Umbria, Cycling The Green Heart of Italy

Overview

Umbria is the birthplace of Saint Francis of Assisi, the heart of Roman Italy and home to some of Italy's best preserved medieval towns. Known to Italians as "the green heart" of the peninsula, you'll bicycle past vineyards and olive groves, chestnut and oak forests, and across rolling hills to monasteries, castles, and hilltop villages unchanged since the Middle Ages. Start in Perugia, the ancient and modern capital of Umbria, continue to Assisi through enchanting hilltop towns such as Spello, Spoleto, Todi and marvelous Orvieto. Perugia, artistic center of Italy Assisi, the city of Saint Francis Roman ruins in Spello The Roman Via Flaminia, Trevi, and Montefalco; Spoleto, Orvieto, Todi and its Piazza Civita di Bagnoregio, the dying hilltop town The well-known artistic centre of Italy: Perugia. Arrive in Perugia today, the ancient and modern capital of Umbria. Perugia is famous for Perugina chocolate and its vibrant old town! Take time to explore it today or tomorrow morning. We'll meet you for bike fitting and briefing in the afternoon. Assisi, the town of Saint Francis. Leave Perugia to enter the Umbrian Basin and arrive to Assisi. You'll want to explore the church of Saint Francis, the second most important pilgrimage destination in Italy after St. Peter's in Rome. If you arrive early you might enjoy an extra ride to the hermitage just outside the village where Francis often retreated for meditation. Roman ruins in Spello, medieval wall and Renaissance buildings. You leave Assisi behind you this morning and head south to Spello, a puzzle made of Roman, Medieval and Renaissance pieces. 13th century town walls connect Roman gateways dating to the 1st century BC and AD. Take time to explore and you'll find the 13th century town hall dominating the Renaissance town square. From Spello you pedal to Foligno, another Roman town but with fewer Roman ruins. Enjoy lunch in the square and then head across the Umbria valley to Bevagna. Bevagna is the picture of a well-preserved Medieval village. It, too, dates from Roman times and is centered on the 13th century square and town hall. Unlike most Medieval towns, Bevagna is located on the plains of the Umbrian Basin. The preserved town of Spoleto, its fortress, the Roman aqueduct. Your ride todays takes you to the well-preserved medieval town of Spoleto, famous throughout the world for the Festival dei due Mondi, a three week dance, music and opera festival. Arrive early to discover the hidden corners of this fabulous town that dates back to Roman times. Don't miss the Cathedral and a walk to the fortress Fortezza Albornoz on top of Colle Sant' Elia. Off the beaten track to medieval Todi. You're route today takes you away from the busy heartland of Umbria to the beautiful hilltop town of Todi. Todi's history is one of the region's oldest: three thousand years of continual inhabitance by Umbrians, Etruscans, and Romans. Today its main square "Piazza del Popolo" is often described as the most perfect medieval piazza in Italy. Discover why. Orvieto and its Duomo. A quiet ride along the shoulders of the Tiber Valley takes you to the spectacular Renaissance city of Orvieto. Perched on the remnant of a volcanic plateau, Orvieto is one of the most beautiful cities in Umbria. Its cathedral, a transition style between Romanesque and Gothic architecture, is richly decorated with a variety of colored marble and bright mosaics. Orvieto is also famous for its white wine. "Ghost town" of Civita di Bagnoregio and Bolsena Volcanic Lake. We suggest a loop ride today to one of several volcanic lakes in this part of Italy, the Lago di Bolsena. Before getting to the lake the ride will take you to the "ghost town" of Civita di Bagnoregio. Take time to explore this interesting village. Tour ends in Orvieto. After breakfast your cycling experience in Umbria ends. We hope you have enjoyed cycling with us! Orvieto is conveniently located on the main rail line to Florence or to Rome. It is also beautiful enough to warrant a relaxing rest day if you are so inclined. The tour starts easy then it gets hilly to very hilly, but distances are moderate so take your time! For an easy option you can end in Spoleto. A great tour for active people, intermediate to advanced cyclists. 7 nights in 3- and 4-star lodging All breakfasts All Classic self-guided tour inclusions Cooking classes available in various tour locations! Organized by Le Cesarine, experts in Italian culinary experiences. You will be hosted by a local at their home - your "Cesarina" - in a class that lasts about three hours, during which you will help the Cesarina prepare three courses. In the fourth and final hour, you will enjoy the meal (lunch or dinner) which you prepared during the class. Water and one bottle of house wine for every 3 people are included. Perugia chocolate museum visit Perugia chocolate tasting Guided visit of Assisi Guided visit to Roman Mosaic Villa in Spello Guided visit of Orvieto This tour is available between March 1 and October 31 Starts every Monday. Other start days available by request (extra fee applies). Please note that starting on certain days of the week will make some visits impossible (such as museums or tastings). 2026 Confirmed departures: May 4, 18; Sept 14; October 5 If you have more days available, we recommend adding two-night stops along the way, making this a 9- or 10-day tour (or even longer!) Please inquire if you’d like to customize this itinerary, we’ll be happy to help! Tour Code: itbs4129 Prices per person, based on double occupancy; minimum 2 participants per departure. Lodging upgrades & extra nights are available: please inquire GPS device rental, as well as a printed roadbook, are available at an optional extra fee: - GPS device rental: €50 - Printed roadbook: €45 (second copy of printed roadbook €15) Group Discounts are available for participants booking together on the same departure! Please inquire! For more ways to save , see our discounts and promotions page. We offer quality bikes in different styles, all great options for this bike tour. Our bikes are maintained and delivered in optimal working condition. The prices below are per bike for the duration of the tour, including delivery to starting point in Bologna and collection from ending point in Parma. Bike rental insurance is available for purchase with all our rental bikes – see details in the Bike Rental Insurance section of our Terms and Conditions page. For detailed specs and photos of our bikes, see our website - Bike Rentals Italy. Starting point: Perugia We recommend flying into Rome Fiumicino airport (FCO) or Florence Amerigo Vespucci airport (FLR) From Rome Fiumicino Airport to Perugia: - A private transfer from Rome Airport to your hotel in Perugia is about 2h30min long. Please inquire about the price - Train from Rome central station (Stazione Termini): - Near terminals 1-3 and 5 of Fiumicino airport, a taxi service to Rome is available (Pronto Taxi 6645; Taxi Roma). For further information and booking instructions, check this webpage - The train takes you from Rome Airport to Stazione Termini, Rome central station - "Sit Bus Shuttle" offers the best connection to and from Fiumicino Airport. The bus stop at the airport is located outside Terminal 3. For further information about transportation to and from Rome Fiumicino Airport, check the airport website. From the Florence airport to Perugia: - It’s a 30-minute trip from the airport to Florence main train station (Firenze S. Maria Novella). You can catch a shuttle bus or a taxi - If you want to go by taxi, agree on a fare before accepting the ride (plus the cost of the luggage). It takes about 30 minutes to reach Florence SMN train station, depending on the traffic - There are several trains every day connecting the two cities. The trip is between 2h and 2h30min long For further information about transportation to and from Florence Airport, check the airport website. The meeting time for our self-guided tours is typically set between 2pm and 4pm. We recommend travelers plan accordingly allowing plenty of time to arrive at the determined meeting place. Please note a late fee may be applied for late arrivals - please see our terms page for details terms page. Ending point: Orvieto You can fly out from Rome (FCO) or Florence (FLR) airports that are connected to Orvieto by train. Private airport transfers available if you prefer to be driven from airport to hotel in a private vehicle transfer, please inquire for cost - we will be happy to include this service in your tour package Final arrival and departure instructions along with other detailed pre-travel documents, will be e-mailed prior to your travel, with information specific to your departure (including the actual hotels used on your tour dates, which may vary from the hotels listed above.)

Daily Ride Schedule

Accommodation & Services

Accommodation

Hotel

What's Included