endenlit
t. (0039) 346 3254167 o (0041) (0)79 2457505 | email: info@meravigliosaumbria.com | scrivici in whatsapp
endenlit
t. (0039) 346 3254167 o (0041) (0)79 2457505 | email: info@meravigliosaumbria.com | scrivici in whatsapp

Medieval villages and a fascinating lake

a 5- or 7- day cycling tour
A 5- or 7-day cycling holiday

A bicycle trip in a region full of surprises

Rediscovering beauty is one of the objectives of this cycling trip, which offers a complete and extraordinary overview of alluring Umbria. The fertile Valle Umbra, rich in water and surrounded by green mountains and hills covered with olive groves and vineyards, is excellent for a relaxing holiday on two wheels. This valley is famous for its medieval towns because here we find Assisi, Spoleto, Bevagna, Spello, and many other villages of considerable interest. Starting from Assisi, where you will surely be fascinated by the medieval monuments and the imposing fortress located in a dominant position over the valley and town. Walking through a maze of narrow streets, alleys, and passing through pretty squares embraced by medieval buildings and wonderful fountains, you will have the feeling of being in the distant past.

Trasimeno lake

The first ride will take you to Spello, which you will reach by following a panoramic road between olive groves. Spello, the town of flowers, is of Roman origin and well preserved its medieval appearance. You descend into the Umbrian Valley arriving first in Foligno and then in the medieval town of Bevagna with its welcoming Piazza Silvestri and its two Romanesque churches. Returning to Assisi you will follow part of the Assisi – Spoleto cycle path. Your journey will continue to Torgiano, a wine town where outstanding wines are made and with an interesting wine museum, and San Martino in Campo, an excellent base for an extra night to visit the fascinating Perugia with its rich Etruscan, Roman, medieval and even Renaissance history by bus.

Assisi

Back in the saddle, you will reach the beginning of the Perugia-Lago Trasimeno cycle route: you will pedal along with it, alternating cycle paths and secondary roads, reaching Castiglione del Lago, which rises majestically over Lake Trasimeno. You will have a free day for some relaxation on the shores of the lake or you make a loop ride to the Etruscan city of Chiusi. Finally, pedalling along the shores of the lake you will be led to the final destination, the splendid Passignano sul Trasimeno where you can stroll along the promenade, which will give you a breathtaking view over the lake or to visit the island ‘Isola Minore’, the icing on the cake of this tour through a green Umbria.

The 5-day tour goes directly from S.Martino in Campo to Passignano without passing Castiglione del Lago and Chiusi.

Medieval villages & a fascinating lake

DIFFICULTY: 2
Hilly terrain with average daily distances of 35 – 65 km, for bikers with cycling experience or a moderate degree of fitness. Mostly quiet asphalted and now and then dirt roads.

 Difficulty level 2  

DEPARTURES:
Daily from April to the end of October (exclusive 04/08-18/08/2024)


PARTICIPANTS:
1 or more people. 


START / END: Assisi / Passignano sul Trasimeno


CODE: C 010 UMB

Prices

From € 419

Daily program of

5-day / 4-night tour

Day 1 | Arrival at your hotel in Assisi

Individual arrival in Assisi, a medieval city located on the slopes of Mount Subasio, in a dominant position over the Umbra Valley and a world heritage site. It is a city where history, traditions, and art are brought together in harmony. You can already discover Assisi by wandering through the alleys and streets and stop in one of the many squares with bars, which invite you to enjoy an ice cream, a cappuccino, or a good local wine. There is so much to see: the Basilica of St. Francis, the Basilica of St. Clare, the castle ‘Rocca Maggiore’, museums and the Roman Forum. At the end of the afternoon bike fitting and briefing

Overnight stay with breakfast in Assisi

Day 2 | Spello – Foligno - Bevagna - Assisi (43,4 km / 27 mi)

After breakfast, immediately in the saddle for the first ride to discover the green Umbrian Valley. You will first reach Spello following the panoramic Via degli Olivi. The city has kept its medieval charm well and you will find yourself in a maze of alleys and cheerful squares colored by flower boxes. Spello is also famous for its Infiorate, organized every year on Corpus Domini.
The colored mosaics of petals and flowers are real works of art, made by the inhabitants of the village. Leave your bicycles to visit the historic center on foot passing by the monuments of the city: the church of S. Maria Maggiore, which houses the Baglioni chapel decorated by Pinturicchio, the church of S. Andrea, the art gallery, the Roman mosaics and the Roman Consular gate.
You will resume pedaling in the valley among fields with cereals, sunflowers, vines and olive trees and passing through the welcoming town of Foligno, you will reach Bevagna, a rare example of an Umbrian town built on the plain and not on a hilltop. The town boasts both a Roman past and a typically medieval aspect. Piazza Silvestri is a very interesting square, a lively meeting point for the inhabitants of the city, with its Gothic-style Palazzo dei Consoli and two Romanesque churches. Other sites to visit are mosaics in the Roman bath and a medieval house. You will return to Assisi following a stretch of the Assisi-Spoleto cycle path.

Overnight stay with breakfast at Assisi
Distance: 43,4 km / 27 mi
Ascent / Descent: + 366m – 366m

Day 3 | Assisi-Torgiano-San Martino in Campo (43 km / 26,7 mi)

This morning you will pedal in the direction of Torgiano passing through Santa Maria degli Angeli. Here is the impressive basilica, which under its dome hides the Porziuncola, where St. Francis lived for a while and died. Pedaling along quiet and secondary country roads you will reach Torgiano, an ancient river port, located on a hill surrounded by a landscape of olive groves and vineyards. Excellent wines are produced in Torgiano and it became the first wine-growing area in Umbria to obtain the Doc label for its wines. In the historic center there is the Wine Museum and the Olive and Oil Museum, which are certainly worth a visit. Leaving Torgiano you will have a last short stretch to go towards S. Martino in Campo.

Overnight stay with breakfast at Assisi
Distance: 43 km / 26,7 mi
Ascent / Descent: + 155m – 365m

Day 4 | S. Martino in Campo – Passignano (49 km / 30,4 mi)

Today a pleasant ride on quiet roads until you take the Perugia – Lago Trasimeno cycle path. The itinerary is easy with only two important climbs at the beginning. The landscape characterized by olive groves and cultivated fields offers beautiful views of the surrounding villages and hills. Once you reach the lakeshore, you will mostly follow the cycle path up to Passignano sul Trasimeno. From the historic center, ferries depart for Isola Maggiore, the only one of the three islands currently inhabited. In the evening, you can take a nice walk along the promenade and enjoy dinner in one of the many restaurants overlooking the lake. Overnight near the centre in a *** or **** star hotel

Overnight with breakfast in a Passignano
Distance: 49 km /30,4 mi
Ascent/Descent: + 488m – 406m

Day 5 | End of tour after breakfast

Your tour to discover the Umbrian Valley and Lake Trasimeno has come to an end. After breakfast, departure and end of our services.

Daily program of

7-day / 6-night tour

Day 1 | Arrival at your hotel in Assisi

Individual arrival in Assisi, a medieval city located on the slopes of Mount Subasio, in a dominant position over the Umbra Valley and a world heritage site. It is a city where history, traditions, and art are brought together in harmony. You can already discover Assisi by wandering through the alleys and streets and stop in one of the many squares with bars, which invite you to enjoy an ice cream, a cappuccino, or a good local wine. There is so much to see: the Basilica of St. Francis, the Basilica of St. Clare, the castle ‘Rocca Maggiore’, museums and the Roman Forum. At the end of the afternoon bike fitting and briefing

Overnight stay with breakfast in Assisi

Day 2 | Spello – Foligno - Bevagna - Assisi (43,4 km / 27 mi)

After breakfast, immediately in the saddle for the first ride to discover the green Umbrian Valley. You will first reach Spello following the panoramic Via degli Olivi. The city has kept its medieval charm well and you will find yourself in a maze of alleys and cheerful squares colored by flower boxes. Spello is also famous for its Infiorate, organized every year on Corpus Domini.
The colored mosaics of petals and flowers are real works of art, made by the inhabitants of the village. Leave your bicycles to visit the historic center on foot passing by the monuments of the city: the church of S. Maria Maggiore, which houses the Baglioni chapel decorated by Pinturicchio, the church of S. Andrea, the art gallery, the Roman mosaics and the Roman Consular gate.
You will resume pedaling in the valley among fields with cereals, sunflowers, vines and olive trees and passing through the welcoming town of Foligno, you will reach Bevagna, a rare example of an Umbrian town built on the plain and not on a hilltop. The town boasts both a Roman past and a typically medieval aspect. Piazza Silvestri is a very interesting square, a lively meeting point for the inhabitants of the city, with its Gothic-style Palazzo dei Consoli and two Romanesque churches. Other sites to visit are mosaics in the Roman bath and a medieval house. You will return to Assisi following a stretch of the Assisi-Spoleto cycle path.

Overnight stay with breakfast at Assisi
Distance: 43,4 km / 27 mi
Ascent / Descent: + 366m – 366m

Day 3 | Assisi-Torgiano-San Martino in Campo (43 km / 26,7 mi)

This morning you will pedal in the direction of Torgiano passing through Santa Maria degli Angeli. Here is the impressive basilica, which under its dome hides the Porziuncola, where St. Francis lived for a while and died. Pedaling along quiet and secondary country roads you will reach Torgiano, an ancient river port, located on a hill surrounded by a landscape of olive groves and vineyards. Excellent wines are produced in Torgiano and it became the first wine-growing area in Umbria to obtain the Doc label for its wines. In the historic center there is the Wine Museum and the Olive and Oil Museum, which are certainly worth a visit. Leaving Torgiano you will have a last short stretch to go towards S. Martino in Campo.

Overnight stay with breakfast at Assisi
Distance: 43 km / 26,7 mi
Ascent / Descent: + 155m – 365m

Day 4 | S. Martino in Campo – Castiglione del Lago (55 km / 34,2 mi)

Today a pleasant ride on quiet roads until you take the Perugia – Lago Trasimeno cycle path. The itinerary is easy with only two important climbs at the beginning. The landscape characterized by olive groves and cultivated fields, offers beautiful views of the surrounding villages and hills. Once you reach the lakeshore, you will mostly follow the cycle path up to Castiglione del Lago, positoned on a promontory on the northernmost tip of Lake Trasimeno, on the border with Tuscany. There is a nice small port from where ferries leave for the various islands (Maggiore, Minore and Polvese). From the historic center, you have a beautiful panoramic view of the lake and its islands. At Castiglione del Lago we find evidence of its origins, both Etruscan and Roman. There is also a sixth-century castle, the ‘Rocca Leone’, built by Emperor Frederick II. The city is a real meeting point for the inhabitants of the surrounding villages. Your overnight stay will be in the historic center in a *** hotel or in a B&B di charme.

Overnight stay with breakfast at Castiglione del Lago
Distance: 55 km / 34,2 mi
Ascent / Descent: + 557m – 442m

Day 5 | Loop ride to Chiusi (42 km / 26 mi)

Today a nice ride in the hilly landscape between the two lakes, the lake of Trasimeno and of Chiusi. You will reach Chiusi, which is built on a hilltop in a strategic position overlooking the Val di Chiana. Chiusi had its period of maximum splendor during the reign of the famous Etruscan King Porsenna (6th century BC). The city still retains many Etruscan and Roman remains, making it an important archaeological center. Many finds can be seen in the Etruscan Museum. Interesting to visit is the underground city, the labyrinths of winding tunnels that run under the city. In the tunnels, there is a rich collection of tombstones. The Cathedral of S. Secondiano is one of the oldest churches in Tuscany. On your return you will pass the Etruscan tomb ‘Tomba della Pellegrina’ and the ‘Tomb of the Monkey’. Pedalling back to Castiglione you will always have beautiful panoramic views of Lake Chiusi and Trasimeno.

Overnight stay with breakfast at Castiglione del lago
Distance: 42 km / 26 mi
Ascent / Descent: + 585m – 483m

Day 6 | Castiglione del Lago - Passignano (23 km / 14,3 mi)

Today you will ride along the cycle path around the lake, enjoying the panorama and the characteristic lake landscape. You will follow the cycle path until Passignano sul Trasimeno. It will be a short tour, so you will have time to visit this quaint village, to relax on the lake beaches or to pay a visit to Isola Maggiore, the only island currently inhabited. Finally, in the evening, you can take a nice walk along the lake promenade and enjoy the lively atmosphere of the place, characterized by excellent wine-bars and fish restaurants overlooking the lake.

Overnight stay with breakfast at Passignano sul Trasimeno
Distance: 23 km / 14,3 mi
Ascent / Descent: + 80m – 114m

Day 7 | End of tour after breakfast

Your tour to explore the Umbrian Valley and Lake Trasimeno has come to an end. After breakfast, departure and end of our services.

Rosone Meravigliosa Umbria Divider