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Itinerary:
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Day 1:
Arrive Assisi. You should take the opportunity to explore the
mediaeval city of Assisi. You can join the crowds to visit the upper
and lower Basilicas of St Francis, although you can normally visit
the lower shrine of St. Francis early tomorrow from 06:30 if you
want a more quiet time. However there is plenty more to see,
including the Duomo (cathedral) on Piazza Rufino and the Temple of
Minerva on the Piazza del Commune.
There are numerous other churches of which San Pietro (13thC)
and the Basilica of Santa Chiara are perhaps the most interesting.
The interiors of some of these buildings may not be accessible at
certain times. Overnight
Assisi.
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Day 2:
There is a choice of two walking routes from Assisi (420m) to
Spello (220m): either an easy-to-moderate traverse of the farmed and
forested lower slopes of Monte Subasio, following lanes and tracks
(8 miles/13km/4 hours), or a more strenuous route, much of it on
footpaths (12 miles/19km/6 hours), which crosses the open summit
area ( 1290m) above the trees within the confines of the National
Park. Both routes start very steeply. You should have some very fine
views across the Val di Spoleto to the Martani Hills, which you will
cross later in the week. On
arrival in the mediaeval town of Spello there are more antiquities,
including the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, which contains
frescoes by Pinturicchio and two Roman gates and a Roman arch.
Overnight Spello.
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Day 3: As
you have 2 nights in Spello, today we advise that you take the train
to the nearby town of Spoleto and then do a circular walk, starting
from the church of S.Pietro, rising up to the monastic church of
S.Giuliano, passing the small hamlet of Monteluco, finishing at the
Roman bridge below the fortress of Spoleto. Before you start and at
the end there is a suggested walk throughout Spoleto visiting the
several sites and the narrow roads. Apart from the first ascent to
S.Giuliano the walk is not that difficult and will take you about 3
hours. A good combination is to visit the town and the surrounding
forests. Take a torch with you as you need to go through a dark
tunnel.
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Day 4: The
first part of today's walk is relatively gentle, as you cross the
low ground of the Val di Spoleto, which is largely agrarian fields,
orchards and vineyards. Around
lunchtime you reach the mediaeval village of Bevagna (225m) on the
ancient Via Flaminia, described by The Rough Guide as 'even more
serene and handsome a backwater than Spello, with a central piazza
of austere perfection...two of Umbria's finest Romanesque churches'.
If lunch in Bevagna turns out to be too filling there is a bus
service on to the hill town of Montefalco (472m) - otherwise it's a
gradual uphill walk with a bit of a sting in its tail.
Montefalco, the 'Balcony of Umbria', is celebrated for its
panoramic view over vineyards and olive groves back over the Val di
Spoleto, for its 14th century ramparts and for its famous local dry
red Sagrantino wine (but
note: Sagrantino Passito
is a sweet wine!).
12.5 miles/20km/6 hours. Overnight Montefalco.
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Day 5:
After breakfast you will have a transfer southwards across the
undulating plateau of farmland and wooded hills to the remote hill
village or borgo (fortified
hamlet) of Giano dell' Umbria (546m), surrounded by olive groves and
pastureland. Then walk
across more
delightful hilly Umbrian countryside today as you approach Todi.
Today you will come out onto high moor and grassland, before
descending through the forests once again, this time to the town of
Massa Martana, from where there is a bus service to Todi. Todi is,
like many other Umbrian towns, built on a hill. There are Etruscan
and Roman walls, mediaeval streets, Renaissance palaces and the
magnificent Renaissance church of Santa Maria della Consolazione.
There is plenty to see here. Overnight Todi. (7.5 miles/12km/4
hours) walking to Massa Martana.
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Day 6: Either
(6-day tour) Depart Todi by taxi to train station, then train to
Roma Termini, changing trains en route at Terni. Journey time 2
hours. Book through tickets from Todi to Rome airport. Or (on the 9
day tour) Todi to Asproli. Today's walk is relatively short, so
there is time for some sightseeing in the morning. An easy walk into
the hills west of Todi. Overnight Asproli. Your accommodation is in
a delightful rural setting tonight amongst the Almond and Strawberry
Trees. (8miles/13km/4.5 hours walking).
Note:
it is not always possible to secure accommodation in Asproli due to
the very limited accommodation here. If this is the case then you
will walk as normal to Asproli and we will organize for a taxi to
collect you at a certain point and time, you will then return to
Todi for the night. The following morning the taxi will collect you
and drop you in Asproli so that you can continue your walk as normal
to Montecchio. Sherpa will cover the additional taxi transfers. More
details of this arrangement will also be given in the route notes
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Day 7:
Asproli to a farm guesthouse near Montecchio.
A day's walk through the hilly countryside between Monte
Croce di Serra and the Corbara reservoir (138m) which now occupies
the valley of the Tiber. Overnight
on a farm near Montecchio (377m). 9.3 miles/15km (to Poggio Volara)
or 12 miles/ 19km (to Podere Casette).
Add 2.5 miles/ 4km if including the diversion to Civitella
del Lago.
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Day 8: Farm
guesthouse near Montecchio to Baschi.
Today you descend from the hills to approach the River Tiber
at Baschi (165m). We recommend using public transport (bus and/or
(on weekdays) train; not included in tour price) from Baschi to
Orvieto Scalo to shorten the latter part of the day's walk. The
distance walked varies between 12 and 16 km (7.5 miles – 10miles)
according to where you start the day and whether you make the
diversion to Montecchio village. It is also possible (but
considerably further) to walk all the way to Orvieto Scalo. From
Orvieto Scalo there is a funicolare
(cable railway) to take you up to Orvieto itself. Overnight
Orvieto, a real gem of a city with several beautiful piazzas and
churches. On the one hand there is the magnificent Gothic cathedral
with some alabaster lights and the amazing (newly restored) frescoes
by Signorelli. On the other hand try to find the beautiful small
church of St. Lawrence with its Etruscan (sacrificial slab) alter
and the sky light fashioned in the form of Christ crucified.
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Day 9:
Depart Orvieto. Taxi to station then train to Roma Termini (1 hour
20 mins) or to Florence (1 hour 40mins). From Roma Termini shuttles
train every half hour to Rome Fiumicino airport.
Book through tickets to Rome airport from Orvieto.
Accommodation
5
nights/6 days - In Assisi our small family run 3* hotel
is in a quiet back street just off the town’s main square. The
view from its pretty terraced garden is wonderful. In Spello we
spend 2 nights in a 3* Albergo. It is an elegantly restored 18th
century building near the Augustus Gate. In Montefalco our 3*
hotel shares its structure with the villages eldest church (features
of the original church have only recently been discovered). All the
rooms are now modernised and have well appointed facilities. At Todi
we normally stay in a small guesthouse (only 4 rooms) in the town
centre, or at a modern hotel with a swimming pool just beyond the
city wall.
8 nights/9 days - Near Montecchio we stay at one of
three rural ‘agriturismo’. In Asproli a well appointed
guesthouse is used. In Orvieto our 3* hotel is right in the
historical centre of the medieval town. Breakfast on the terrace is
a must..
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