Walking in Umbria Short Break
- A walking short break in Italy’s green heart, Umbria
- Full-bodied Sagrantino wines and the rich earthiness of tartufo (truffles)
- Stay in the remarkable hilltop towns of Montefalco and Spello
- Assisi, the birthplace of Italy’s premier saint, St Francis
- An unspoiled region of old-world traditions and architectural treasures
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Montefalco and overnightAn included transfer brings you from Foligno Train Station to Montefalco (20 minutes). Be sure to arrive early if you can and take advantage of sightseeing opportunities before embarking on your first day of walking in Umbria tomorrow or perhaps consider adding an extra night here to explore.
Known as the “balcony of Umbria” because of its lofty position overlooking the plain below which is covered with vineyards. This town is the centre of the Sagrantino wine region, as testified by the beautiful frescoes painted by Benozzo Gozzoli in the apse of St. Francis Church.
A 12th century town, 5 gates lead to paths up into the central piazza. There is plenty to see here and you will have a whole day to browse, perhaps starting with the Museo di San Francesco, which is part of the St Francis Church and where you can admire many fresco paintings from the Renaissance.
Round off your day with a glass of Sagrantino wine on the terrace of a restaurant which surrounds the main piazza.

Your stay here includes warm hospitality, comfort and many great suggestions on what to visit locally. Our rooms are modern and with all comforts and in the restaurant you can try good local recipes and wines like the famous Sagrantino.

Guests at “La Rocca” can expect a unique setting and relaxation, located in the centre of Montefalco. This big house, nicely restored and with a beautiful garden offers a peaceful haven in the heart of the green and enchanting Umbria. There are spacious terraces and bathrooms expertly decorated.

Situated in the heart of Montefalco and just a 2 minute walk from the main piazza, the rooms here are modern and comfortable with views over the sweeping plain below. All the rooms are supplied with WiFi, a hairdryer, minibar, LED TV and air conditioning.
Today make your way down from Montefalco to the valley. Walking mostly on rural roads (and the occasional dirt track) with fields of sunflowers (in season), vineyards, olive groves and pretty farmland around you.
Then walk along the riverside path of the Fuime Clitunno for a while before reaching Bevagna, a medieval walled town that is distinguished for its abundance of monuments and its well-known gastronomic and wine traditions.
Some essential sights to see here are the San Michele Arcangelo and San Silvestro, two Romanesque churches that face each other across the lovely medieval main square, Piazza Silvestri. Make sure to enter the Museo di Bevagna where you can see an amazing marine-themed Roman mosaic and the Francesco Tort Theatre. Bevagna is a charming and delightful town and one of Umbria’s well-kept secrets.
As Bevagna has excellent local cuisine. Enjoy dinner this evening in one of the many excellent restaurants. There is one actually situated in the basement of the Roman Theatre!
Ascent/Descent: 17m/323m

Residenza Porta Guelfa is located in Umbria and offers free WiFi, free parking, a spa, outdoor swimming pool and transfer services. Each apartment is furnished with elegance and offers a comfortable yet luxurious experience.

Located on one of Bevagna’s narrow medieval streets and in an historic building, this hotel offers spacious and airy rooms with vaulted ceilings all with antique furnishings. In the Brunamonti you will find frescoed public areas, a reading area and a dining room where a daily breakfast is served.
Leave historic Bevagna behind and make your way through bountiful farmland to Spello. Again, you will walk along a quiet riverside path for a while before following rural roads and tracks all the way into Spello. The Apennine Mountains are in view on the horizon and you can see both Spello and Assisi in the distance.
Spello is a charming and vibrant town built on the slopes of Monte Subasio. Originally a Roman settlement and famous for its flower festival that has been held for over 150 years, Spello also has two dozen medieval churches and the ruins of a Roman amphitheatre on the north side of the town.
Ascent/Descent: 93m/15m

With 33 comfortable rooms, all with panoramic views and some with a private terrace you are sure to enjoy your stay at this 4* hotel set in an ancient mill of seventeenth-century. Customers are welcomed as friends, and will find modern comforts within a traditional atmosphere.

This hotel has 23 spacious rooms, all sound-proofed and with air conditioning. Situated in the historical centre of Spello this hotel offers clasical comfort as it is located in a house from the 14th century. There is a lovely breakfast buffet to enjoy and a reading room, bar, and a peaceful garden.
Today you have a choice of two walks. You can either take an easier route to Assisi or a more challenging one. The easier route takes you alongside the valley with higher ground to your right and the harder route takes you further up the hillside close to Monte Civitelle with breath-taking views from the rock promontories.
Assisi gets closer and closer as you walk and you can admire its very dramatic position on a rocky promontory. This city is steeped in the spirit of its most prominent and well-known resident, St Francis.
Consider an extra day here as there is so much to see; the Basilica di San Francesco, being the most famous. The lower Romanesque level holds St Francis’s tomb and you can also visit the Chapel of the Relics, which houses his sandals and tunic. The Upper Basilica has a high altar with frescoes by Giotto and Cavallini adorning the walls of the Gothic-style nave.
Easier walk: 12kms/8mi, Ascent/Descent: 286m/135m
Harder optional walk: 17kms/11mi, Ascent/Descent: 1027m/895m. This walk is a moderate graded walk.

This 4* hotel enjoys a strategic position overlooking the Umbrian valley with panoramic restaurant, spa and conference center. Almost all rooms at the Giotto Hotel & Spa overlook the wonderful Umbrian Valley, a small part overlooks the characteristic medieval alleys of the historic city of Assisi. All rooms here are built with comfort, elegance, and practicality emphasized.

Hotel Fontebella a Renaissance style throughout and an exquisite view of the gorgeous Umbrian valley. Free WiFi is available throughout.All the rooms are air-conditioned and have a private bathrooms. Some room have views over the Umbrian Valley or over the Assisi city centre.A buffet breakfast is served in the Sala degli Archi, decorated with beautiful brick arches and on site you will also find the Restaurant Il Frantoio. It has over 300 wines in its cellar, and specialises in truffle dishes and homemade pasta.

The Hotel Umbra is a three-star hotel in the heart of the historically rich Assisi, offering both city and plain views. Th Umbra offers free WiFi, an active bar and cafeteria, and communal indoor and outdoor spaces.
Take your onward journey by train to Perugia (20-30 minutes), or Rome (2 hours 30 to 3 hours).
Other Information
Is it for me?This short break offers a mix of easy and easy to moderate walks following routes through the Umbrian countryside, staying in hand-picked accommodations in historical and very appealing towns. It will be of particular interest to those who love architecture, art (oh those frescoes!), the delicious local cuisine (oh those truffles!) and of course, world-class wines. It also includes some walks on the famed Way of St Francis pilgrimage route and finishes in St Francis's birthplace Assisi. The walking distances are manageable with the longest walk being 16kms (10mi). It's perfect for anyone who walks regularly and wants to explore at their own pace. It’s best ahead of time to do some practice walks including distances like those you will experience on the trip whilst carrying your day bag. If time allows, then we’d suggest adding an additional day at the end of the trip in historic Assisi to soak up the atmosphere of this important pilgrimage stop on the Way of St Francis, and rejuvenate before continuing with onward travel.
Slower Adventures | Where walking and cycling meet easy-going exploring, our Slower Adventures are the perfect combination. Most days are filled with picturesque journeys with some free time to dive into the destination and experience the people, local food and culture as you go.
Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&B’s, inns, and guesthouses.
Solo Travellers
As a guide, we would suggest that the minimum age of traveller this holiday would be suitable for is: 5 Years
This trip is graded ‘easy to moderate’ overall with walking days of up to 16kms (10 mi). None of the walks are particularly hilly. The walk on day 2 is the longest on the tour, and is just shy of 16kms in distance. On day 4 there are two walks and we have based the trip grading and distances on the easier option. If you choose to take the longer and harder walking option this day, this is a moderate graded walk. This trip is suitable for those with a good level of fitness and it is advisable that you have had previous walking experience. Most of the route follows either gravel or dirt tracks and trails, and you will also be walking on quiet rural roads. It’s best ahead of time to do some practice walks including ascents and descents like those you will experience on the trip whilst carrying your day bag. Should you wish to skip a walk between towns then you will be responsible for taking a taxi or bus (if possible) to the next place.
Stay in charming small hotels, guesthouses and agriturismos. We carefully select small and friendly accommodation that offers great value, so you enjoy every minute. All ae located in glorious settings, be it a town, a hamlet, or rolling countryside.
Additional Nights
Many of our walkers choose to add extra nights along the walk to sample more of the wonderful walking and attractions available in Umbria. If time allows, then we would recommend adding an additional night at the end of the tour in Assisi to further explore this iconic city.
Solo Walkers & Single Rooms
This trip is available to solo walkers, although there is a supplement due to the fact that some of the costs (such as transfers) are not shared. Single rooms are available on request and a supplement is payable.
Meals
The delicious Umbrian food and wine is undoubtedly a highlight of this holiday.
Breakfast is included each morning and normally consists of a traditional European style continental breakfast or buffet breakfast that often includes coffee, tea, yoghurt, granola, meat, cheese, and baked goods. In some cases, a hot dish (eggs, pancakes, etc.) will be served or offered á la carte.
Lunches and dinners are not included in this trip. We recommend finding cafés or restaurants located in the towns or along the walking route, or to purchase snacks and a picnic lunch to bring along on the walks from local supermarkets and markets. Alternatively, most accommodations will be happy to provide a packed lunch on request and this can be booked on arrival. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or nearby restaurants. Further details can be found within your information pack and the Macs Adventure Smartphone App.
The routes are waymarked in some areas, especially when you are walking on the Way of St Francis, but not in others. However, we provide the Macs Adventure Smartphone App making it simple to follow the route using a smartphone. Rest assured that by downloading the route maps in our app, that this will continue to work even in areas without any mobile or internet reception. For extra reassurance there are turn-by-turn route notes within the app too for the majority of walks.
- Accommodation in en suite rooms in charming hotels, guesthouses and agriturismos on a twin share basis
- Daily breakfasts
- Door to door baggage transfers as per your itinerary
- Transfers as per your itinerary including from Foligno Train Station to Montefalco on day 1
- Access to maps, GPX tracks and daily route information with the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
- All your trip documents including a detailed information pack provided digitally through your online Macs “My Account”
- Telephone support from our offices and local partners in the event of a problem
- Travel insurance (required) and personal equipment
- Travel from tour finishing point
- Lunches, dinners, drinks, and snacks
- Public transport (e.g train fares)
- Tourist taxes (charged locally at hotels)
- Taxi transfers or public transport should you need to skip a stage
- Additional nights before, during or after the walk
This tour is available to start anytime between April to October.
Peak Season Availability
Umbria is a popular destination, so we suggest booking as soon as possible to ensure availability for specific dates.
Time of Year
The springs months of April, May and June offer warm sunshine, fewer crowds, and pleasant walking conditions. May is when most wildflowers are coming into bloom. The autumn months of September and October are also a favourable time of year, boasting cooler weather and a striking landscape made up of autumnal colours. June, July and August are good months to go but can be very hot for walking and therefore aren’t best suited for everyone. You will have to start early to miss the heat of the day, rest in the shade during the height of the heat of the day, and carry a lot of water (additional weight) with you. You also need to ensure you dress appropriately and have sun protection with you including a sun hat that protects your head and neck, and high factor sun tan cream. The towns and villages are buzzing at this time of year which is great to see. It's worth noting that the later in the year you choose to travel the higher the likelihood of rain (October-March is when the rainfall is more likely). Also before Easter and in late October some local shops, and restaurants may have reduced opening times or have closed for the winter.
In order to get to Montefalco you can fly into Umbria Airport in Perugia or either of the Rome Airports. Flights in and out of Umbria Airport are limited, however there is a flight out of London and other smaller European airports.
From Umbria Airport you can take a shuttle bus to the city centre and then board a train to Foligno which takes approximately 45 minutes.
Rome has two airports. From Fiumicino Airport take a train to the central station Roma Termini (taking about 30 minutes). From Ciampino Airport there’s a bus to Roma Termini. From here board a train to Foligno, which takes approximately 2 hours 30.
An included transfer will be arranged for you from Foligno Train Station to Montefalco (20 minutes). Please let us know what time you would like your transfer as soon as possible after you have booked.
Please check the Trenitalia website for timetable planning. Another useful website is Go Euro.
Since Assisi Train Station is located about 3 kms from central Assisi, you will need to take either a bus or taxi to get to it. Once at the train station, Assisi is on the main train line between Perugia and Rome, therefore Umbria Airport in Perugia or either of the Rome Airports are easily accessible. It will take only 20 minutes to Perugia and just over 2 hours to get to Rome, not taking into account the shuttles to the airports from the centre of both cities (see getting to the start for further information about these).
It is also possible to get a direct bus (E007) from the centre of Assisi to Umbria Airport. It runs twice daily (morning and evening service) and takes about 50 minutes.
One bag of up to 20kg per person will be transferred from each accommodation to the next.
At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase. Your booking includes transfer of 1 bag per person. It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.
The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.
This trip is graded ‘easy to moderate’ overall, as the terrain is only a bit hilly. You should therefore be in good physical fitness to fully enjoy the walking on this tour.
We suggest you book as soon as your plans are finalised as the region is extremely popular. Availability in Spoleto is very difficult around the times of the Spoleto Music Festival held each year around the first 2 weeks of July.
You will need good walking shoes/boots (ideally waterproof), comfortable walking clothes, and dependent on when you are travelling; waterproof jacket and trousers, a daypack and hats/gloves etc. Our information packs have a list of all equipment to bring on your walk.
If you prefer to walk in cooler months then April, May, June and September/October will be perfect for you. The autumnal colours are spectacular in Umbria. The summer months (July, August) can be very hot. We advise that if you want to travel during these months that you start out on your walks early, so avoiding the midday heat.
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