Umbria is a largely unspoilt area in the centre of Italy.  From early times towns were built defensively on the hilltops and these are still there, surrounded by vines and olives, overlooking the countryside.  The standard of architecture and painting is very high.  The great Cathedral at Orvieto is one of the marvels of the Italian Middle Ages and Assisi, as well as the beauty of its settings, has some astonishing works by the great painters inspired by St Francis.  The intention of the tour is to explore the region, and to bring out its attractions, without being in too much of a hurry.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Tly from London Heathrow to Rome and travel on to Montefalco, where we stay throughout.

Day 2 – Montefalco, is a quiet hilltop town, surrounded by olives and vineyards and a centre of craft activities, particularly ceramics.  The museum, a historic Franciscan church, has wonderful frescoes of St Francis by Gozzoli.  In the afternoon we visit Spoleto, an austere Mediaeval town, with narrow winding alleys climbing past palaces and churches.

Day 3 – Today we travel to Assisi.  Here St Francis preached proverty and humility and his preaching gave rise to a new direction in Art, exemplified in the works of Simone Martini, Cimabue and Giotto.  Their frescoes in the Basilica present one of the richest concentrations of  art in the Western world.

Day 4 – We travel to Perugia, which was an important Etruscan town and still retains its massive Etruscan gates.  The chief buildings are grouped round the main square, the Cathedral, the Palace of the Priors and the great fountain, with sculpture by the Pisanos.  There are many interesting buildings from the 6th-century church of Sant’Angelo to the exquisite Oratorio di San Bernadino by Agostino di Duccio.

Day 5 – We explore the town of Orvieto.  Originally an Etruscan town, it has a volcanic hilltop setting dominated by the magnificent Cathedral.  The outside is a glittering array of sparkling mosaics and coloured marble.  The inside is famous for the dynamic frescoes of Luca Signorelli.  We also see St Patrick’s Well, an engineering marvel intended to supply water during a siege, with two spiral stairs carved into the solid rock.

Day 6 – Free time in Montefalco before travelling to Rome for the flight to London.

The Hill Towns of Umbria Cultural Tour
Price: £1,195 per person
Single Supplement: £240
Deposit: £200 per person

Price Includes:  5 nights half board accommodation at the 4-star Hotel Villa Pambuffetti in Montefalco, two dinners amd a full itinerary of visits accompanied by a Prospect Tour Leader..

Travel: Flights to Rome are not included.  We can book your flights for you and will search for the best price available at that time. All flights booked by us must be paid for at the time of booking.

Suggested British Airways scheduled flight timings.