ITINERARY | HIGHLIGHTS | WEATHER | ACCOMMODATION and ADDITIONAL INFOUmbria 2012
A Self Guided Walk Through Italy's Historic Heart
Green Umbria, Holy Umbria, the Region of One Hundred Towns are the epithets often used to describe this beautiful region, adjoining Tuscany, which lies in the heart of Italy. With its hills and low mountains, its villages and towns, Umbria is a region of many faces, where everyday life is mixed with the traditions of its past.
You will walk through rolling and changing landscapes in which gorgeous and often spectacular countryside is dotted with medieval villages and ancient places of worship. Walk across the slopes of Mt. Subasio, and the lower Apennines, enjoy the silence of oak groves at the Monteluco of Spoleto, olive groves, waterfalls of the Menotre river, the Benedictine abbey of Sassovivo, the Franciscan cloister of Eremo delle Carceri and of course the historic towns of Assisi and Spoleto. You are met on your first evening and will have the opportunity to discuss your holiday.
PRICE
7 night tour: £595 per person, £125 single supplement.
9 night tour: £685 per person, £135 single supplement.
Upgrade to 3* hotel in Assisi for two nights additional £75.00 per person or £110.00 for 3 nights. Upgrade in Spello £18 per person per night. Supplement for 1 person walking alone £70. Extra nights can be booked along the route, or various upgrade possibilities - please ask for cost.
INCLUDED
7or 9 nights accommodation. Breakfast each day; 4 or 6 dinners (Assisi, Nocera Umbra and one in Spoleto), 6 or 8 days walking with routeinstructions, train tickets where essential in the programme andluggage transportation.
NOT INCLUDED
Travel to and from Assisi, meals not mentioned in the programme, drinks with meals, insurance.
Departure dates
Every day of the week except Wednesday for the 7 night tour and Tuesday for the 9 night tour from the 1st April until the beginning of November.
To book email:
info@worldwalks.com T: (44) (0)1242 254353
Day 1: You arrive in your hotel just outside Assisi. A local representative will meet you in the evening in your hotel.
Overnight Assisi (Costa di Trex) - dinner bed and breakfast.Day 2: Today your first stretch of walking is through the natural park of Mt.Subasio. A highlight is the Fosse del Marchetto, a mini canyon. You stay in a hotel in the centre of the small town of Nocera Umbra, in the valley of the Potenza. (6 hours. 18 kms/11.25 miles).
Overnight Nocera Umbra - dinner bed and breakfast
Day 3: Today's route takes you through the olive groves at the foot of the mountain-ridge of Monte Penna (1400m). In Gualdo Tadino, explore the old town before taking the train to Spoleto. This town has a long history and is very interesting with its Roman, medieval and Renaissance monuments. Your hotel is in the centre of Spoleto. (6hours. 18 kms/11.25 miles).
Overnight Spoleto. Dinner bed and breakfast.
Day 4: Today the trail leads you to Monteluco (Mount Luco). The name 'Lucu' (lucus) means 'bosco sacro', or sacred wood, and signifies that in ancient times the mountain was considered a holy place. Since the 5th century hermits lived under Benedictine rule on the mountain. The Franciscans, too, built a monastery here. The evergreen oak-wood was always very important for the town and it was therefore already a protected area in the Middle Ages. Some of the animals living here are porcupines, wild cats, badgers and squirrels (3.5 hours, 10 kms/6.5miles). Overnight Spoleto, bed and breakfast.
Day 5: Today you can choose from two itineraries: a shorter walk on on Monteluco or a longer one on the olive tree path. After your walk you take the train to Spello. Your hotel is situated in the medieval centre. (2.5 or 6 hours, 6 kms/4 miles or 18 kms/11.25 miles). NB - the longer walk is not available on a Sunday, as there is no train from the end point. Overnight Spello - bed and breakfast.
Day 6: Today you again have a choice of walks - a shorter circular one on Monte Subasio or a longer one to Foligno, finishing by taking the train back to Spello. Of course you can also take a day of rest to saunter through the lively streets and squares of this medieval town. Very picturesque is the Via Torre Properzio, a lane decorated by the inhabitants with flowers and plants, which ends near the Roman Porta Venere. In the church of S. Maria Maggiore you can admire a fresco-cycle by Pinturicchio. 5 or 7.5 hours, 14.5 kms/9.5 miles or 20 kms/12.5miles. Overnight Spello - bed and breakfast.
Day 7: Spello is situated on the west edge of the natural park Mt. Subasio andtoday you will be walking through this park. The route has different variants and you may choose one. Interesting sights in the park are the spring of Fonte Bregno, the Mortaro Grande and the Franciscan cloister, the Eremo delle Carceri. St. Francis and his followers sojourned here many times and here you can visit the cave where Francis used to meditate. Through one of its eight gates you enter Assisi. Its medieval character is well preserved; the houses, gates and churches are almost all built in the pink-white stone of Mt. Subasio. The walking tour finishes with an overnight stay in your first hotel outside the town ofAssisi. (3 or 6 hours to Assisi, total of 4.5 or 7.5 hours to accommodation. 12 kms/8 miles or 17 kms/11 miles to Assisi, total of 17 kms/11 miles or 23 kms/14 miles to accommodation).
Overnight Assisi (Costa di Trex) - dinner bed and breakfast.
Day 8: Check out and departure.
The 10-day tour:
The tour can be extended with two extra days. You can stay an extra night in Nocera Umbra and do a fine walk over Mt. Alago (11 kms/7.5miles - 3 hours) or take a day of rest. Then have a second night inyour accommodation just outside Assisi, from where you can do a walk through the hilly landscape around Assisi (4 ½ hours, 15 kms/9.4 miles); or spend more time in this historic town.
DIFFICULTY OF WALK
For walkers with some experience. Routes through middle/high landscapes with some steepish climbs. Day distances between 10-23 kms. An average of 3 km an hour. Footpaths, hill tracks, forest trails, occasional road.
GROUP SIZE
This self-guided walking holiday can be operated for 1 or more people.
The various landscapes with their beautiful views of the valleys and hills and the towns Assisi, Spello and Spoleto, where you can still taste the medieval atmosphere.
ACCOMMODATION
The following is where you will stay during this inn-to-inn walking holiday:
Il Castello (Assisi): This comfortable family run agritourism just outside Assisi (4 km) is situated in hilly countryside. Excellent typical traditional cookery. All rooms with shower and WC. You will stay here on your first and last nights.
It is possible to upgrade in Assisi to:.
Hotel La Terrazza*** (Assisi). The hotel is situated 800 metres from the historical centre of Assisi. All rooms have air conditioning, private bathroom, TV and telephone. The hotel has a bar, restaurant and swimming pool. Additional cost for upgrade Assisi - £60.00 per person (2 nights).
Hotel Europa *** (Nocera Umbra): This family run hotel is situated in the centre of Nocera Umbra. It has a bar, restaurant and all rooms have a TV, phone and private bathroom. 500 metres from the hotel is the town’s swimming pool.
Residence la Terrazza: This residence is situated in the old centre of Spello. There is a nice walled-in garden and all rooms have bath/shower and WC. You will dine in one of the excellent restaurants close to the residence.
An upgrading in Spello is possible in the Hotel Il Cacciatore ***. This hotel is situated the historic town centre of Spello. All rooms have air conditioning, private bathroom, TV and telephone. The hotel has a bar and a restaurant.
www.ilcacciatorehotel.comHotel Clitunno*** is situated in the historical centre of Spoleto
This hotel has 45 rooms all with air conditioning, private bathroom and TV. The hotel has a restaurant, American bar, reading and TV room.
GETTING THERE
By plane: The nearest international airports are Rome (Roma) and Florence (Firenze).
Ryan Air operate flights from London Stansted to Perugia 3 days a week.
(8 km from Assisi).
By car: Motorway A1 ''del sole'' Florence-Rome. Exit Valdichiana. Follow the direction of Perugia and Assisi.
By railway: Assisi has a train station - train time from Rome approx. 2 hours and there are several trains each day.
www.trenitalia.itWHAT TO TAKE
Good walking boots and walking socks, a rucksack/day pack, a water bottle with 1 lt. capacity, sun glasses, sun hat, sun cream, light rainjacket, first-aid kit, compass and a little pocket-torch for the tunnels during this trip.
INSURANCE
We recommend that you take out appropriate holiday insurance covering you against illness, injury, and loss or damage to luggage. This insurance should also cover the possibility of your having to cancel your holiday for any reason.
To book, contact
worldwalks at:
email:
info@worldwalks.comT: (44)(0)1242 254353