Programme

Day 1

Arrival in the hotel near Assisi (3km)

The hotel, with swimming pool and restaurant, is situated  3 km from the historical centre of Assisi.

Day 2

Cycling to Campello sul Clitunno passing for Spello and Foligno (40 km)

You leave your hotel and cycling along the slopes of Mount Subasio you reach Spello. There's enough time to wander about this charming old town. Spello is an extremely interesting place, containing many features dating back to Roman and medieval times. After your visit you descend to Foligno, situated in the valley. You pass along the main square with it's beautiful 'Duomo', which still has a Romanesque facade. Passing along the lively shopping street you will leave the town to cycle the last kms to reach your hotel  close to the fountains of Campello sul Clitunno.

Day 3  

Visiting Spoleto (33 km)

This morning a short tour brings you to Spoleto. From afar you can already see its castle dominating the hilltop on which the medieval part of the town is built. The centre is still largely inside the medieval town walls. Spoleto offers a lot to see, like the 'Duomo' with its famous frescoes by the Florentine Filippo Lippi, the Roman house and the Roman Theatre with an annexed archaeological museum. 

Day 4

Cycling to Torgiano passing Bevagna and -optional- Montefalco (41 or 45 km)

Biking through an undulating landscape you see Montefalco from afar. At the foot of this town  you can choose to continue through the valley directly to Bevagna or to visit Montefalco... but to arrive in this lovely town there is first a steep climb to conquer. Montefalco is also named 'the balcony of Umbria' because of the magnificent view offered from this town. The hill slopes  are covered with vineyards and truly excellent wines are produced here. Of course it's almost impossible to leave the town without tasting them in one of the many wine bars.

Bevagna has a lovely medieval square with a fountain and two Romanesque churches. It is a real meeting place for the kind inhabitants of the town.  After a last hill you will reach Torgiano, situated on the confluence of the rivers Chiascio and Tiber. Your hotel, with swimming pool, is situated in the quiet town centre.

Day 5

Visiting Perugia (35 km)

A short cycle tour will bring you to the station of Ponte S.Giovanni situated at the foot of Perugia. From here a local train will take you into the historical centre of Perugia, which is situated on higher ground. The centre, with its little alleys and characteristic town squares, is bubbling over with life. The aristocratic Renaissance palaces, medieval churches, museums and many galleries will make a lasting impression. After your visit you return by train  and bike back to your hotel in Torgiano.

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A tour in the surroundings of Torgiano (35 km)

Close to Torgiano is the village Deruta, which has, in part, managed to retain the highly distinctive features of its medieval buildings. Deruta is universally famous for its ceramics. The origins of this ancient art go back as far as the Etruscan times and  nowadays the many local workshops still make excellent quality ceramics.

The next stop is the sanctuary of Madonna dei Bagni, which has built after a miracle taking place in the year 1657. Inside the church there are more then 600 votive tiles, all testimony to the tradition of the ceramics of Deruta. You cycle back to Torgiano through the Tiber valley. 

Torgiano is famous for its gorgeous red and white wines and when you have a moment of time  you could visit the interesting wine museum and go to the Lungarotti' family's  'osteria'  next door, where you can taste their wines.   

Day 6

To Assisi (25 km)

Today you will cross the valley cycling over quiet country roads. You will already see Assisi from afar as, like many other Umbrian towns, it is built on a hilltop. Before reaching Assisi, however,  you can stop for a moment to visit the Franciscan basilica in S.Maria degli Angeli. Under its impressive dome still lies the humble little chapel 'Porziuncola' where Saint Francis once came to pray. 

To arrive in the beautiful historical centre of Assisi you have to make a short but steep climb, but wandering through the town you will agree that it was worth effort. (An option could be to take the city bus from the train station in the valley and return here after your visit of Assisi to pick up the bikes again). You will have enough time to visit the main monuments of the town, like the basilica of St.Francis with its beautiful frescoes by the painters Giotto, Simone Martini, Cimabue and Pietro Lorenzetti. Your overnight stay will be in the hotel, where you started.

Day 7  

Departure

Period self guided tours

Every day all the year round

Level 2

A landscape with gentle rolling hills. The steeper climbs are short and the longer ones not too steep. For a large part you cycle through the valley. The daily distances are restricted to between 35 and 50 km