Flying from Newcastle
Journey to the green heart of Italy to discover unspoilt Umbria, with its archaeological treasures, fine art, hearty cuisine and Mediterranean landscape.
Experience rolling countryside, as we go up soaring hills topped with time-warp towns, down into the magical Frasassi Caves and onto the sparkling waters of Lake Trasimeno. If you'd like to discover what lies at the very heart of Italy – a region that's every bit as beautiful and historically important as neighbouring Tuscany but remains largely unexplored – this tour of Umbria is set to surprise and enchant.
With four guided tours including Perugia, Assisi, Spoleto, the Frasassi Caves and an opportunity to taste traditional fare at a rural restaurant whilst sampling Sagrantino di Montefalco wine, our Italian tour will allow you to fully immerse yourself in the heart of Italy.
FLYING FROM NEWCASTLE
19 June 2026 from £1,539pp
Additional departurers
15 May 2025 Manchester Airport Hotel Sangallo Palace 4* £1,759 pp
20 Jun 2025 Manchester Airport Hotel Sangallo Palace 4* Was £1,899 pp Now from £1,849 pp
11 Sep 2025 Manchester Airport Hotel Sangallo Palace 4* £1,979 pp
19 Sep 2025 Edinburgh Airport Hotel Sangallo Palace 4* £1,709 pp
15 Oct 2025 Manchester Airport Hotel Sangallo Palace 4* £1,509 pp
07 May 2026 Manchester Airport Hotel Sangallo Palace 4* £1,539 pp
26 Jun 2026 Edinburgh Airport Hotel Sangallo Palace 4* £1,539 pp
03 Sep 2026 Manchester Airport Hotel Sangallo Palace 4* £1,589 pp
Highlights
Enjoy a guided tour of Perugia, the capital of Italy's beautiful Umbria region, and see Spoleto's ancient Roman and Romanesque architecture, as well as its formidable hilltop fortress.
Wander medieval Assisi, the birthplace of St Francis, and cross into Tuscany to explore the timeworn, narrow streets of hilltop Cortona.
Sample the spoils of the verdant Umbrian countryside at a local producer of Sagrantino di Montefalco wine, and take the ferry across Lake Trasimeno to the time-capsule island of Maggiore.
Descend deep under Umbria's undulating landscape to explore the enchanting Frasassi Caves, and take the funicular up a volcanic rock face to the hidden town of Orvieto, boasting one of Italy's finest cathedrals.
Taste traditional fare at a rural restaurant, and enjoy a three-night hotel dining option is available(Sangallo Palace Hotel only).
DAY ONE Arrival in Italy
Fly to Rome or Perugia, and transfer to your hotel in Perugia.
DAY TWO Perugia & free afternoon
Embark on a tour of the bustling university city of Perugia.
After breakfast we embark on a tour of this bustling university city, which uses an escalator system to connect the lower town to the historical core above. A wander along the Corso Pietro Vannucci is a treat for the senses, as its traffic-free status allows the subtler sounds and smells of local life to come through – the clink of china as cups are set out for morning coffee and the friendly chatter of Italians passing the time.
This wide avenue leads up past a mix of shiny designer boutiques and tiny timeworn shops to the Piazza IV Novembre – the centrepiece of the city. This flagstone square boasts the gothic San Lorenzo cathedral, the imposing 13th-century Palazzo dei Priori and the intricately carved Maggiore fountain. Fanning out from the square is a jumble of narrow alleyways lined with crumbling buildings in shades of peach, ochre, russet and cream, providing plenty of places to people-watch over a local craft beer, a chilled glass of Orvieto Classico or a creamy gelato.
From the Piazza Italia you can take an escalator down to the atmospheric streets of medieval Perugia, an underground world hidden within the 16th-century Rocca Paolina fortress. You can also enter the foundations of the fortress through the Porta Marzia gate, one of the stone portals chiselled into the crumbling Etruscan wall that encloses Perugia. Interestingly, this under-city maze is more than just a tourist attraction – you'll see locals hurrying through it to the bus station!
This afternoon will be free for you to explore more of what Perugia has to offer.
DAY THREE Assisi
Journey to the elegant hill town of Assisi for a guided tour.
This morning we head for Assisi, an elegant hill town dominated by the vast Basilica of St Francis complex, which includes a Franciscan monastery and two churches. Sitting on the green hillside with the town climbing ever higher behind it, this is a UNESCO World Heritage site that attracts pilgrims from around the world.
As we wander the flower-hung streets with our local guide, we learn how St Francis came to be so highly revered in Italy, from his early life as the spoilt son of a silk merchant, to his renouncement of riches and founding of the Franciscan Order of monks. Built as a shrine to St Francis in 1228 two years after his death, the exterior of the basilica and friary complex is befittingly austere. Inside, however, is a different matter, with both the upper and lower basilicas adorned with colourful frescos, including a series attributed to the famous Florentine painter, Giotto.
The simple-living St Francis rests in the crypt below the basilica, together with his friend, benefactor and follower, Jacoba of Settesoli, who is said to have fed him his favourite almond treats on his deathbed.
We have some free time to explore the old-world town centre with its shuttered stone houses, 'hole-in-the-wall' shops and tiny family-run cafes – the silky ‘strangozzi’ pasta with rich, earthy black truffles is a must-try! A varied collection of churches and cathedrals dots the piazzas, while two medieval castles, Rocca Maggiore and Rocca Minore, jostle for dominance on the skyline.
DAY FOUR Lake Trasimeno & Cortona
Travel towards Lake Trasimeno to marvel at its azure waters before continuing to Cortona.
This morning we travel towards Lake Trasimeno, known as the Sea of Umbria by locals of this landlocked region, a huge splash of azure surrounded by gently sloping green hills covered with olive groves, thick woodlands and the occasional lakeside town. From the lakeside town of Passignano, we take the ferry across the languid waters to Isola Maggiore. As we approach, the 19th-century Guglielmi Castel can be seen nestled into the wooden hillside.
Cortona
We take the ferry back to Casiglione del Lago, enjoying the view of the Castello del Leone or ‘fortress of the lion’, before continuing to Cortona. Cortona clutters the hillside with a tight muddle of terracotta rooftops, which hide a maze of narrow alleyways and wide piazzas. The spectacular view from the Piazza del Duomo is a must, leading the eye over the city walls and across the Tuscan countryside.
DAY FIVE Spoleto & wine tasting
Embark on a guided tour of Spoleto, then indulge in some delicious wine tasting in the Umbrian countryside.
Spoleto
This morning we enjoy a guided tour of Spoleto, which sits on a foothill of the Apennines Mountain range. The sight of the medieval arched bridge leading to the formidable Rocca Albornoziana fortress will remind you of an epic historical movie, while the city that sits behind it bears the hallmarks of Roman and Lombard rule. The desolate ruins of the ancient Roman amphitheatre are a contrast to the resplendent Romanesque cathedral that dazzles in the palest stone on the Piazza del Duomo.
For lunch you may be tempted by the smell of the slow-roasted porchetta that's stuffed into sandwiches and sold from streetside stalls.
Wine Tasting
Then we set out into the rich tapestry of Umbrian countryside once again to visit a leading producer of Sagrantino di Montefalco wine, made from the black sagrantino grapes indigenous to the region. A tasting allows you to form your own opinion as to whether this dark, full-bodied ‘vino rosso’ deserves a place on your wine rack. We'll also sample the olive oil that this region is revered for worldwide, to complete an afternoon full of the true tastes of Umbria.
DAY SIX Frasassi Caves
Drive east this morning to the Marche region for a guided tour of the Frasassi Caves and enjoy some free time in Perugia.
We drive east this morning to the Marche region that lies between Umbria and the Adriatic. Here we delve deep underground to explore the Frasassi Caves, considered to be among the most impressive in Europe. Our tour of these stunning karst caves, which can easily trick the eye with their glistening snow-white walls and icicle-like stalactites and stalagmites, takes us into the Great Cave of the Wind – large enough to house the Milan cathedral. As we learn more about their 1971 discovery by local speleologists and their formation over a million years ago, it's impossible to remain unmoved by our magical and mesmerisingly beautiful surroundings.
This afternoon we return to Perugia to allow you more time to explore this town at your leisure.
DAY SEVEN Orvieto & Agriturismo lunch
Savour our final journey of Etruscan discovery at Orvieto and enjoy a spot of lunch at a rural restaurant.
This morning we end our journey of Etruscan discovery at another of this mysterious civilisation's 12 key cities, Orvieto, whose ancient ruins lie in eerie underground caves. A glimpse of this sparse subterranean city can be had from the family owned Well of the Cave, a secret passageway leading to nine caves underneath a traditional pottery shop! With the city built from the precipitous chunk of volcanic rock on which it sits, Orvieto looks almost at one with the red-hued rock – although the cathedral is a stand-out feature.
After a ride up the tree-lined funicular tracks to the old town, we marvel at the intricate façade of this incredible Gothic building, featuring gilded frescoes that give it the appearance of being illuminated from within. After our discovery of Orvieto we stop at a rural restaurant, known locally as an agriturismo, to sample a menu of traditional fare grown in this fertile land at the heart of Italy.
DAY EIGHT Return home
Transfer to the airport for your return flight
All passengers must have a valid passport for this tour. Depending on the country issuing your passport, a visa may also be required. More information can be found at the
Identity and Passport service
Customers should ensure that they are fit enough to travel, please check with your General Practictioner and www.fco.gov.uk/travel and www.nathnac.org
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