi's last fresco, and the
nearby Basilica of San Salvatore, built in 390 AD and possibly Italy's
oldest purpose built church.
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Assisi with its
great fresco cycle on the life of St Francis in his basilica there.
- The Etruscan city of Orvieto, proud possessor of one of
Italy's most magnificent cathedrals and the Apocalypse fresco cycle of
Luca Signorelli inside.
- San Pietro in Valle, spiritual centre and mausoleum of the Lombard dukes
of Spoleto, and a gem of early Romanesque architecture nestling in the unspoilt beauty of the Nera river valley.
- Small hilltop castles that are a picturesque feature of the
landscape in the Vale of Umbria.
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Accommodation |
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A feature of the tour is the Fabrizi family accommodation or
‘farmstay’ hotel 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 fifteen rooms. All have 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. |
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This is a preliminary itinerary. The program will be altered to accommodate
seasonal variations and activities. However the essential content of the
itinerary will remain the same and an updated version of the itinerary will
be presented on arrival. B L D means that breakfast, lunch and/or dinner
will be included that day.
Sunday 27
April Rome to Montefalco,
L D
Meet at
Rome’s Fiumicino airport at 10.30am. Transfer to Montefalco by private
air-conditioned coach in time for lunch at the accommodation. The rest of
the afternoon is at leisure. Welcome drinks followed by dinner.
Monday 28 April Montefalco
B L D
Introductory walk to Montefalco, and guided tour of the town. Lunch with
wine tasting at the “Alchemista” Visit to Montefalco’s museum with Benozzo
Gozzoli’s fresco cycle. Dinner at the accommodation
Tuesday 29
April Spoleto
B L D
Departure
for Spoleto stopping at San Giacomo. We visit the medieval aqueduct, the
Duomo (frescoes by Filippo Lippi), a Roman house and the old city walls that
date back to 350 BC. Lunch at the “Pecchiarda” is followed by a visit to the
Roman bridge and the paleo-christian churches of
San
Salvatore and San Ponziano.
On our
way back we stop at the late Roman temple at
Clitunno .
Wednesday 30
April Amelia and the Valnerina
B L D
Departure
for the Valnerina where we visit the Abbey of San Pietro in Valle, burial
site of the Lombard dukes of Spoleto in the 8th Century. Lunch at
Ferentillo and then on to Amelia for a visit to the town. Dinner at the
accommodation.
Thursday 01
May
Bevagna
B D
Departure
for the nearby town of Bevagna. We see the beautiful Romanesque churches in
its main piazza (restoration partly paid for by Prince Charles), and the
remains of the Roman baths and theatre. Free time for lunch. In the
afternoon an optional trip to Foligno for shopping and sightseeing. Dinner
at the accommodation.
Friday
02 May Hilltown Villages
B L D
Today we visit a series of small hilltowns – fortified medieval
villages – that are such a feature of the Umbrian landscape. These include
Morcicchia, Giano dell’Umbria and Gualdo Cattaneo, where we have
lunch. In the afternoon we visit Neil and Carol’s house in another local
hilltown, and see a demonstration of etchings featuring the local
architecture. Dinner at the accommodation.
Saturday 03
May Day at Leisure
B D
Sunday
04 May Spello
B D
10.00am
Departure for Spello, founded as a colony for Julius Caesar’s veterans and
home to a remarkable fresco cycle by Pintoricchio. Free time for lunch. In
the afternoon a wine tasting at a local winery.
Monday 05 May Todi and Montecastello del Vibio
B L D
Departure for Todi, a spectacular hilltown overlooking the Tiber where we
have a guided tour and then lunch.
Tuesday 06
May Perugia
B D
Departure
for Perugia, Umbria’s largest town. In the morning a guided tour including a
walk through the underground medieval quarter and then a visit to the
frescoes of Perugino and the treasures of the Umbrian National Gallery. Free
time for lunch, followed by a visit to an Etruscan well and the
extraordinary Etruscan gate from the 2nd century BC. Early dinner
at the accommodation, followed by a talk by Neil on Orvieto and the
Etruscans.
Wednesday 07
May Orvieto
B D
Departure
for Orvieto, religious centre of the ancient Etruscans and home to one of
Italy’s most impressive cathedrals. We visit the Etruscan cemetery outside
the town and then the Duomo with it’s magnificent frescoes by Luca
Signorelli. Dinner at the accommodation
Thursday 08 May Carsulae
B L D
We travel to Carsulae, a Roman ghost town on the old Via Flaminia with
fascinating ruins. A picnic lunch and dinner at the accommodation
Friday 09
May Assisi
B D
Departure for Assisi, home of St Francis and the great basilica built in his
honour. We visit the medieval castle and the Roman forum that has been
excavated underneath the modern piazza. Free time for lunch, followed by a
guided tour of the Basilica, and a return to Montefalco via Santa Maria
degli Angeli. Dinner at the accommodation.
Saturday 10
May Gubbio
B D
Departure for Gubbio, fascinating hilltown in the north of Umbria with the
region’s best preserved medieval townscape. Guided visit of the town
including the Palazzo dei Priori. Free time for lunch and then a trip up to
the Monastery of Sant’Ubaldo to see the famous“ceri”.
Farewell drinks followed by the final dinner.
Sunday 11 May
Departure B
You depart at 8am by coach for Rome's Leonardo da Vinci Airport at
Fiumicino where you arrive at approximately 11am. The tour officially ends
here. |
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The cost of the tour is
EURO 3900 per person in twin share. A deposit of
EURO 600 per person is required
to reserve a place on the tour. This deposit is non-refundable unless the
tour is cancelled. A limited number of single supplements is available at
an additional cost of EURO 600 in a single room, or EURO 850 in a
double room (DUS). The full balance is due 60 days before departure. The
tour is costed on a minimum of twelve (12) people travelling and is limited
to twenty-four (24) places. Subject to final tour numbers the price may vary slightly. You will be notified immediately of any change. |
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- Transfers from and to Rome's Fiumicino Airport
- All land travel within Italy by air-conditioned coach
- Accommodation and breakfasts for fourteen nights
- Excellent meals of fresh local produce every day at the
accommodation
- Additional restaurant meals in Montefalco,
Spoleto, Ferentillo, Gualdo, Montecastello
- Guided visits to Spoleto, Bevagna, Spello, Orvieto, Assisi, Perugia,
Todi and Gubbio
- Additional visits to Carsulae,
Amelia, Montecastello del Vibio and local villages
- Admission to all galleries, museums and historical sites included
in the itinerary
- Background lectures on the art and history of Umbria
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The services of the tour leader throughout the tour
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- 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
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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
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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-two
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.
What
will the weather be like? Spring is a delightful time to visit central
Italy. Daytime temperatures can be warm with a range from 14 to 20 degrees
and the evenings are cool to mild. You will need a warm jumper or jacket and
a scarf for the evenings, 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. |
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You will be accompanied throughout the tour by a
local team of intelligent and graceful 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 divides his time between his artistic
work (www.neilmoore.it) and operating the Living Italy program. Neil’s extensive knowledge and love of the history,
art and society of Umbria will become evident during his preparatory
talks.
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