Wines of Montefalco & Truffle of Norcia

Umbria is known for its beautiful nature, medieval villages, fine wines and delicious local cuisine. During this tour you will see two different parts of Umbria. Bevagna is situated in the Valle Umbra, a fertile valley with small medieval villages and famous for its high quality wines. Norcia, with in the background the Sibylline mountains, is a good place to taste the local truffle dishes such as pasta with truffles, the omelette with truffles, or truffle salad. It is also famous for its production of salamis and raw hams.

The tour starts in Bevagna, at the foot of the town of Montefalco, a hilltop town, famous for its Rosso di Montefalco and Sagrantino wines. You will stay in a Residenza d’Epoca and have a cooking class in a super restaurant housed in the remains of a Roman theatre built in the first century A.D. under Emperor Trajan. You will prepare a four courses meal that you will enjoy at lunch combined with a Montefalco Rosso wine. It will be an unforgettable experience!

You leave Bevagna and on the way to Norcia, you will have time to stop and visit Spoleto. The city is situated in the southern part of the Umbrian Valley. The medieval centre lies on a hill. There is a lot to see: the Cathedral with frescoes by Filippo Lippi and works by Pinturicchio, the fortress, which can be clearly seen from far away, the aqueduct or Ponte delle Torri, a Roman house, a Roman theatre, numerous churches, and museums.  Spoleto is not only rich in things to visit, but is also a pleasant place for shopping, with numerous good restaurants.

Before going to Norcia you could also book an easy walk through the vineyards of the Montefalco wines. A guide, who knows all about winemaking, will accompany you. After this relaxing walk, you have a wine-tasting in a winery, where you will have an interesting explanation about winemaking and taste the famous Montefalco wines.

Norcia is situated on the plateau of Santa Scolastica. The city is famous for its truffle, pecorino cheese, salami, and raw ham (prosciutto). This Norcineria, like Fiaschette del Prete (a finely ground salami), the gorgeous Norcia ham, and the so-called mule’s testicles, is offered in many delicacy shops and restaurants.  The historic centre of the city has been damaged by the latest earthquake in 2016 (churches have been particularly damaged) but thanks to the energy and collaboration of the inhabitants of Norcia, the town is now largely being restored.

You will stay in a Relais in the centre, a historic palace. The Relais has a restaurant awarded with one star Michelin, where you have dinner the evening of your arrival, and you could relax in the spa centre.  The next morning you will have a cooking lesson with the chef and/or his team and in the afternoon an enjoyable walk searching for truffle with a picnic.