Umbria Bicycle Tour Itinerary

Day One:  The Sagrantino Way
Welcome to Umbria. After our meeting at the Foligno train station, we’ll transfer you to our first hotel, a medieval palazzo with roots that extend two thousand years, in the heart of the ancient Roman town of Bevagna.  The original noble family is still in residence and you will feel like nobility amidst the frescoed ceilings, period furnishings and cloistered garden.  After your bike fitting, safety talk and map review, we’ll head out on our first ride to the Arnaldo Caprai winery for a private tour of the winery followed by a light lunch with wine pairings while overlooking the estate’s vineyards.

After lunch we’ll return to Bevagna to relax or explore the charms of this village, which has been a key crossroads in Umbria since the time of the Roman empire. In the evening, we’ll stroll though cobblestone alleyways to visit our friend and chef, Filippo, who will keep us well satiated at his trattoria, hidden in a vine-covered courtyard. After dinner, perhaps you’ll feel the call of a “passeggiata,” (evening stroll) as the locals do, and take in the intimate charm of the village by night.

Meals: Light Lunch and Dinner
Destinations visited: Bevagna, Caprai Winery
Accomplished:  12 km/ 8 miles; Longer extra ride available

Day Two:  Among the Olives
Wake up to a frothy cappuccino and fresh breakfast amidst the splendor of our medieval palace before setting out on today’s ride.  You’ll take in the fields and farms of this broad valley as we pedal to the gorgeous Antonelli Winery for a lunch with home-made pasta and other local specialties all prepared by our host and friend, Wendy, who will guide us through an unforgettable lunch with wine pairings selected for each dish. Make sure to save room for her home-made dessert alongside a glass of Sagrantino Passito, the sweet wine made from the Sagrantino grape, traditionally served around Easter time.  After lunch we’ll pedal through the olive groves to Montefalco, where our friends Daniela and Olivio will initiate us into the complexities and nuances of some of Italy’s finest olive oils. Afterwards, there will be time for shopping in Montefalco, or perhaps an extra ride to the medieval hamlet of Gualdo Cattaneo.  In the evening we’ll dine in the exquisite restaurant, Redibis, in the ancient corridors of Bevagna’s Roman amphitheater with a wine-paired meal, under the unforgettable care of our host, Paolo, the restaurant’s Maitre.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Destinations visited: Antonelli Winery, Montefalco, San Luca, Fabbri
Accomplished: 45km / 28 miles

Day Three: The Trail of Saint Francis
This morning we’ll say goodbye to Bevagna as we ride across the valley to Assisi, home of Saint Francis, and the incomparable upper and lower basilicas.  Along the way we’ll visit our friends Maria Palma and her husband, Pietro, for a more home-grown small producer experience where you will taste how their modestly-priced wines rival their much more renowned fellow  producers. You can opt for a longer, challenging ride around the base of the towering Mount Subasio or take the stunning hillside route on narrow roads among olive groves that Francis used to walk, directly to Assisi.  Either option is great because our next hotel is in the heart of Assisi so you will have plenty of time to take in the town’s masterpieces of the early Italian Renaissance. Once an ancient Roman municipium, Assisi displays architecture ranging from Roman temples to some of the finest churches of Christendom. We will visit the upper and lower basilicas of Assisi, where frescoes by Cimabue, Giotto and Simone Martini combine to create one of the world’s finest ensembles of human creative genius and the profoundly moving crypt where Saint Francis’ remains lie. Be sure to save some time for relaxation at the extensive spa in our 5-star hotel, a converted nunnery from the 13th century.  The spa, though, is set below the hotel within ancient Roman remains, a breathtaking experience and feast for the senses. This evening Assisi is yours to explore. Your guides will gladly suggest dinner options from formal to informal.

Meals: Breakfast
Destinations visited: Cannara, Tili Winery, Assisi
Accomplished: Shorter option: 25 km/ 15 miles; Longer option: 40 km / 25 miles

Day Four: The Road To Rubesco
Today, "mettiamo le mani nel’ impasto", we’ll get our hands in the dough, as the Italians say. We’ll depart Assisi for our next destination, Torgiano, where we’ll spend our final two nights in the former home of a noble count, and now a luxury hotel and spa, part of the Lungarotti Winery’s estate.  Upon arriving in Torgiano we’ll work with the chefs at Le Tre Vaselle who will lead us in a cooking class, followed by a lunch where we’ll sample the fruits of our labor. Take the afternoon to enjoy the spa, or, if you have an eye for pottery, come with us to an ancient pottery workshop in the village of Deruta.  See how Ubaldo Grazia and his family have been creating Italy’s top ceramics for the past five hundred years. We’ll dine tonight with Luca, the owner of our favorite local restaurant just outside of town, and noted in the New York Times.

Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
Destinations visited: Torgiano, Deruta
Accomplished: 25 km/ 15 miles (Optional 12km ride to Deruta)

Day Five: The Olive Road to Orvieto
The day’s epic ride is one you won’t forget, as we cycle along the Olive Oil Road to Orvieto. Your legs will get a good warm-up on the plains between Torgiano and Marsciano, followed by a few climbs through olive groves, pine and oak forests on a sleepy windy road overlooking the Umbrian countryside.  Of course, our guide in the van is ready to comfort and shuttle you to make this ride a personal favorite no matter what your cycling desires might be. The 20 kilometer descent into Orvieto is a ride guaranteed to please. Orvieto is an alluring destination; its world-famous Duomo, which melds the architectural epochs of Romanesque and polychrome Italian Gothic, is unlike any other. The town’s medieval quarter, with its markets, ceramics shops and cafes, beckon to be explored. Later in the afternoon we’ll transfer back to Torgiano for a sommelier-guided wine tasting, followed by our farewell dinner.

Meals: Breakfast/Dinner
Destinations visited: Marsciano, San Venanzo, Orvieto
Accomplished: 63 km/ 40 miles

Day Six: Foligno
After a sumptuous breakfast, say goodbye to Umbria in the manner you see fit, perhaps with a morning bike ride, before we transfer you to the train station in Foligno as you head for your next destination.

Meal: Breakfast
Accomplished: Total Satisfaction

Trip Total: 170 km/104 miles