Day 1ROME - CIVITA DI BAGNOREGIO - SPOLETO
Departure from Rome towards Civita di Bagnoregio, nicknamed “the dying city”, the famous village perched on a tuff rock in the middle of a beautiful valley and connected to the mainland only over a long bridge. It owes its nickname and part of its unique charm to the hill on which it rises which, due to the phenomenon of rock erosion, becomes thinner and thinner every day, and it risks disappearing forever. As soon as you enter this village, you will be enchanted by its timeless appearance, with its medieval structures embraced by the narrow alleys that climb up the hill like a labyrinth and by the view of the Badlands Valley that appears at the end of each narrow alley. We continue to Spoleto and hotel accommodation. Walking through the streets of the centre of Spoleto you will be amazed by the historical richness and beauty of this well-preserved Umbrian village. A passage is recommended for: the Arch of Drusus and Germanicus, a Roman arch that once led to the forum, the Roman theater, the basilica of San Salvatore (IV-V century) today a World Heritage Site for UNESCO, the Duomo , erected in Romanesque forms in the 12th century, a symbol of the city and finally on top of all Albornoz fortress. Accommodation and overnight stay at the hotel.
Meals included: -
Day 2SPOLETO - TREVI - MONTEFALCO - ASSISI – PERUGIA AREA
Breakfast at the hotel and departure for a tour of the most beautiful villages in Umbria. Entering Trevi, in the squares of the village and along its shady streets, it is still possible to hear voices of people who speak without shouting, who walk without running, from the semi-opened windows and from the open doors on the street, you can hear the sound of the dishes in cooking or the discreet music of a radio, or simply silence. Built in concentric circles, it looks like a snail that still preserves its ancient stone heart intact. We continue to Montefalco, called “the railing of Umbria”, for its belvedere. Its grapes, which cling to the old walls and to the crenelated access tower to the city, with their aromas of blackberries, woods and wilds, produce one of the best wines in Italy: the Sagrantino. There will be a stop with a tasting of typical products of the area.
We then continue to Assisi, the city of Saint Francis who, together with Santa Chiara, left every material good to follow a true life made of friendship, nature, peace and brotherhood, revolutionizing the Christian thought and becoming the two present-day most world-famous Saints. Assisi, built with the typical pink stone of Subasio and nestled on a hill at the foot of Mount Subasio, lets you live a unique experience for its simple spirituality, in contact with nature and deeply immersed in the contemplation of its landscapes, all aspects that have made this place a World Heritage Site for UNESCO. We continue to the surroundings of Perugia.
Hotel accommodation. Dinner and overnight stay.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner.
Day 3PERUGIA AREA – TRASIMENO LAKE - PERUGIA AREA
After breakfast, free time to reach Perugia and fully enjoy a walk in its alleys. Perugia is a small jewel that slowly uncloses before the eyes of visitors. The Umbrian town holds artistic and monumental treasures that testify to its rich past and do justice to the cultural primacy of our country. Although it retains the appearance and rhythm of the life of a small fortified medieval village, Perugia has a very intense city life, linked above all to the presence of one of the oldest universities in the peninsula (founded in 1308) and the largest university for foreigners in Italy. Visiting Perugia, means living a unique multisensory experience made of painters, such as Perugino, Pinturicchio and Raffaello who have left wonderful traces of their art, the presence of rich public and private museums, workshops of artistic craftsmanship, delicacies of a typical cuisine, enchanting views over the valley. We continue to San Feliciano and board the ferry for a visit to the Polvese island, the largest of the 3 islands in the Trasimeno Lake Natural Park. The island is particularly interesting for the presence of a high-trunk lick, a very large reed bed and a centuries-old olive grove, from which organic extra virgin olive oil is obtained and is used as a scientific educational park for environmental education and tourism. As soon as you get off the ferry you can admire the ancient Villa building consisting of an oil mill, a farmhouse and a storage of agricultural tools. A few steps away rises the 12th century castle. To the left of the Castle is the Piscina del Porcinai, a garden of aquatic plants. Going up to the hotel's balcony you can admire the whole island and Trasimeno Lake from above. We continue until we reach the Monastery of the Olivetan Monks with its Church of San Secondo. After passing the dense forest, the beach will open in front of us. We return to the outskirts of Perugia and stayed overnight at the hotel.
Meals included: Breakfast.
Day 4PERUGIA AREA - SIENA - SAN GIMIGNANO
After breakfast, departure for Siena, no doubt one of the most beautiful medieval cities in Italy. After entering the city, you soon arrive with a short walk in Piazza del Campo, the true hub of the city and home to the famous Palio di Siena, a passionate horse race whose origins date back to the seventeenth century. According to legend, Siena was founded by Senio, son of Remo, and in the city there are several statues representing the mythical Romulus and Remus being breastfed by the she-wolf. Piazza del Campo has been the central nucleus of Siena ever since the Roman times, who had their forum here. The three hills on which it lays stand out in an idyllic country landscape, in which the boundaries of the ancient city centre fade into the countryside. Intact for centuries, today it shows itself to a large extent as it appeared in the 1300s and the conservation of a unique and coherent medieval architectural heritage is one of the main reasons for visiting this splendid city. After leaving Siena in the direction of San Gimignano, we stop at the winery of the Bindi Sergardi family, who have been producing wine here since year 1300, for a tasting of their products. We continue to San Gimignano, hotel accommodation, dinner and overnight stay.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner.
Day 5SAN GIMIGNANO - FLORENCE
Breakfast at the hotel and walk to the San Gimignano city centre. With its forest of towers that stand out over the horizon, San Gimignano is one of the most iconic and recognizable destinations in the entire Tuscany. Everywhere in the world there is someone who dreams of reaching this ancient village in the Val d'Elsa to try the experience of immersing oneself in the perfect medieval postcard. Departure for Florence follows. Accommodation at the hotel and walk through the streets of the city, the capital city of Tuscany. Florence presents itself as a city that has kept its charm and the splendour of the past unchanged, enchanting, which never ceases to surprise, with its masterpieces of art, the coloured marbles of the churches and the architectures that evoke the splendour and role played in the development of Renaissance culture and art. The beating heart of Florence is Piazza del Duomo, with the monumental complex of the Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore, topped by Brunelleschi's majestic dome, the Baptistery of San Giovanni, a magnificent example of Florentine Romanesque architecture, Giotto's bell tower, a true architectural masterpiece Florentine Gothic. Next to the square is the majestic Uffizi Gallery, home to one of the most important museums in the world, which includes works by Botticelli, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and many other great artists. And after marvelling in front of these unique works of man, we recommend getting lost in outdoor Florence walking until you reach the river Arno, lingering on the romantic Ponte Vecchio and continuing up to the Oltrarno, then climb uphill to Piazzale Michelangelo and enjoy an incredible view over Florence. Overnight at the hotel.
Meals included: Breakfast.
Day 6FLORENCE – CASTELLO DI BROLIO - CORTONA - ROME
Breakfast at the hotel and departure from Florence for a journey among soft hills, velvety valleys and dense oak and chestnut woods, across the Chianti wine production area, for a stop with wine tasting at the Brolio Castle, of medieval origins and now owned by the Ricasoli family, who also manages the most representative winery in the Chianti Classico district. With its 1200 hectares of property, of which about 240 in vineyards and 26 cultivated with olive trees, the Brolio Castle dominates the centre of the company's land, in a continuous succession of colours and shades. We continue towards Rome, but we cannot miss a stop to visit the ancient village of Cortona, enclosed in its ancient Etruscan walls, built on a hill about 600 meters high overlooking the Valdichiana landscape up to Trasimeno Lake. The symbol of the city is the town hall, characterized by the clock tower with its stone staircase that overlooks Republic Square. We recommend lunch at one of the over 30 city restaurants offering traditional cuisine and at least a taste of the famous Chianina steak, one of the most famous local meat in Italy. Arrival in Rome in the evening.
Meals included: Breakfast.
Included
- 1 night in a hotel in Spoleto area
- 2 nights in a hotel in Perugia area
- 1 night in a hotel in San Gimignano area
- 1 night in a hotel in Florence
- 5 breakfasts
- 2 dinners (drinks not included)
- 3 wine tastings
- Boat ride on the Trasimeno Lake with visit of Isola Polvese
- Entrance ticket to Castello di Brolio in Chianti area
- Transportation by air-conditioned minivan
- 1 luggage + 1 carry-on luggage per person allowed