Holiday in Umbria
| country: | Italy |
| location: | Umbria |
| departures: | Departs most Sundays, Apr - Oct |
| price: | From £930 (8 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to Holiday in Umbria
Explore the green heart of Italy on a journey through charming Umbria, mingling with pilgrims, eating delicious foods and seeing ancient sites along the way. Travel from Venice to Rome via the ancient hilltop towns of Gubbio and Assisi and encounter the religious and historical treasures of one of the most alluring regions in Europe on this delightful Italian adventure.
day-by-day itinerary
| Days 1-2: | Venice. Be enchanted by the maze of streets and alleyways, tiny bridges and winding canals. Board a traghetto to cross the Grand Canal then sip espresso in one of the spacious piazzas. With free time, stride through the pigeon flocks in the Piazza San Marco, visit the impressive basilica or browse the shops for watercolours and carnival masks. |
| Days 3-4: | Gubbio. To make the most of the town's stunning mountain scenery, dine al fresco at a streetside cafe. Feast on local tartufo and porcini 'steaks'. Take a funicular up the steep slopes of Mt Ingino to the hilltop basilica, in which lies the mummified body of Saint Ubaldo - Gubbio's patron saint. Hike through high pastures to enjoy memorable views over the Umbrian countryside. |
| Days 5-6: | Assisi/Spello. Home of St Francis, founder of the Franciscan monks, Assisi is one of Italy's most important religious towns. The many wonderful sights here include the Basilica di Santa Chiara and the Basilica di San Francesco. After a day's sightseeing, take the train to nearby Spello, perched on the side of Mt Subasio and dotted with ancient Roman monuments. Taste the region's renowned wine at a local enoteca. |
| Days 7-8: | Rome. The lively city of Rome is crowded with ancient ruins and religious artefacts, and yet it buzzes with modern life. There is plenty of free time to visit the historical centre of the city to see some of its famous landmarks, including the incredible Colosseum and the Pantheon. Be sure to sit for a moment on the Spanish Steps and stop for a gelato at an atmospheric cafe. |
traveller reviews for Holiday in Umbria
We stumbled on a very local benefit cook-out for a church restoration in Venice. We enjoyed dinner there which also included a live band, and felt good that proceeds were going to a good cause. (more)
small group adventure holiday
This is a 'small group adventure' - on our group trips you'll be with a maximum of 11 like minded travellers and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting people from other parts of the world as well as seeing new places! (more) Because of our small group size, we're able to guarantee departures for all of our trips. Once you have booked and paid your deposit, your trip is guaranteed to go!
highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
award winner
This tourism business won an Award in our 2006 First Choice Responsible Tourism Awards - organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society. The central tenet of the Awards, in which winners are nominated by tourists, is that all types of tourism – from niche to mainstream – can and should be operated in a way that respects and benefits destinations and local people.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Our Venice accommodation is a small family run hotel, in walking distance of the station. We walk EVERYWHERE in Venice, so as not to add to the pollution of the canals, wave damage and silting of the lagoon caused by increasing numbers of cruise ships and vaporetto boats. We encourage travellers to try a gondola ride - no fossil fuels consumed, no toxic emissions, supporting the age-old gondolier trade (apprenticeship can only be handed down from father to son) and putting our cash into local family's pockets.
In Gubbio we stay at another small family run establishment, where our travellers may choose to eat at a local restaurant that is a supporter of the Slow Food movement. Our Assisi accommodation consists of another family run guesthouse... then we head to Spello to a small wine cellar to taste wine and oil and local gastronomic delights, a delicious way to support local producers. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
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