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Map of Umbrian Discovery including Italy

Take to the Italian countryside and explore the green heart of charming Umbria

Explore from Venice to Rome and discover the charming Italian countryside that lays in between. See a side to this diverse country that most never even dream of as you take in the slower pace, cooler climate and medieval wonders of Umbria. You’ll mingle with pilgrims, tuck into incredible Italian cuisine and marvel at the ancient sites along the way. You’ll slip into the local way of life during a farm stay in the countryside, discover the sacred sites nestled throughout Assisi and explore the ancient hilltop town of Gubbio via a 1,000-metre open-air cable car. Encounter the religious, historical and natural treasures of one of the most alluring regions in Europe on this delightful Italian adventure.

Start
Venice, Italy
Finish
Rome, Italy
Destination
Italy
Style
Original
Theme
Explorer
Code
ZMSR
Physical rating
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1, Max 12

Why you'll love this trip

  • Explore the quintessential medieval town of Gubbio, one of the oldest towns in the region, it’ll be like stepping back in time as you wander the cobblestone streets and marvel at gothic palaces.

  • Soar an incredible 1,000 metres above the picturesque Umbrian countryside as you take an open-air cable car to visit the hill-top Basilica of Sant'Ubaldo

  • Discover the birthplace of St Francis – Assisi, Italy's second holiest city – and explore the Piazza Matteotti, the Basilica of St Clare and the Roman temple remains as well as the Basilica di San Francesco (St Francis Cathedral).

  • Unwind in the Italian countryside during a farm stay, where you’ll hike through vineyards and enjoy rolling vistas before enjoying a wine tasting followed by dinner prepared with ingredients fresh from the farm.

  • Take in the famed cities of Venice and Rome at the start and end of your trip with the flexibility to extend your stays and explore these Italian gems even further, at your own pace.

Is this trip right for you?

  • The primary means of transportation on this trip is by train. Train travel is a fast way to traverse long distances, allowing you to avoid traffic jams and arrive right into the city centre. Trains are comfortable and all have toilets, however can often be quite busy.

  • Please note that you'll have to carry your own luggage on and off the trains, and up and down stairs at train stations and at hotels, so make sure it doesn’t exceed our weight and size recommendations. You can find this information in the 'What to Take' section of the trip notes. You may want to consider taking a backpack rather than a wheelie bag, however this is up to your personal preference and what you feel more comfortable with.

  • Summer temperatures can be extreme in many of the regions visited (over 40°C), which can be uncomfortable. It’s important to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat and drink plenty of water. Many hotel rooms in Europe are not equipped with air-conditioning. Please carefully consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season.

  • Hotel rooms in Europe can seem rather small by American or Australian standards and often don't have double beds, but rather two single beds that can be pushed together.

Croquettes with signs in Italian in a market in Venice

Itinerary
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Buongiorno! Welcome to Venice – the waterside wonderland of bridges, towers, piazzas, canals, churches and gondolas – all practically unchanged for 600 years. Our adventure officially kicks off with a Welcome Meeting this evening, if you arrive early there are plenty of things to keep you busy. You might like to take a walk around the maze of streets behind San Marco Square and get acquainted with the complex canal system of Venice. The Grand Canal is a great place to start, as you can stroll over the Rialto Bridge and browse the endless amounts of boutique shops that sell Venetian masks and handmade Murano glassware. After this evening’s Welcome Meeting, why not enjoy dinner with your fellow travel companions at a local restaurant.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

You’ll be up bright and early for a train journey to Perugia this morning. Enjoy a walking tour of this city with your leader to discover the cobblestone alleyways leading to a medieval center, gothic mansions and archways that give a glimpse into Perugia’s past. After some time to explore and stretch your legs, you’ll continue to Gubbio on a local bus where you’ll get a chance to rub shoulders with the locals. The streets of Gubbio, the province’s oldest town, are filled with stone houses and orange-tiled roofs, set against a mountain backdrop. A quintessential medieval town, there are centuries of history around every corner and the right amount of requisite cobblestone streets, gothic palaces and churches. The surrounding countryside is also lush and cool – the reason why many Italians retreat here in the summer months. When you arrive in the late afternoon, a good way to get to know the town is to simply wander the 14th and 15th century streets. And a trip to Gubbio wouldn’t be complete without a lengthy lunch or dinner along one of its narrow streets, so grab an outdoor table at a taverna for truffle-infused delight to the senses.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Today’s train journey is approximately 5 hours. Today’s total driving time is approximately 1 hour.

This morning, take a ride in Gubbio's unique cable car – a 15-minute and 1,000-metre-high ride to the Basilica of Sant'Ubaldo, which contains the mummified body of the town's patron saint. From here, you can marvel at the amazing vistas of the Umbrian valleys and mountains, plus get a great rooftop view of the town itself. You'll then have some free time to explore the delights of Gubbio as you wish. You might like to take in the Civic Museum (home to 3rd-5th century BC bronze Eugubine Tablets), the Duomo, or the Palazzo Ducale, whose original wooden study was deemed so exceptional it was shipped off to New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Explore the many churches around town, including one where legend has it, St Francis tamed a wolf that was terrorising the town. Otherwise, simply just relax into the Umbrian pace of life. Enjoy a variety of local cuisine and try one of the dishes that Umbria is famous for – pecorino cheese, game meat and mushrooms all feature on restaurant menus.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Gubbio - Cable car to Basilica of Sant'Ubaldo
Optional Activities
  • Gubbio - Ducal Palace - EUR5
  • Gubbio - Diocesian Mueum - EUR7
  • Gubbio - Civic Museum - EUR6
  • Gubbio - Museum of Majolica - EUR6
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

After breakfast this morning, we’ll continue to Assisi, Italy's second-holiest city. Assisi was the home of one of the world's most famous saints and the founder of the Franciscan order – St Francis. Join your group leader on an orientation walk to uncover a plethora of impressive monuments in Assisi, including Piazza Matteotti, the Basilica of St Clare and the Roman temple remains. Plus, take a short, guided tour of the magnificent Basilica di San Francesco (St Francis Cathedral). Construction of the basilica started the day after St Francis's canonisation in 1228, and this imposing building houses the bones of St Francis and four of his followers. With some free time this afternoon, you could walk the small trail to the top of Monte Subasio, home to the Eremodelle Carceri, a hermitage where Francis came to pray. Then tonight, satisfy your appetite with all the pasta you can eat.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Assisi - Basilica di San Francesco guided tour
Optional Activities
  • Assisi - Eremodelle Carceri and Mount Subasio - Free
  • Assisi - Museo e Foro Romano - EUR4
  • Assisi - Museum of San Rufino Cathedral - EUR4
  • Assisi - Basilica of St Clare - Free
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Today's travel time is about 2.5 hours.

Today is all yours to explore this beautiful region as you wish. You may choose to take the train to the charming nearby medieval town of Spello (approximately 20 minutes), a Roman town that straddles a thin ridge at the base of Mount Subasio – the mountain where St Francis was said to have talked to the animals. It’s a place scattered with weathered Roman monuments and known for its wine and rural charm. Two of the local churches feature frescoes by famed Renaissance painter Pinturicchio, who later lent his hand to works in the Vatican and Siena’s cathedral. Be sure to sample exclusive local wine and regional food specialties while you’re here. Or simply explore the back streets of Assisi – walk the via Guila that circles town, and stop by Piazza Santa Chiara – which has a stunning panorama of the Umbrian countryside – and Piazza del Comune, which gives an insight into life here in Roman times. It’ll be very hard not to spend the whole evening simply continuing the day’s foodie theme and indulge on the region’s fabulous food.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Spello - Half Day Trip to Spello - Free
  • Spello - Enoteca Wine Tasting & Lunch - EUR30
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

This morning, you’ll travel through the countryside to your special farm stay accommodation nestled in the Umbrian hills. Along the way, you’ll stop at Bevagna’ Sculpture Park and enjoy a rewarding hike through the castles and countryside. You’ll walk through vineyards and olive groves and get spectacular views of the ancient castles here. After some time to stretch your legs and take in the rolling vistas, you’ll kick back with a little lunch and wine tasting – what better way to finish a hike? From here, you’ll continue to your farm stay accommodation. The afternoon is at your leisure to relax, maybe hang by the pool and soak in the tranquil atmosphere of your farm resort. This evening, sit down to a special dinner prepared by your hosts using ingredients grown on the farm – it doesn’t get much fresher than that!
Accommodation
  • Farm stay (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Umbria countryside - Bevagna’ Sculpture Park hike
  • Umbria countryside - wine tasting & lunch
  • Umbria Farmstay - Farm to table dinner
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
Special Information
Today’s total driving time is approximately 2 hours.

Travel back to Assisi this morning and hop on a train to Rome in the afternoon. Remember while you’re here, the best attitude is ‘when in Rome’! Join your leader on an orientation walk around the city, where you’ll see some of the iconic sights such as the Colosseum and Arch of Constantine, the Forum (centre of ancient Rome), the Victor Emmanuel Monument, the Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Via Dei Condotti and Piazza Venezia. Rome is packed full of restaurants and trattorias that cater to every taste and budget. Local specialties include pastas such as carbonara (egg, cheese and bacon) and amatriciana (tomato, bacon and chilli). Eating in trattorias will also give you a chance to sample some local Italian wines. Our top tip – try a few of the house wines, they’re usually a delightful (and affordable) drop. Head out in the evening with the group for a final farewell gastronomic fling.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Rome - Leader-led orientation walk
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Today's travel time is approximately 4 hours.

There are no activities planned for the final day and your Umbria adventure will come to an end after breakfast. As there is so much to do and see in Rome you may want to consider extending your stay here. We’re happy to book additional accommodation for you, subject to availability. Please enquire at the time of booking.
Optional Activities
  • Rome - Pantheon One Hour Guided Tour Urban Adventure - EUR35
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Want to tailor this itinerary?

Meals

7 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Transport

Train, Public bus, Metro, Cable Car

Accommodation

Hotel (6 nights), Farmstay (1 night)

Included activities

  • Gubbio - Cable car to Basilica of Sant'Ubaldo
  • Assisi - Basilica di San Francesco guided tour
  • Umbria countryside - Bevagna’ Sculpture Park hike
  • Umbria countryside - wine tasting & lunch
  • Umbria Farmstay - Farm to table dinner
  • Rome - Leader-led orientation walk

Dates & availability

Trip departures are unavailable.

There are currently no scheduled departures on our Umbrian Discovery trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.

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Important notes

1. A single supplement is bookable on this trip. Availability is limited due to small properties we use. Please speak to your agent for further information.

Essential trip information

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