UMBRIA
Italy's heart and soul
Call for dates and rates - valid passport required
our 9-day/7-night tour itinerary:
Join your fellow travelers on a wonderful 7-night vacation to the Province of Umbria - Italy's Heart and Soul! We will spend 7-nights at the historic 4-star Hotel Giotto, ideally located in the center of Assisi. Our tour includes a substantial buffet breakfast each morning and dinner each evening at the hotel. The hotel's food is spectacular and their chef is renowned! We will enjoy a ‘Welcome Drink’ before dinner the first evening. And each evening, while in Assisi, each of us will enjoy a wide variety of red and white wines (a quarter liter per person) and complimentary mineral water (a half liter per person) with dinner. The last evening will featuring a ‘Farewell Dinner’ including starters, truffles, and special after dinner wines. Our wonderful daily sightseeing program will include a tasting of Lungarotti wine in Torgiani; visits to the Perugia Chocolate Factory and an authentic olive oil mill in Voligno, and tours of a ceramic factory in Deruta and terracotta factory near Orvietto.
our italy’s heart and soul itinerary:day 1 – boston-intermediate city: Depart Boston’s Logan International Airport aboard our transatlantic flight to Italy (via an intermediate city) with complimentary meal and beverage service, as well as stereo headsets, while aloft.
day 2 – rome/florence: Upon arrival at the Rome or Florence airport (depending on carrier), we will met by our Tour Escort who will assist us with our transfer, via private motorcoach, to the 4-star Hotel Giotto (or similar) in Assisi. The remainder of the day is at leisure to familiarize ourselves with our surroundings. This evening, we will join our Tour Escort for a ‘Welcome Drink’ prior to dinner at our hotel. Overnight. (D)
day 3 – Assisi-prison’s hermitage: Following breakfast at our hotel, we will be hosted on a guided morning sightseeing tour of Assisi including the Basilica of St. Francis, the Basilica or St. Clare, the Duomo and many of the other most notable sites. In the afternoon, we will travel the short distance (2
½ miles east) to the Prison’s Hermitage, which is not a penal institution but a retreat at which St. Francis is said to have meditated and communed with the birds and animals. Return to Assisi for dinner and overnight at our hotel. (BB, D)day 4 – foligno-spoleto: This morning, after breakfast, we will head south for a morning tour of Foligno where we will see the lovely Piazza della Repubblica and Santa Maria Infraportas where legend claims St. Peter actually said Mass. Lunch on our own. This afternoon, we will visit Umbria’s most compelling town – Spoleto. We will see many examples of the historic Romanesque architecture of this Medieval city highlighted by the paleo-Christian San Salvatore with time to shop. Return to Assisi for dinner and overnight at our hotel. (BB, D)
day 5 – perugia-gubbio: After breakfast at our hotel, we will depart for the Provincial Capital of Umbria – Perugia – possibly the most picturesque town in Umbria. The expansive Piazza Quattro Novembre, the beautiful Duomo, Fontana Maggiore, Sala dei Notari and the Palazzo dei Priori are must see places in Perugia. Next is a stop at the Perugina Chocolate Factory where we will see the production of chocolate and have the chance to purchase freshly-made chocolate. A stop for lunch on our own. Then onto Gubbio for an afternoon guided tour. Gubbio is the most thoroughly Medieval of all the Umbrian towns. And add to this a gorgeous backdrop of forest-clad mountains of the Apennines! The Palazzo dei Consoli, Palazzo Pretorio, the Basilica of Sant’Ubaldo and the Palazzo Ducale are among the city’s many treasures. Return to Assisi for dinner and overnight at our hotel. (BB, D)
day 6 – lake trasimeno-orvieto: Following breakfast, we will have a scenic drive along beautiful Lake Trasimeno, the fourth largest body of water in Italy! Further along the road, we will pause in Orvieto for lunch (on our own) and then visit the magnificent Gothic cathedral known for its imposing façade. We will also have a chance to ride on the restored 19th century funicular railway. Leaving Orvieto, we will stop in the small nearby town of Ficulle where we will visit a terracotta factory to see how earthenware is made. Return to Assisi for dinner and overnight at our hotel. (BB, D)
day 7 – florence: After breakfast, we will head north, driving through the picturesque Umbrian and Tuscan countryside to the ‘Home of the Italian Renaissance" – Florence! Our expert guide will introduce us to many of the splendors of the historic city: the Duomo, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Piazza del Signoria and the Square of the Church of the Holy Cross. Lunch is on our own. The afternoon is at leisure for independent sightseeing or some shopping-and-browsing. Return to Assisi for dinner and overnight. (BB, D)
day 8 – todi-deruta-torgiano: Today, we are off to visit one of the emerging towns of Umbria – Todi – for morning sightseeing. Although Todi is a center of agriculture, its setting, high on a hill overlooking the plain, gives it a fairy-like, Medieval quality. Next on today’s agenda is Deruta especially known for its beautiful, hand-made, hand-painted ceramics. And yes, we will have an opportunity to visit a ceramics pottery to see ceramic production and purchase some of the wares if we desire. This afternoon’s last stop is in Torgiano, particularly renowned for the exquisite Umbrian wine produced by Giorgio Lungarotti. We will tour one of Lungarotti’s wineries to learn about viticulture and have a special tasting of some of their vintages. Return to Assisi for dinner and overnight at our hotel. (BB, D)
day 9 – assisi-intermediate city-boston: After break fast and hotel check-out, we will transfer to the airport to board our return flight to Boston (via and intermediate city) with complimentary meal and beverage service, as well as stereo headsets, while aloft.