- Italy Escorted Tours
- Umbria: Heart of Italy with Perugia City Stay
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Umbria: Heart of Italy with Perugia City Stay
8 Day Escorted Tour with 0 Day Extension
Italy, Europe
10 Meals Included
6 Excursions
Easygoing Pace
Discover a landscape shaped by history, spirituality, and exceptional local food and wine, from medieval hill towns and rolling vineyards to dramatic mountain scenery. Rich in art, culture, and timeless charm, Umbria invites visitors to experience Italy at a gentler pace, where every town feels deeply connected to its heritage and the easy rhythm of everyday life.
Extend your stay in Umbria with extra time in Perugia, a historic hilltop city known for its medieval streets, elegant piazzas and rich artistic heritage. Enjoy time at leisure to explore more of the city’s atmospheric centre, sample local flavours, or simply soak up the relaxed rhythm of life in the heart of Umbria.
Highlights
- Embark on a walking tour of Perugia, including Piazza IV Novembre, Perugia Cathedral, Rocca Paolina, and the Etruscan Arch
- Visit Assisi’s magnificent Basilica of St Francis, adorned with frescoes attributed to Giotto
- Cruise across the tranquil waters of Lake Trasimeno
- Discover Spoleto’s Roman amphitheatre, cathedral, and fortress
- Sample the authentic flavours of Umbria - Sagrantino wine, local olive oil, and farm-to-table cuisine
- Explore the Frasassi Caves, one of Europe’s most impressive underground cave systems
- Marvel at Orvieto’s stunning Gothic cathedral and the mysterious caves hidden beneath the city
- Soak up the timeless beauty of the Umbrian countryside, where rolling hills, vineyards, olive groves, and medieval towns create a quintessential Italian landscape
- Enjoy extra time in Perugia after the main tour
- Explore the city’s medieval streets and historic piazzas at leisure
Map Key
Train
Road
Boat
Airplane
Walking
1
Itinerary
Day 1
UK to Spoleto
Dinner
Depart the UK on your flight to Rome. On arrival, transfer to your hotel in Spoleto for some time to settle into your surroundings before rejoining your group in the evening for a welcome dinner.
Day 2
Perugia
Breakfast
Begin your discovery of Umbria with a walking tour of the region’s capital, Perugia. This picturesque hilltop city has a rich history evident in its medieval and gothic architecture and ancient city walls. Step back in time as you visit the bustling Piazza IV Novembre in the historic centre of the city, which is home to the medieval Fontana Maggiore, the remains of the Renaissance fortress of Rocca Paolina, the historic Perugia Cathedral, and the Etruscan Arch of Augustus. The remainder of the day is at leisure.
Day 3
Assisi
Breakfast
This morning, spend time in Assisi, a beautiful hill town known for the Basilica of St Francis, a UNESCO World Heritage site that draws pilgrims from around the world. With a local guide, explore Assisi’s charming streets and learn about the town’s most famous resident, St Francis, from his privileged youth to his rejection of wealth and founding of the Franciscan Order. The basilica, built shortly after his death, appears simple outside but inside is richly decorated with colourful frescoes, including works attributed to Giotto, first of the great Italian masters. The basilica’s crypt also houses St Francis’s tomb. Afterwards, enjoy free time to explore the town’s historic centre, perhaps sampling delicious local dishes like truffle pasta, or admiring Assisi’s beautiful churches and medieval fortifications.
Day 4
Lake Trasimeno & Cortona
Breakfast
After breakfast, visit Lake Trasimeno, a vast, scenic lake surrounded by rolling green hills and renowned for the nearby Battle of Lake Trasimene, where Hannibal defeated the Roman legions in 217BC. Take a ferry from Passignano to Isola Maggiore, passing the hillside Guglielmi Castle and the medieval village of Castiglione del Lago, with its historic fortress. Continue to Cortona, a charming hill town with pretty terracotta rooftops, narrow winding streets, and beautiful piazzas which offer sweeping views over the golden Tuscan countryside.
Day 5
Spoleto
Breakfast
This morning, enjoy a guided tour of Spoleto, a city surrounded by hills, olive groves and vineyards in the foothills of the Apennines mountain range. Spoleto’s dramatic aqueduct bridge leads to the imposing Rocca Albornoziana fortress, creating a scene worthy of a historic epic, while the city that sits behind the walls bears the hallmarks of Roman and Lombard rule. The ruins of the city’s ancient Roman amphitheatre contrast with the resplendent Romanesque cathedral built of dazzling pale stone in the Piazza del Duomo. For lunch, you may be tempted by the scent of slow-roasted porchetta and other local delicacies, sold from fragrant street food stalls. In the afternoon, travel into the rich tapestry that is the Umbrian countryside to visit a leading producer of Sagrantino di Montefalco wine, made from the black Sagrantino grapes which are indigenous to the region. Enjoy a tasting of this dark, full-bodied ‘vino rosso’, as well as sampling the delectable olive oil that this region is revered for, completing an afternoon full of the true tastes of Umbria.
Day 6
Marche Region
Breakfast
Following breakfast, drive east to the Marche region, which lies between Umbria and the Adriatic. Here, delve deep underground to explore the Frasassi Caves, considered to be among the most impressive in Europe. Your tour of these stunning karst caves, with their glistening snow-white walls and icicle-like stalactites and stalagmites, takes you into the Great Cave of the Wind – large enough that it could house Milan cathedral! Learn more about the 1971 discovery of the caves as well as their formation over millions of years: the scale and beauty of the caves create an unforgettable experience. In the afternoon, return to Perugia, where you’ll have some more time to explore the town at leisure.
Day 7
Orvieto
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Your journey through Umbria concludes in Orvieto, a city whose ancient ruins lie in eerie underground caves. Explore Orvieto’s fascinating underground world at the family-owned Well of the Cave, a secret passageway leading to nine caves underneath a traditional pottery shop. Built into steep red-hued volcanic rock, Orvieto almost blends into its natural surroundings – although the cathedral is a stand-out feature. After riding up scenic tree-lined funicular tracks to the old town, marvel at the intricate façade of this incredible Gothic building, featuring shimmering mosaics and intricate Gothic detailing which give it the appearance of being illuminated from within. Enjoy lunch at a traditional agriturismo, where farm-to-table dishes showcase the rich flavours of the Umbrian countryside. Indulge in a menu of traditional fare grown in this fertile land at the heart of Italy. Spend some time at leisure before rejoining your group in the evening for your farewell dinner.
Day 8
Spoleto to UK
Breakfast
Transfer to the airport for your flight home.
What's Included
Hand-picked Accommodation
10 Meals
1 Excursions
Expert Local Guides
All entrance fees
International Return Flights
Overseas Transfers and Transport (as per itinerary)
Hold Luggage for all flights
ABTA & ATOL Protection
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Opening Times
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Accommodation
The hotels listed below are provided for guidance only and final confirmation of your accommodation will be sent to you approximately 21 days before you travel
Hotel Albornoz Palace
7 nights
Spoleto, Italy
Hotel Albornoz Palace
Spoleto, Italy
Important Information
The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. The schedules of the domestic airlines in country are subject to frequent changes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. The driving times listed are point to point and do not include the duration of excursions or stops en route. Some road construction and/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions.
If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £390.14pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.
It is your responsibility to check your passport validity. To enter Italy your passport must: have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive and have an ‘expiry date’ at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave. Sources of information include; https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
Please note your final documentation will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. Check in baggage is included with your flight. Weight restrictions will be finalised on your final documentation. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure. If you wish to arrange Airport car parking or accommodation at preferential rates, we recommend you book this in advance with Holiday Extras on 0333 188 0407, quoting HX313.
IMPORTANT: A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport to the staff at the desk and your boarding pass will be given to you. Please note that you should carry your invoice with flight details on it as you will need to show this at the airport.
We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras, including up to a 20% discount, which is given to all Mercury Holidays customers. To arrange your insurance with Holiday Extras, please visit https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/info/insurance for more details. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24 hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.
It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.
All our tours feature a “Tour Pace” to help find the right holiday for you. To travel on any of our tours requires unaided mobility and the ability to stroll around the sights, climb stairs and get on and off coaches and boats. The tour pace is rated Easy Going. A good level of fitness is required as you may be on your feet for approximately four hours in a day, though this will be interspersed with regular breaks and will vary from day to day. You will be walking around the sights, getting on and off coaches, trains and boats and climbing steps and modest hills and streets, that maybe cobbled. You will stay in variety of hotels throughout the tour. Our guides will always endeavour to provide the highest level of service and assistance; however, they cannot be expected to cater for customers who are unfit to complete the itinerary.
The currency in Italy is the Euro (EUR). We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK, however cash machines are available in all the major cities to withdraw money in the local currency. We recommend that, if possible, you exchange your currency before you leave the UK if this is possible. It is important that you budget carefully and ensure you have the right form of currency before you arrive in the country. Cash machines will also be available throughout the tour to withdraw money in your local currency. Otherwise, cash machines will be available in larger cities.
As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.
You will need to take money with you to cover any personal purchases such as souvenirs, laundry, any meals not included in the itinerary as well as drinks and any additional snacks. Approximately £300- £400 per person will be sufficient for the duration of the tour. It is a good idea to try and maintain a supply of small notes and change in the local currency for tipping or small purchases.
Tipping
It is customary to tip your guide and driver at the end of your tour, this is at your discretion, but we recommend you allow approximately €2 per person per day. Optional excursions are at an additional cost. Tips will be collected at the beginning/end of your tour. Tips are accepted in the local currency.
The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 15, and the maximum will be 25. If in the unlikely event there are less than 15 people booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are not able to operate your departure date, then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.
This tour does not operate as a fully escorted programme. Your English-speaking guide will be with you on all scheduled excursion days, however, on free days when there are no planned activities, your guide will not accompany you. This allows you the flexibility to explore at your own pace and indulge in personal interests. You will still have access to a local team member who can assist you in case of emergencies on your free days.
Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character, and can range from business hotels to leisure hotels. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist compared to what you might expect in the UK. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning, where needed. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs.
Breakfast is always western style and served in the hotel each morning. Lunch and dinner (when included) will be taken in local restaurants or at the hotel. It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way.
Gluten free, vegetarian and vegan meals can be catered for. Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information.
On your arrival in Umbria, you will be met by a representative from our local agent, Destination Italia holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/ Destination Italia representative or driver will show you to your transfer vehicle.
If you need to contact your representative during your stay the details are:
Michelangelo International Travel Address: via Monte Misone 109, - 38066 Riva del Garda (TN)
Contact Details Lisa Battisti 0464 571 147 Email: lisa.battisti@michelangelo.travel
Emergency contact information Please find below the 24-hour emergency contact details for Michelangelo Internation Travel: 0039 345 1180977 outside office hours (no sms, no whatsapp)
If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel, then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.
- Sunglasses, Sunscreen and hat in summer
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Camera and charger
- You need a power plug adapter in Italy for sockets type F - 220 volts
- Antibacterial hand gel
- Binoculars
- Personal first aid kit containing travel pills, rehydration powder, plasters, stomach settlers, antiseptic creams, aspirin etc
- Small day pack for excursions
- Waterproof, lightweight jacket
- Lightweight clothing Sweater and jacket for the cooler months
- Travel kettle
