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FOUR
WONDERFUL UMBRIAN TOWNS
An
walking holiday choosing between your favourite towns
ASSISI
Assisi is a pilgrims’ town built against the slopes of Mount Subasio.
Many monuments have been erected here in honour of the saints Francis
and Clare. In Assisi you will make a town walk and a walk through the
hills around Assisi. On the fourth day you leave the town. This day you
can choose between two routes to Spello and arrived in medieval town of
Spello you take the train or have a transfer to the next centre you
choose for.
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Programme
Day
1 arrival at Assisi and if early you could make a cultural town
walk
Day
2 excursion in the national park of Mount Subasio
Day
3 a nice walk to Spello and back by train to Assisi
Day
4 departure
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Day
1
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Arrival
Arrival
ad Assisi. Your *** hotel is in the modern part of Assisi
at 900m from the historical centre. The hotel has a swimming
pool, a car park, restaurant, bar and spa centre. the town walk
will take you round the most important cultural monuments of
Assisi
,
which are mostly connected with the lives of the saints Francis
and Clare, who were born in
Assisi
.
From the hotel your walk goes up to the Porta Cappuccini town
gate (470m a.s.l.). From here you will walk through a tangle of
little alleys and medieval squares. You will pass the remains of
an amphitheatre, the medieval castle (506m a.s.l.), the basilica
of St. Francis, the temple of Minerva, the church ‘Chiesa
Nuova’ and the basilica of St. Clare, finally walking down to
the monastery of S. Damiano (310m a.s.l.). After your visit of
this monastery you can choose to go back to your hotel or to
continue your walk downhill to the
village
of
S.Maria
degli Angel (210m a.s.l.) to visit the impressive basilica. From
here the local bus will bring you back to
Assisi
.
Walking time:
3 – 4 ½ hours
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Day
2
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Today
you can choose between a longer and a shorter route:
The longer walk through the hills around Assisi
starts from the Porta Cappuccini town gate (470m a.s.l.). From
here you walk along a walking trail to the hamlets of Costa di
Trex (570m a.s.l.). From here you descend to the
village
of
Ponte
Grande
,
where you can enjoy a well-deserved rest in one of the two
restaurants or in the bar. Your route will then bring you back
to
Assisi
through gentle, rolling countryside. You will enter the town
through the Porta S.Giacomo town gate and pass through the old
centre of
Assisi
to walk back to your hotel.
Walking time: 5 ½
hours (about 18 km)
Or
The
shorter walk through the
national park
of
Mount Subasio
:
This is a beautiful walk in the shad of the woods of
Mount
Subasio
.
From
the Porta Cappuccini town gates you walk up to the spring
‘Fonte Maddalena’ (810m a.s.l.) on Monte Subasio. You then
descend to the hamlet of Costa di Trex (570m a.s.l.) and
along the walking path 51 you will reach again
Assisi
.
Walking time about: 4 hours (12 km
)
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Day
3
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Assisi-Spello:
There
are two routes to go to Spello: a longer one going uphill to the
hermitage Eremo delle Carceri or a shorter one through olive
groves along the slopes of Monte Subasio. From the porta
Cappuccini a footpath will take you to the hermitage, which is
situated at 830m a.s.l. Saint Francis and his companions used to
retreat here to meditate in the woods. After St. Francis’s
death a monastery was built on this spot. Passing the spring
‘Tre Fontane’ and the abbey of
S. Benedetto
you will
descend to Spello, walking first through the woods and then
through olive groves.
Walking
time: 6 hours (about 18 km)
Or
The
lower route follows the slopes of
Mount
Subasio
and involves
less climbing, but it is also a beautiful walk through olive
groves with astounding views.
Spello
is built on the slopes of
Mount
Subasio
.
This little town has Roman origins, as we are reminded by
several features including the porta Venere and porta Consolare
town gates and the remains of a Roman theatre outside the town
walls. Don’t forget to admire the colourful fresco’s by
Pinturicchio in the church S.Maria Maggiore.
Walking
time: 3 ½ hours
(about 13 km)
Back
by train to
Assisi
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Day
4 |
Departure
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The other town centres: Spoleto,
Città di Castello and Norcia
SPOLETO
Spoleto is an
exciting town, where you can visit a lot of monuments, including the
cathedral, a Roman house and of course the famous aqueduct bridge Ponte
delle Torri. It is also a excellent starting point to make some nice
walks on Monteluco or in the surrounding hills. Your hotel is situated
in the historical centre of Spoleto.
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Programme
Day
1 arrival at Spoleto and a short walk along the ex Spoleto–Norcia
railway
Day
2 Walk on Monteluco
Day
3 walk along the olive grove path and back by train to Spoleto
Day
4 departure
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Day
1
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Arrival
at Spoleto
Your
hotel is situated in the medieval centre of Spoleto. If you arrive
early you can make a short walk along the old abandoned
railway, passing through tunnels and railway bridges. You arrive
at Eggi and walking along quiet country roads you will reach again
Spoleto. Walking time:
3 hours (8 km)
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Day
2
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Monteluco
The walk today takes you to Monteluco (
Mount
Luco
).
The name ‘Lucu’ (lucus) means 'sacred woods', and signifies
that in ancient times the mountain was considered a holy place.
From the 5th
century hermits lived under Benedictine rule on the
mountain. Later the Franciscans also built a monastery here. The
evergreen oak wood was always very important for the town and was
therefore already a protected area in the Middle Ages. The animals
living here include porcupines, wild cats, badgers and squirrels
Walking time: 3 ½ hours
(10 km)
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Day
3
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Olive
Grove Path
Today’s walk is along the
Olive
Trail
–'sentiero degli olivi'-, a walking route from Spoleto to
Assisi
.
As the name indicates you will mostly walk through olive groves on
the slopes of the mountains. You pass several little villages,
mostly built on hills, like Eggi and Bazzano. In Poreta you leave
the
Olive
Trail
to go to the station in Campello sul Clitunno. From here you take
the train to Spoleto (not possible on Sundays).
Walking time: 6 hours (18 km)
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Day
4
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Olive
Grove Path
Today’s walk is along the
Olive
Trail
–'sentiero degli olivi'-, a walking route from Spoleto to
Assisi
.
As the name indicates you will mostly walk through olive groves on
the slopes of the mountains. You pass several little villages,
mostly built on hills, like Eggi and Bazzano. In Poreta you leave
the
Olive
Trail
to go to the station in Campello sul Clitunno. From here you take
the train to Spoleto (not possible on Sundays).
Walking time: 6 hours (18 km)
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The other town centres: Città
di Castello, Assisi and Norcia
CITTÀ
DI CASTELLO
Città
di Castello is situated in the
Upper
Tiber
Valley
surrounded by the
varying shades of green of the gentle hills. The Romans called this
ancient Umbrian town Tifernum Tiberinum. It was
a prominent Roman municipality and was mentioned
by Pliny the Younger, who erected a temple here. Città di Castello has
always been an important economic and cultural centre. The old town with
its cluster of towers and bell towers invites
you to wander its narrow
streets, through courtyards
and porticos of aristocratic houses and around the charming cloisters of
monasteries. There is a lot to see, including the palazzo del Comune, the
Burri collection, the cathedral, many other churches and
the ‘pinacoteca comunale’ art gallery with works
by Raphael, Luca Signorelli, Pomerancio, Ghiberti.
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Programme
Day
1 arrival at Città di Castello
Day
2 Walk to hermitage of Buon Riposo
Day
3 walk to Fontecchio
Day
4 departure
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Day
1
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Arrival at Città
di Castello
Your
**** hotel is in the centre of the old town and if you arrive early you
good make a town walk to visit the most important monuments and
museums.
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Day
2
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a
ring walk to Montesca and the hermitage Buon Riposo
Leaving
Città di Castello you will walk uphill through woodland and
fields towards the hamlet of Uppiano. Some more climbing will
bring you to the top of Monte Cedrone, from where you will have a
360° view over the
Upper
Tiber
Valley
. Descending
you will come to the path of the Franciscan walking route ‘Via
di San Francesco’ which starts in La Verna and ends in
Rome
. You pass the
Buon Riposo hermitage, where St.Francis stayed during his journey
to La Verna and where he ‘ben riposava’ (slept well). The last
stretch of descent will take you past Villa Montesca, where Maria
Montessori taught teachers her education method, across the bridge
over the
Tiber
and into the
centre of Città di Castello.
Distance
15 km (4hr 30 min)
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Day
3
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The
ring walk of Fontecchio
This
walk has a theme: ‘water’, source
of live, present in
small streams and placid
springs. You walk through the fertile hills just outside Città di
Castello to reach Fontecchio, a spa centre dating back to 1860,
and continue uphill towards Monte Pozio. You then descend along a
quiet dirt road untill you come to the walking trail of the Via di
San Francesco, which you follow to Città di Castello.
Distance
17 km; duration 5 hrs 15 min
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Day
4
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departure
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The
other town centres: Spoleto, Assisi
and Norcia
NORCIA
Norcia lies in a unique
spot at 600m a.s.l. with the Sibylline
mountains as its backdrop. This is a part
of Umbria still to be discovered and which offers an unforgettable holiday
with its perfect combination
of nature, spirituality, tranquillity and excellent food.
Norcia is well-known as the birth town of St. Benedict, but it is
also renowned for its black
truffle, excellent cheeses and “norcineria”
(salami’s, cured hams and much more). In this part of Umbria you can
enjoy excellent walks. On your arrival day you can explore the town and go
for a short walk in the surrounding area. Over the following days there
are two walks in the itinerary: for one, you will be taken by vehicle
to the Great Plain (Pian Grande, at 1260m a.s.l.) from where you
will walk back down to Norcia; the other is a lovely walk to the meadows
of Ospedaletto. Your overnight accommodation will be in a hotel in the
centre of Norcia. After your walks you can relax in the sport centre with
a swimming pool, sauna, Turkish bath and fitness room, which is just 350m
from your hotel.
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programma
Day
1 arrival at Norcia if
early you could explore the town and make a short walk in the
surroundings.
Day
2 Walk to Ospedaletto
Day
3 transfer by vehicle to Casteluccio and walking back to Norcia
Day
4 departure
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Day
1
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Arrival at Norcia
If
you arrive early at your hotel, which is in the centre of Norcia,
you can explore the town and go for a short walk in the
surrounding area. If you come from Assisi transferred by vehicle
you can get off the car to walk the last piece along the ex-
railway to Norcia (about 10 kms) The town walls of Norcia, dating
from the XIV century, are still intact. Norcia is famous as the
birthplace of S.Benedict and his twin sister Saint Scholastica.
The Rule of Saint Benedict became one of the most influential
religious Rules in Western Christianity. Worth visiting are the
gothic basilica of St. Benedict, the renaissance cathedral,
the
church
of
St. Agostino
and the "Castellina",
a four-sided stronghold built by Vignola and nowadays housing the
Municipal
Diocesan
Museum.
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Day
2
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Norcia-Ospedaletto-Norcia
Today’s
walk passes the marshy fields around Norcia and it will lead you
to meadows of Ospedaletto
(1027 a.s.l.). Walking along a shadowy dirt road you pass the 17th
century
church
of
San Filippo
Neri
and are
climbing your way up to the
village
of
Ospedaletto
(1027m). Descending you will have spectacular views of Norcia and
the mountains Monte Sibillini.
Distance:
13,5 km; Duration: 5 hours
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Day
3
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Castelluccio
After
breakfast you will be taken by vehicle to Castelluccio, which at
1452m. the highest settlement in
Umbria
.
It lies above the "Great Plain" (Pian Grande - 1270 m),
in the
Monti
Sibillini
National Park
. Rain and melt
water accumulate on the surface of the plain, which is made of
largely impermeable sediments. The greenish ditches drain the
water towards openings called ponors, which are part of the karst
underground drainage system. The fields on the slopes below the
village are cultivated and in the months of June and July the
flora of the fields is in lavish colour. A beautiful downhill walk
will bring you back to the ‘Piano di S.Scolastica’ plain.
Distance:
about 18 km; Duration: 6 hours
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Day
4 |
Departure
after breakfast. From Norcia you can take the bus to Spoleto
(train station) or you can ask for a transfer to the station in
Spoleto (not included in the price)
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The
other town centres: Spoleto, Città
di Castello and Assisi
Included
in this walking holiday:
-
6
overnight stays with breakfast
-
route
notes and maps
-
luggage
trasportation
-
insurance
-
tour
information
-
transfer
by vehicle Assisi - Spoleto (A); transfer Assisi – Città di Castello (B);
transfer Assisi – Norcia (C);
transfer Spoleto – Città di Castello
(D); transfer Spoleto – Norcia (E); transfer Città di
Castello – Norcia (F)
Not
included
in the
price:
-
transfer
at the end of your stay in Norcia to the station of Spoleto or the
regional airport of S.Egidio (to pay in loco)
-
train
ticket from Spello to Assisi about 1,80 € p.p.
-
train
ticket from Campello to Spoleto about 1,40 € p.p.
-
everything
not mentioned under included in this walking holiday
Discount
p.p. for whom is coming with his own car and don’t need the luggage
transportations and transfers to the next centre or who prefer to take the
train or bus to the next centre
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Period
|
Assisi
& Spoleto & Città di Castello all year; Norcia from 15 April
till 30 October |
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Level
2 / 3
|
Not to
heavy walks, but for walkers with some experience. Routes through
middle/high level hilly landscapes with some steep climbs. Daily
distances between 10 and 20 km. An average of
3 km-4km an hour. You will walk on footpaths, mountain
tracks, forest trails and occasionally on quiet country roads.
Some days you have the choice to make a shorter and lighter walk
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Participants |
from
1 person |
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Prices
p.p. 2012
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7
days / 6 nights
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A.
Assisi-Spoleto |
in
double room €
428,00 |
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in
single room € 571,00
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travelling
alone € 603,00
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supplement
half board € 152,00 |
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supplement Spoleto
festival (24/06-08/07) € 45,00 |
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B.Assisi-Città di
Castello |
in
double room €
517,00 |
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in
single room € 548,00
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travelling
alone € 704,00
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C.Assisi-Norcia |
in
double room €
427,00 |
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in
single room € 558,00
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travelling
alone € 607,00
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supplement
half board € 150,00 |
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Supplement stay at Saturday
night at Norcia € 10,00 |
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transfer Norcia - to
station of Spoleto on request |
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D.Spoleto-Città di
Castello |
in
double room €
482,00 |
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in
single room € 589,00
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travelling
alone € 651,00
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E.Spoleto - Norcia |
in
double room €
370,00 |
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in
single room € 485,00
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travelling
alone € 535,00
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supplement
half board € 120,00 |
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Supplement stay at Saturday
night at Norcia € 10,00 |
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Supplement Spoleto
Festival (24/06-08/07) € 45,00 |
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F.Città di
Castello-Norcia |
in
double room €
482,00 |
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in
single room € 589,00
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travelling
€ 689,00
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Supplement stay Saturday
night at Norcia € 10,00 |
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transfer Norcia - station
of Spoleto on request |
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Please,
contact us freely, if you would like to receive more information !
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