Umbria - Culinary Walking Tour

Day 1: Arrival in Assisi
Day 2: Discover Assisi, 5 or 8.7 mi. (8 or 14 km)
Day 3: Walk to Spello, 6.8 mi. (11 km)
Day 4: Circular walk from Spello, 7.5 mi. (12 km)
Day 5: Departure

*All distances are approximate.

Day 1: Arrival in Assisi
The tour starts in the pilgrimage city of Assisi, built against the Monte Subasio Mountain. The little city, with the towering fort "La Rocca Maggiore", can already be explored on your first day. Your hotel is located just 900m from the town center and has a small swimming pool and gourmet restaurant. Dinner will be included this evening.

Preferred accommodation: 
Borgo Antichi Orti

Day 2: Discover Assisi, 5 or 8.7 mi. (8 or 14 km)
Explore the beautiful hilltown of Assisi on foot. The town walk will take you around the most important cultural monuments of Assisi, which are mostly connected with the lives of the saints Francis and Clare, who were born in Assisi. From your hotel, your walk goes up to the Porta Cappuccini town gate (470m a.s.l.). From here you will walk through a tangle of little alleys and medieval squares. You will pass the remains of an amphitheater, the medieval castle (506m a.s.l.), the St. Francis Basilica, the temple of Minerva, the church ‘Chiesa Nuova’ and the basilica of St. Clare, finally walking down to the monastery of St. Damiano (310m a.s.l.). 

Included culinary experiences:
This experience will take place at Hotel Borgo Antichi Orti and will include:

• A lesson to discover the wild and cultivated herbs in the vegetable garden (2000m2) of the Borgo, an ex-Benedictine monastery at the foot of the Basilica of Saint Francis. Here the Monastic Hortuli are reborn and one of the largest bio-conservative parks in Europe has been created. You will accompany the gardener to collect fresh products from the vegetable and herb garden for your cookery course and he will explain the use of herbs in cooking.
• One drink mixed by the Bar Alchemists of the Spagirico Lab combined with a snack
• A 1.5-hour cooking class with the chef of the Locanda degli Orti, using vegetables and herbs from the vegetable garden
• Dinner tasting of the food cooked during the course

Walk details:
Walking time: approx. 3-4.5 hours

Preferred accommodation: 
Borgo Antichi Orti

Day 3: Walk to Spello, 6.8 mi. (11 km)
Follow the slopes of Monte Subasio which will take you to Spello. It is a beautiful walk among olive groves, with great views of the Valle Umbra. Before you arrive at Spello, you will visit an organic winery called Tili Vini in the Assisi d.o.c. area. You will have a wine-tasting and lunch with an optional cooking experience.

An optional Truffle cooking experience
The truffle cooking class is a great addition to your itinerary. It takes place in the winery and lasts 1.5-2 hours. The chef will give you insights into how to buy, prepare, and serve truffles in the best way.

During this class, you will get to prepare the following truffle dishes:

• truffle focaccia
• ricotta and truffle ravioli
• pecorino sauce with truffle
• fried egg with truffle
• mixed truffles (dessert)

After your visit, you continue your walk to Spello, built up a spur of Monte Subasio. The intact town walls are draped around the historical center, which has a number of monuments testifying the Roman era. Spello also has one of Umbria’s major art attractions - the splendid frescoes by Pinturicchio in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore. You will stay in a hotel in the historical center.

Walk details:
Elevation gain: 262m
Elevation loss: 364m
Walking time: approx. 3.5 hours

Preferred accommodation: 
4-star Hotel la Bastiglia 

Day 4: Circular walk from Spello,  7.5 mi. (12 km)
Walk the lovely ring route in surrounding Spello. Through olive groves and woods, you will walk along the Roman aqueduct to Collepino, a small walled-in mountain village. From here, you descend into the valley and walk along quiet country roads, back to Spello. The vegetation of the Subasio slopes are varied with olive groves, broom, Turkey oak, minor oak, hornbeam, flowering ash, maple, beech, and ilex. The aqueduct-path winds its way through charming scenery composed of the crop fields of the valley, olive groves, and Mediterranean woodland. You will have stunning views of Spello and the surrounding hills.

Included culinary experience:
Taste authentic Italian cuisine at a local restaurant and bar*. The tasting menu will consist of:

• Selection of bruschette with cherry tomatoes, black truffle and olive oil from Spello. Wine: Grecchetto dell’Umbria
• Scrambled eggs with black truffle. Wine: Trebbiano Spoletino
• Tagliatelle with Cacio cheese, pepper, and black truffle. Wine: Montefalco: Rosso
• Selection of cheeses and salami. Wine: Sagrantino di Montefalco
• Tozzetti biscuits. Wine: Sagrantino passito

* The local restaurant and bar is closed on Mondays. If this activity falls on a Monday during your tour, then it will be booked on day 3. The menu can change slightly according to the season.

Walk details:
Elevation gain: 320m
Elevation loss: 322m
Walking time: approx. 4 hours

Preferred accommodation: 
4-star Hotel la Bastiglia 

Day 5: Departure
After breakfast, you say goodbye and your tour ends.

Be sure to check out all of our bike tours in Europe or look at our featured bike trips, specials, and news.

Day 1: Arrival in Assisi
Day 2: Discover Assisi, 5 or 8.7 mi. (8 or 14 km)
Day 3: Walk to Spello, 6.8 mi. (11 km)
Day 4: Circular walk from Spello, 7.5 mi. (12 km)
Day 5: Train ride to Spoleto, 23 mi. (37 km)
Day 6: Walk on Monteluco, 6.8 mi. (11 km)
Day 7: Departure

* All distances are approximate.

Day 1: Arrival in Assisi
The tour starts in the pilgrimage city of Assisi, built against the Monte Subasio Mountain. The little city with the towering fort "La Rocca Maggiore" can already be explored on this very first day. Your hotel is located 900m from the town center and has a small swimming pool and gourmet restaurant. Dinner will be included this evening.

Preferred accommodation:
Borgo Antichi Orti

Day 2: Discover Assisi, 5 or 8.7 mi. (8 or 14 km)
Explore the beautiful hilltown of Assisi on foot. The town walk will take you around the most important cultural monuments of Assisi, which are mostly connected with the lives of the saints Francis and Clare, who were born in Assisi. From your hotel, your walk goes up to the Porta Cappuccini town gate (470m a.s.l.). From here you will walk through a tangle of little alleys and medieval squares. You will pass the remains of an amphitheater, the medieval castle (506m a.s.l.), the St. Francis Basilica, the temple of Minerva, the church ‘Chiesa Nuova’ and the basilica of St. Clare, finally walking down to the monastery of St. Damiano (310m a.s.l.). 

Included culinary experiences:
This experience will take place at Hotel Borgo Antichi Orti and will include:

• A lesson to discover the wild and cultivated herbs in the vegetable garden (2000m2) of the Borgo, an ex-Benedictine monastery at the foot of the Basilica of Saint Francis. Here the Monastic Hortuli are reborn and one of the largest bio-conservative parks in Europe has been created. You will accompany the gardener to collect fresh products from the vegetable and herb garden for your cookery course and he will explain the use of herbs in cooking.
• One drink mixed by the Bar Alchemists of the Spagirico Lab combined with a snack
• A 1.5-hour cooking class with the chef of the Locanda degli Orti, using vegetables and herbs from the vegetable garden
• Dinner tasting of the food cooked during the course

Walk details:
Elevation gain: 262m
Elevation loss: 364m
Walking time: approx. 3-4.5 hours

Preferred accommodation: 
4-star Hotel la Bastiglia 

Day 3: Walk to Spello, 6.8 mi. (11 km)
Follow the slopes of Monte Subasio which will take you to Spello. It is a beautiful walk among olive groves, with great views of the Valle Umbra. Before you arrive at Spello, you will visit an organic winery called Tili Vini in the Assisi d.o.c. area. You will have a wine-tasting and lunch with an optional cooking experience.

An optional Truffle cooking experience
The truffle cooking class is a great addition to your itinerary. It takes place in the winery and lasts 1.5-2 hours. The chef will give you insights into how to buy, prepare, and serve truffles in the best way.

During this class, you will get to prepare the following truffle dishes:

• truffle focaccia
• ricotta and truffle ravioli
• pecorino sauce with truffle
• fried egg with truffle
• mixed truffles (dessert)

After your visit, you continue your walk to Spello, built up a spur of Monte Subasio. The intact town walls are draped around the historical center, which has a number of monuments testifying the Roman era. Spello also has one of Umbria’s major art attractions - the splendid frescoes by Pinturicchio in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore. You will stay in a hotel in the historical center.

Walk details:
Elevation gain: 262m
Elevation loss: 364m
Walking time: approx. 3.5 hours

Preferred accommodation: 
4-star Hotel la Bastiglia 

Day 4: Circular walk from Spello, 7.5 mi. (12 km)
Walk the lovely ring route in surrounding Spello. Through olive groves and woods, you will walk along the Roman aqueduct to Collepino, a small walled-in mountain village. From here, you descend into the valley and walk along quiet country roads, back to Spello. The vegetation of the Subasio slopes are varied with olive groves, broom, Turkey oak, minor oak, hornbeam, flowering ash, maple, beech, and ilex. The aqueduct-path winds its way through charming scenery composed of the crop fields of the valley, olive groves, and Mediterranean woodland. You will have stunning views of Spello and the surrounding hills.

Included culinary experience:
Taste authentic Italian cuisine at a local restaurant and bar*. The tasting menu will consist of:

• Selection of bruschette with cherry tomatoes, black truffle and olive oil from Spello. Wine: Grecchetto dell’Umbria
• Scrambled eggs with black truffle. Wine: Trebbiano Spoletino
• Tagliatelle with Cacio cheese, pepper, and black truffle. Wine: Montefalco: Rosso
• Selection of cheeses and salami. Wine: Sagrantino di Montefalco
• Tozzetti biscuits. Wine: Sagrantino passito

* The local restaurant and bar is closed on Mondays. If this activity falls on a Monday during your tour, then it will be booked on day 3. The menu can change slightly according to the season.

Walk details:
Elevation gain: 320m
Elevation loss: 322m
Walking time: approx. 4 hours

Preferred accommodation: 
4-star Hotel la Bastiglia 

Day 5: Train ride to Spoleto, 23 mi. (37 km)
After breakfast, you say goodbye to Spello and take the train to Spoleto. This morning you have time to visit Spoleto. There is a lot to see like the duomo, that can be reached by a scenic stairway. Inside are beautiful frescoes of Filippo Lippi and Pinturicchio. Other sites worth visiting are the Roman house, the San Salvatore church, the Romanesque San Ponziano church, the Rocca Albornoziana fortress sitting on the hilltop above Spoleto, the bridge of the towers (Ponte delle Torri), the Tower dell’Olio, the roman theatre, and the archaeological museum.

Preferred accommodation:
4-star Hotel San Luca

Day 6: Walk on Monteluco, 6.8 mi. (11 km)
You will start at the Ponte delle Torri bridge and make your way up Monteluco mountain. The name comes from lucus meaning ‘sacred woods’. It signifies that in ancient times the mountain was considered a holy place. In the 5th century, the hermit Isaac from Antioch lived under the Benedictine rule in the woods. Later, followed the Franciscans, who built a monastery. The evergreen oak wood was always very important for the town and was therefore already a protected area in Roman times and during the middle ages. The animals living here include porcupines, wild cats, badgers, and squirrels.

In the evening, a farewell dinner will be held at the gourmet restaurant Ristorante Il Tempio del Gusto*.
*If the dinner falls on a Thursday (the closing day of the restaurant) then it will be held on day 5 of your tour.

Walk details:
Elevation gain: 510m
Elevation loss: 483m
Walking time: approx. 4 hours

Preferred accommodation:
4-star Hotel San Luca

Day 7: Departure
After breakfast, your tour comes to end.

Be sure to check out all of our bike tours in Europe or look at our featured bike trips, specials, and news.