Known as the “green heart of Italy,” Umbria is celebrated for its rustic countryside and historic hill towns of pinkish gray stone. It echoes the Middle Ages with a profusion of medieval villages, castles, and monasteries. Your tour spends seven nights in Assisi, immersing you in one of Umbria’s most famous towns and loveliest. Here is the burial place of St. Francis, the Basilica di San Francesco, which was begun in 1228. Over the next century its Upper and Lower Churches were decorated by the foremost artists of their day, among them Giotto, whose frescoes on the Life of St. Francis are some of the most renowned in Italy.

Today, the old towns are Umbria’s chief glory. In Perugia, the region’s capital, and the smaller centers of Gubbio, Montefalco, and Todi, you’ll discover numerous Romanesque churches and endless medieval nooks and crannies. Spoleto blends medieval monuments with Roman remains and some of Italy’s oldest churches. In Orvieto Etruscan remains abound, and one of Italy’s finest Romanesque-Gothic cathedrals perches on a high plateau.
You will be introduced to authentic Umbria: its soothing character, its harmonious landscapes, its little known and well-known places and its distinctive food and wine.

Itinerary:

Day 1 – Depart Newark Airport: Enjoy your overnight flight to Italy. Dinner and Breakfast is served onboard your flight.

Day 2 – Arrive Rome Italy: Sit back and enjoy the scenery on your way through the Umbrian countryside before arriving in Assisi, the birthplace of Saint Francis. After checking into the hotel, your home for the next seven nights, the balance of your day is free to rest or enjoy this lovely town. Tonight enjoy a Welcome Drink before having dinner at your hotel. (D)

Day 3 – Assisi: After Breakfast you will meet your Local Guide for a half day city tour of Assisi. Visit the 13th century Basilica of St. Francis with its beautiful frescoes of Giotto, St. Clare and sacred shrines related to the lives of St. Francis and St. Clare. You will have time for lunch on your own. In the afternoon you will ride on minibuses to up the Hermitage, a series of caves where St. Francis came to meditate and pray. From this vantage point you will be able to enjoy the magnificent views of Assisi and the surrounding areas. (B, D) Assisi Info

Day 4 – Assisi / Spoleto: Today you will venture off to the ancient city of Spoleto, a city known for its international art festival “Festival Dei Due Mondi”. A local tour guide will escort you on a tour of Spoleto. You will view The Bride of Towers or Ponte delle Torri, which crosses a deep gorge and connects Spoleto’s castle with a fortification tower on the other side of the gorge. Also visit The Duomo of Spoleto, (Cathedral of the Assumption of St. Mary) dating from the 12th century. You will have time to enjoy lunch on your own. In the afternoon we stop at an olive oil mill in the interior of an ancient convent, which is located in the historical center of the Town of Foligno. Here you will have the opportunity to see the olives being pressed and get to taste the freshly made extra-virgin olive oil as well as purchase some of the local products. (B,D) Spoleto Info

Day 5 – Assisi / Perugia / Gubbio: After breakfast you will drive to the town of Perugia. Perugia is of Etruscan origin and is one of the two capitals of the Umbria Region. Your tour guide will walk you through the famous Corso Vannucci reaching the Piazza IV Noembre; the heart of Perugia. The piazza is a large open square with a beautiful Great Fountain in the center where locals gather. You will have time to enjoy a gelato on the famous “Corso Vanucci”. We will visit the famous “Perugina” chocolate factory where you will see the production of the famous Baci Chocolates and the opportunity to purchase the freshly made chocolates. In the afternoon we continue to the medieval hill town of Gubbio, one of the most picturesque and characteristic towns not only in Umbria but in Italy. The nearly intact medieval town is set in the higher part of a plateau at the foot of Mount Ingino. There are five parallel streets running at different levels on the slopes of the hill and connect to each other by alleys. Also, are plenty of Gothic style buildings seen in this town along with homes in traditional designs with rooftops, which look quite distinct. (B,D) Perugia Info / Gubbio Info

Day 6 – Assisi / Orvieto: After breakfast you will depart for a drive along the beautiful Lake of Trasimeno before arriving in Orvieto famous for its white wine. Here you will see the magnificent faзade of the Goth Cathedral before visiting the interior of the 14th century “The Dumo di Orvieto” Before returning to Assisi we will stop in the small town of “Ficulle” famous for its terracotta. We will visit a small Terracotta Factory and have the chance to see how the earthenware products are made. (B,D) Orvieto Info

Day 7– Assisi / Florence: After an early breakfast you will depart for a full day excursion to Florence. During your drive to Florence you will get to enjoy the wonderful scenery of the Regions of Umbria and Tuscany. Upon arrival in Florence you will meet your local guide who will show you the beauties of this city of art, the Cathedral S.M. Del Fiore, the beautiful Bell Tower of Giotto, Piazza Della Signoria and the square of the Holly Cross Church. You will have the afternoon free to visit the inside of the Holy Cross Church or visit the Academy Museum which houses the famous statute of Michelangelo’s “The David”.(B,D)

Day 8 - Assisi / Todi / Torgiano: Today depart for Todi, perched on a tall two-crested hill overlooking the east bank of the river Tiber commanding distant views in every direction. Almost all Todi's main medieval monuments — the co-cathedral church (Duomo), the Palazzo del Capitano, the Palazzo del Priore and the Palazzo del Popolo — front on the main square on the lower breast of the hill: the piazza is thus one of the most picturesque in Italy and is often used as a movie set. Enjoy some free time for lunch before continuing on to Deruta, famous for its ceramics with decorative patterns and shapes, some of which have been displayed in some of the word’s greatest museums. Before returning to Assisi we will finish our last day in Umbria with a stop in Torgiano- world famous for its Lungarotti Wine. We will get to taste this special wine in a local wine cellar. (B,D) Todi Info

Day 9 Ciao to Italy!: Depart for the Rome airport for your flight home filled with lovely memories of Italy. (B) Due to flight schedules, an early morning departure is required.

*price is per person, based on double occupancy. Tour operation is based on a minimum of 20 passengers. Air taxes are additional an $172.00 and are subject to change prior to final payment. A non-refundable deposit of $300.00 per person is required to hold your reservation by check only. Final payment is due on July 1, 2011. Single Supplement $499.00. Itinerary & hotels are subject to change. Trip cancellation is available and is strongly recommended. Insurance must be purchased at time of deposit to ensure coverage for pre-existing conditions.