Gems of Umbria & Tuscany

9 Day Tour from Rome to Rome

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive in Rome, Italy Welcome to Rome! At 5 pm, join your Tour Director and traveling companions, and leave the hotel for a special welcome dinner with wine at one of Rome’s lively restaurants. (D)

Day 2 Rome–Narni–Spoleto Your discovery of the green province of Umbria, made famous by the movie My House in Umbria with unforgettable Maggie Smith, starts in the hilltop town of Narni, almost 800 feet high. Narni is the town that is said to have been the inspiration for the Chronicles of Narnia. Enjoy a guided visit of the CONVENT OF SAN DOMENICO basement, and see a cell where prisoners of the Inquisition wrote graffiti on the walls. Learn the art of homemade Manfricolo pasta from a chef during a PASTA DEMONSTRATION, and, of course, enjoy lunch afterwards. Next is Spoleto, a former Roman municipium and capital of an important Lombard duchy from the 6th to the 8th centuries. During your walking tour with a Local Guide, take pictures of La Rocca, the former papal fortress that was used as a high-security prison until 1982; admire the Ponte delle Torri, erected on the foundations of a Roman aqueduct; and visit PIAZZA DEL DUOMO. This evening, a special dinner with wine awaits you at Vecchio Camino restaurant. (B, L, D)

Day 3 Spoleto–Spello–Assisi In Spello, enjoy an OLIVE OIL TASTING at an authentic oil mill. Time to browse through the little shops before continuing to Assisi. Start your guided walking tour with visits to ST. CLARE’S CHURCH and ST. FRANCIS’ BASILICA, the hub of a religious order devoted to the ideals of humility, forgiveness, simplicity, and love for all God’s creatures. (B)

Day 4 Assisi. Excursion to Perugia & Deruta A short drive brings you to Perugia, capital of Umbria and an important university town. A guided walking tour features the PIAZZA IV NOVEMBRE, one of the grandest squares in Italy, graced by the Fontana Maggiore. Admire the gothic cathedral, the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria, and Perugia’s stunning medieval municipal palace. Then, a special treat: [LF] visit the original PERUGINA BACI CHOCOLATE FACTORY, and taste Italy’s most delectable candy. End in Deruta, and enjoy dinner at a local taverna, L’Antico Forziere. (B, D)

Day 5 Assisi–Cortona–Siena Enter Tuscany and stop in the town of Cortona, made famous by the movie Under the Tuscan Sun. Arrive in Siena, and follow your Local Guide on a walk through ancient, narrow lanes to PIAZZA DEL CAMPO. Hear about the biannual Palio, Siena’s spectacular medieval-style horse race that is held on this square. This evening, an optional dinner outing to Monteriggioni is available. (B)

Day 6 Siena. Excursion to Pienza & Montalcino Famous for pecorino cheese, Pienza has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks to a member of the Piccolomini family who became Pope Pius II in the 15th century and redesigned the town in perfect renaissance style. Continue to Montalcino, beautifully located in the Tuscan Hills, and [LF] enjoy a Brunello WINE TASTING, followed by lunch with local specialties. Return to Siena. An optional excursion to Asciano to visit the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, followed by dinner, is available to make the most of your stay. (B, L)

Day 7 Siena–San Gimignano–Volterra–Orvieto A scenic day: visit San Gimignano, the most picturesque of Italy’s perfectly preserved medieval towns. Next is the town of Volterra, an important Etruscan center, and mentioned in the movie New Moon in the Twilight saga. On to Orvieto, perched high atop a volcanic rock, where a unique visit to the ETRUSCAN UNDERGROUND Labirinto (labyrinth) awaits you. This evening, an exclusive dinner has been prepared for you by the famous Italian cook, Maurizio. (B, D)

Day 8 Orvieto–Rome Hear the history of this fascinating town from your Local Guide during a pleasant walk through the narrow lanes and visit the CATHEDRAL with its San Brizio Chapel. Return to the “Eternal City” for a drive past Rome’s main highlights, ending at ST. PETER’S SQUARE. A special farewell dinner with wine at a local restaurant awaits you to celebrate the success of your vacation in Umbria and Tuscany. (B, D)

Day 9 Rome Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)

Vacation Highlights

ROME

Special welcome and farewell dinners at a local restaurant; orientation, visit St. Peter’s Square

NARNI

Visit the Convent of San Domenico; [LF] homemade pasta demonstration with a chef, followed by lunch

SPOLETO

Guided walking tour, visit Piazza del Duomo; dinner with wine at a local restaurant

SPELLO

Olive oil tasting

ASSISI

Visit St. Clare’s Church and St. Francis’ Basilica

PERUGIA

Guided walking tour, visit Piazza IV Novembre; [LF] visit the Perugina Baci chocolate factory

DERUTA

Dinner with wine at a local taverna

CORTONA

Orientation of the town made famous by the movie Under the Tuscan Sun

SIENA

Guided walking tour, visit the Piazza del Campo

PIENZA

Visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site

MONTALCINO

[LF] Brunello wine tasting and lunch

SAN GIMIGNANO

Orientation

VOLTERRA

Orientation

ORVIETO

Visit the Etruscan underground Labirinto; dinner with wine at a local restaurant; guided sightseeing, visit the cathedral

Headsets throughout the tour

HOTELS

Rome

Una Hotel Roma First-Class. Six story Hotel with early 20th century furnishings; located downtown; 100 meters from Termini Station.

Grand Hotel Beverly Hills First-Class. Contemporary hotel centrally located near Via Veneto for shopping and Villa Borghese - Spacious, elegantly furnished guestrooms.

Hilton Garden Inn Claridge First-Class. Set in the elegant residential district of Parioli, within walking distance from the Borghese Gardens with its extraordinary museum, the Hilton Garden Inn Rome Claridge hotel is perfect for either a business break or a relaxed Roman holiday.

Assisi Roseo Hotel Assisi

First-Class. Set in a charming place of peace, between the green of the olive trees of the surrounding hills, the Ròseo Hotel Assisi enhances the nuances, aromas and flavors of this earth uniting with the best hospitality and courtesy taste, refinement and elegance to the attention for every little detail.

Spoleto

San Luca First-Class. Gracious Hotel housed in a completely restructured building dating from 1800.

Siena

NH Excelsior

First-Class. Impressive Eight-story Hotel with contemporary interiors throughout.

Orvieto Grand Hotel Italia

First-Class. The GRAND HOTEL ITALIA is located in the historic center of Orvieto, next to the suggestive "Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo", now Convention center, to the Cathedral and to the most important monuments of the medieval city. Its large terraces with hanging gardens are open over the panorama of the city of the tuff, discovering the antique beauties.

Dates and Prices

Departures from Toronto:

2015

MAY 16; MAY 23; Jun 13; JUN 27; JUL 18; SEP 05; SEP 26; Oct 03

The price listed does not include your airfare.