Umbria by Vespa

You will be picked up at 09:30 and transferred to the countryside near Lake Trasimeno to collect our Vespas. After a short orientation and test ride, follow your guide as we set off toward Montefalco. En route, we pause for coffee in Spina, a tiny fortified village with Etruscan roots, still crowned by its 12th-century castle. We then cross the Tiber at Collepepe and climb into the hills to a farm restaurant where nearly everything on your plate is home-grown. The afternoon ride continues to Gualdo Cattaneo, a walled medieval hilltop village, then to Bevagna, a beautifully preserved town rich in Roman, medieval, and Renaissance layers. We will stop here to explore Bevagna on foot and enjoy a gelato before a short ride brings us to Montefalco, Umbria’s most celebrated wine village, perched high above the Clitunno Valley and encircled by 14th-century walls. Our home for the next two nights is Hotel Palazzo Bontadosi, a restored 16th-century palazzo on the main square, where Renaissance architecture meets contemporary style. Dinner tonight is at Locanda del Teatro, known for refined, expertly crafted cuisine. Overnight Palazzo Bantadosi  in Montefalco (We have reserved 4 Junior Suites and 1 Deluxe room) Hotel,  breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Today’s destination is Assisi. It rises dramatically on a hill beneath Monte Subasio in the heart of Umbria. Like so many Umbrian towns, Assisi has its own particular color, a rosy glow reflected from the pink hues of the locally quarried stone used in the town’s centuries-old buildings. On the way, we will stop in beautiful Spello for a “pausa caffè” and some time to stroll amongst the village's elegant honey coloured Palazzi. Then it is a brief hop through olive groves to Assisi. Your guide will walk you through the town to the basilica of San Francesco, famous for its 14th-century frescoes depicting the life of St. Francis, attributed to Giotto. Enjoy some free time before regrouping for a short ride to an Agriturismo for lunch in the countryside. A spectacular afternoon ride takes you along the crest of Monte Subasio for immense views, before descending to Spello for a well-timed gelato. Then it's a short spin back to Montefalco. Late this afternoon, we have a guided visit and tasting at one of the producers of the famed Sagrantino di Montefalco before dinner in the village at the Risotrante Alchemista. Overnight Palazzo Bantadosi  in Montefalco. Hotel,  breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Splendid Spoleto awaits us this morning. Ringed by Roman and Medieval walls and surmounted by an imposing 13th-century fortress, it is one of Italy’s most beautiful towns.  A breath-taking gorge, verdant with holm oak forest, is traversed by a dramatic 1000-year-old bridge and aqueduct. The town’s narrow streets are lined with homes and shops whose origins date back to Roman, Lombard, and medieval periods. A specialist guide will join us for a coffee to give you an overview of the sweep of history that has shaped the region. She will also accompany us to the impressive castle, and then walk with us through town as we make our way to the 8th century Lombard Basilica of San Salvatore. We have a light lunch in Spoleto and then transfer back to Montefalco. (Today, we use a minibus transfer to avoid riding on busy roads in and out of Spoleto). Our afternoon ride takes us through the rolling countryside into tiny hamlets and villages and past imposing castles and villas, before dropping us back down to the valley beneath the perched town of Todi to our home for the next two nights, the lovely Roccafiore Wine Resort. Enjoy the sunset from the terrace as it profiles the steeples and towers of Todi in the distance. Dinner on the terrace.  Overnight Roccafiore Wine Resort near Todi. Hotel, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Today’s loop ride takes us first to Todi and then into the rolling hills south of the ancient settlement.  Dramatically situated at the peak of a hill at a sharp bend in the Tiber River, Todi has long been an important strategic city. Three sets of concentric walls date from Etruscan, Roman, and medieval times, encircling the stone palaces and townhouses of the ancient city. Todi has one of Italy's most beautiful squares, set between the 12th-century cathedral and the city's imposing public buildings, including the crenellated walls of the Palazzo dei Priori, the Romanesque-Gothic Palazzo del Popolo, and the Gothic Palazzo del Capitano. It is also well known for its shops and art galleries. After free time in Todi, we hop on our Vespas and head into the sparsely populated hill country south of Todi. We will have a farm lunch at an agriturismo with farm-to-fork produce. In the afternoon, you can return to Todi for the required gelato or enjoy an optional out-and-back ride to the beautiful stone hamlet of Titignano. To get there, you cross the Tiber river on the 14th-century Ponte Cuti bridge before starting a long but gradual climb up onto a high plateau. The views are spectacular. Once back at the hotel, enjoy a dip in the pool and a cocktail before dinner on the terrace.  Overnight Roccafiore Wine Resort near Todi. Hotel, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

We wind our way through bucolic countryside, past stone farmhouses and hamlets, to return to Lake Trasimeno.  Along the way, we stop off at charming Collazzone for our mid-morning break. The historic center is wrapped in medieval walls and anchored by a stout brick tower, with narrow lanes, stone houses, and sudden viewpoints opening out over olive groves, vineyards, and softly folded hills. We will also stop to walk through the old town of Deruta. As you step through one of the old gates, Deruta’s layers unfold at once: narrow cobbled lanes, stone houses, small piazzas, and a lively patchwork of workshops where artisans hand-paint brilliantly colored ceramics. Lunch is at another lovely country agriturismo, and then our final ride brings us back to Lake Trasimeno, where we drop off the Vespas and continue by van to Chiusi train station (a 35-minute drive) for late-afternoon trains to Florence or Rome. You can be in either of those cities for dinner.  Breakfast and lunch are included.

Note on Itinerary: Although we do our best to adhere to the schedule listed above, this itinerary is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control, such as the weather.