Self-Guided Bicycle Tours - Umbria, Italy (7 nights)

Umbria, known as the “Green Heart of Italy”, is Italy’s most rural province - and one of the most picturesque. Although it has certainly been “discovered”, it doesn’t see anything like the numbers of visitors as Tuscany, its more renowned neighbor. Umbria is a landlocked region – about 50% of the country is mountainous, with another 40 % being hilly. The remaining 10% consists of low lying river valley plains. Dominated by elms, olives, vines, cypresses and fruit trees, these fertile plains gtive the region its distinctive restful appearance. Umbria has more that its share of fabulous medieval hill towns, with wonderful Assisi, home to St Francis, being the best known. Umbria’s real heart however is to be found in the smaller towns such as Spoleto and Spello and in the countless tiny rural villages and hamlets that dot the valleys and perch on the hillsides.

Umbrians celebrate everything from Renaissance painters to Roman coins to olive oil. The province hosts more manifestazioni - festivals, concerts, parades, fairs, medieval tournaments etc than any other Italian region – and that means a lot of festivals!

The Umbria tour starts in Sansepolcro, close to Arezzo, and makes its way south, first following the Upper Tiber Valley. This is also known as “museum valley” for its extraordinary collection of art and history, particularly in the town of Citta di Castello. The mighty Tiber joins with several other feeder rivers close to Assisi – from here the itinerary continues south, exploring the plains of the Topino River and the Umbra Valley, a masterpiece of over two thousand years of agricultural practice. At the southern end of the Umbra Valley lies the fabulous town of Speleto, our final destination.

The tour itinerary offers two distinct levels of challenge. The core routes, which stick primarily to the plains, are mainly along quiet rural road, lanes and cycle paths. There are climbs up to, and descents from the hill towns that provide your accommodation – but these are neither particularly long nor arduous. The core routes allow you plenty of time to explore the wonderful Umbrian towns and villages en route. Riding is easy in the main, and the routes offer wonderful views of the hills and mountains that are the backdrops to the plains. The extension routes are very much aimed towards the ambitious riders, taking you up from the valley floors and into the surrounding hills for some wonderfully scenic (and challenging!) rides. For couples where the level of ambition and challenge differs, the more adventurous may choose to do the extension routes, while the less ambitious can settle for the more leisurely and less challenging core routes.

Highlights of the tour include the Upper Tiber Valley, the Renaissance town of Citta di Castello, the frescoed Basilicas of Assisi, Mount Subasio Regional Park, Spello, the Olive Road, the Umbra Valley, and Spoleto’s Via del Ponte and the Ponte delle Torri.

Region and Routes

The tour starts in Sansepolcro, not far from the city of Arezzo. You will be met on arrival, fitted with bikes and equipment and taken through the routes. The remainder of the day is yours to explore the historic medieval centre of the town.

Route 1 takes you south from Sansepolcro, following the River Tiber as it winds its way through olive groves, cornfields and tobacco fields. Part of the route is along a dedicated riverside cycle path. Lunch stop is in the fascinating town of Citta di Castello. The route extension option is a demanding ride through the hills that flank the valley.

Route 2 continues to follow the Tiber Valley past medieval castles and abbeys, on a road flanked by fields and forests. This is renowned racehorse breeding country. Skirting around Perugia, the destination is the fabulous city of Assisi, home to St Francis.

Route 3 is a wonderful ride around Mount Subasio that includes the wine producing region of Torgiano. An alternative for those who would like a day out of the saddle is a short train trip to the ancient and very beautiful Etruscan city of Perugia – Umbria’s most important town.

Route 4 starts with a ride along the very beautiful “Olive Grove Way” around the lower slopes of Mount Subasio. This road affords wonderful views over the plains below. The very picturesque town of Spello is the ideal location for a lunch stop on this route. From Spello we ride around the foothills of the Montefalco territories, home of the superb Sagrantino red wine, to the Roman settlement of Bevagna.

Route 5 is a tranquil and gentle ride along the Umbra Valley from where you can admire the beautiful hilltop towns that overlook the valley. For the ambitious there is a very challenging extension ride into the hills.

Route 6 offers the option between a gentle ride through olive groves and farmland that takes you back to Spoleto in time for a late lunch - and an epic trek (with a very challenging climb and an incredible descent) that takes you into a hidden and remote part of Umbria.

The Details

• Duration: 7 nights
• Suggested start dates: Any day April thru June or September through October
• Bicycle rental: Available
• Luggage transfers: Available
• Airport transfers: Available
• Trailhead town: Sansepolcro
• Destination town: Spoleto

Included in basic tour:

• 7 nights accommodation with breakfast
  
• Detailed itinerary including:
  
  
  • route maps, cue sheets and written directions
  • directions to and contact details for accommodations
  • information about en route attractions and interest sites
  • details of en-route services including suggested refreshment stops
  • information about trailhead town, staging towns and destination town
  • suggestions for evening meals and for evening entertainment
  • telephone helpline
    
    
• Trip preparation information about
  
  
  • what to bring (including recommended clothing list)
  • getting to and from the tour from arrival & departure points
  • money
  • climate and weather
  • shopping
  • eating and drinking
  • tipping …………etc.

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