Walking in Umbria

It's perfect for anyone who walks regularly and wants to explore at their own pace. As there are some elevation gains and loses it’s best ahead of time to do some practice walks including ascents and descents like those you will experience on the tour whilst carrying your day bag.

Most of the route follows either gravel or dirt tracks and trails, and you will also be walking on quiet rural roads. There can be tree roots and rocks to go over at times, but most of the time the terrain is not difficult to negotiate.

This tour is graded easy to moderate overall. Within the tour individual days may vary in difficulty, so some days might be a bit tougher or easier than the general rating suggests.

Accommodation is in charming small hotels, guesthouses and agriturismos, carefully chosen for their value and character, whether set in a town, a hamlet or the surrounding countryside. Many of our hikers choose to add extra nights along the way to see more of what Umbria has to offer, and we especially recommend an extra night at the end of your tour in Assisi, a wonderful place to explore further.

Yes, solo travelers are very welcome. There will be a supplement because some costs, like transfers, aren't shared. Or if you'd like to book a single room, just ask. These are available for a supplement.

The delicious food and wine of Umbria are a real highlight of this tour. Breakfast is included each morning, usually a continental or buffet-style spread with coffee, tea, yogurt, granola, meats, cheeses and baked goods, sometimes with a hot dish served or available a la carte.

Lunches and dinners aren't included, so you're free to eat at cafes and restaurants in town or along the route, or pick up a picnic lunch from a local market. Most accommodations are also happy to provide a packed lunch on request, and dinner is available either at your hotel or at nearby restaurants.

This tour is available to start any time between April and October. Umbria is popular, so we suggest booking early to secure your preferred dates, and availability in Spoleto is especially tight around the Festival di Spoleto, usually held in the first two weeks of July (a supplement may apply if you travel then).

Spring (April to June) brings warm sunshine, fewer crowds and pleasant hiking conditions, with wildflowers coming into bloom in May. Autumn (September and October) is another favorite, with cooler weather and striking autumn colors. June, July and August can get very hot for hiking, so you'll want to start early, rest in the shade in the middle of the day, and carry plenty of water and sun protection, although the towns and villages are at their liveliest during these months.

The later in the year you travel, the more likely you are to see rain, and some local shops and restaurants may have reduced hours or be closed for the winter before Easter and after late October.

Your bags will be collected from your accommodation each day and moved onto your overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg/44lbs per person.

It's vital that you adhere to these limits. Heavier bags, or additional items might not be transferred, and you may be charged locally. Airlines may have different allowances, but our luggage handlers do not have the same capacity or equipment, and their health and safety is our priority.

The route is waymarked in some sections, particularly along the Way of St Francis, but not throughout.

Navigation is straightforward using our app which has maps, tracks and daily route info. Simply download the information and tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone. Once on the trail you do not need signal for the app to work and follow your progress.

If you choose the Hiking in Umbria tour, you'll travel to Spoleto. Fly into one of Rome's airports (FCO or CIA) - flights into Umbria Airport are limited, though there are sometimes connections from London and other smaller European airports. From Umbria Airport (PEG), take a shuttle bus to the city centre, then a train to Spoleto (about 1 hour). From Rome, Fiumicino Airport (FCO) has a train to Roma Termini (about 30 minutes), while Ciampino Airport (CIA) connects by bus to Roma Termini (about 45 minutes). From Termini, trains to Spoleto take around 1.5 hours. Trenitalia and Go Euro are useful for planning train times.

If you choose the Walking in Umbria Short Break tour, you'll travel to Montefalco. Fly into one of Rome's airports - flights into Umbria Airport are limited, though there is a service from London and other smaller European airports. From Umbria Airport, take a shuttle bus to the city centre, then a train to Foligno (about 45 minutes). From Rome, Fiumicino Airport has a train to Roma Termini (about 30 minutes), while Ciampino Airport connects by bus. From Termini, trains to Foligno take around 2 hours 30 minutes. An included transfer then takes you from Foligno train station to Montefalco (about 20 minutes) - let us know your preferred transfer time as soon as you've booked. Trenitalia and Go Euro are useful for planning train times.

Getting from the end

Both tours finish in Assisi. Assisi's train station is about 3km from the town centre, so you'll need a short bus or taxi ride to reach it. From there, Assisi sits on the main line between Perugia and Rome, so onward airports are easy to reach - about 20 minutes to Perugia and just over 2 hours to Rome (not counting the shuttle to the airport itself, covered above). You can also take a direct bus (route E007) from central Assisi to Umbria Airport, which runs twice daily (morning and evening) and takes about 50 minutes.

You'll need good hiking shoes or boots, comfortable hiking clothes, waterproofs, a daypack, and we recommend hiking poles. A portable charger for your cell phone is essential. On booking, our Tour Info will give you a complete packing list.

On certain days you can shorten the route or skip it entirely by using a taxi or public transport.

We highly recommend that you have travel insurance when you book with Macs Adventure. Your policy should cover medical treatment (including repatriation and emergency evacuation by air ambulance or helicopter), injury, death, third-party liability, and trip cancellation