Gourmet Food & Wine Tour on a bike through Italy's Umbria region

You arrive at your hotel la Bastiglia **** in Spello

The hotel is situated in the historical centre of the town and has a terrace offering a magnificent view over the Valle Umbra and the surrounding hills. At the end of the afternoon, there is a route briefing and bike set-up. In the evening at 18.15, you have a tasting-menu in a restaurant / wine bar ‘Properzio’: - Bruschette with 2 different olive oils and fresh tomatoes / white wine Fendi -Tagliatelle with truffle (if you do not like truffle tagliatelle with fresh tomatoes) / wine Brunello or Super Tuscan - Meat balls of Chianina with salat / wine Sagrantino 25 anni Caprai - Dessert, caffè and grappa or a similar wine

Spello-Spoleto

Today you will leave Spello and cycling through the valley you cross the centre of Foligno, a town with not only interesting monuments, but also many good restaurants, bars and shops. Then it goes gently up to Spoleto, situated at the end of the Valle Umbra. Your hotel **** is situated at the border of the historical centre.

Distance: 42 km /26 mi Ascent/ Descent: +258m – 217 m

Spoleto

Today is dedicated to the lovely town of Spoleto. In the morning you have time to explore Spoleto or (on request) you can ask us the route descriptions of a loop walk of 11 km on Mount Luco. In Spoleto there is a lot to see: the castle, the medieval aqueduct Ponte delle Torri, a roman house, the roman theatre with archaeological museum, the cathedral, the modern art museum… In the afternoon* you will have a cookery course (1 ½ hr) You will learn to make a delicious ‘antipasto’ and ‘primo’ (pasta or risotto) or an antipasto and secondo. During dinner, of course, you will taste these dishes.

*in some occasions the cookery lesson can be in the morning followed by a lunch

Cycling to Montefalco

The ride of today is not so long, but hillier. Climbing out of the valley you cycle through an undulating landscape full of olive groves. To reach the lovely town of Montefalco you have to conquer the hill on which the town is built. Montefalco is famous for its Sagrantino docg wines and in the medieval town centre, there are some nice churches and the museum ‘San Francesco’ to visit.

Distance: 29,9 km /18,6 mi) Ascent / Descent: or +472m -380m

Montefalco – Torgiano

After breakfast in the saddle again and you cycle to Bevagna, which has a lovely medieval square with a fountain and two Romanesque churches. The square is a real meeting place for the friendly inhabitants of the town. After visiting Bevagna a short ride mostly through the valley will lead you to the small town of Torgiano, in medieval times a fortified village, situated on the confluence of the rivers Chiascio and Tiber (Tevere). The town is famous for its excellent wines. You have enough time to visit the nice wine museum with its rich collection of ceramics and art (subject wine making) from Etruscan until modern times. In the afternoon in the ‘winery of the Lungarotti family, you will visit the winery and taste their excellent Torgiano wines. Your hotel is in the quiet town centre.

Distance: 34,1 km / 21,2 mi Ascent/descent +202m – 456m

Visiting the town of Perugia or a cycling tour in the surroundings of Torgiano

Today there are two options:

A loop to Perugia - Perugia is the capital of the province. A short cycle tour takes you to the station in Ponte S. Giovanni at the foot of Perugia. From here the train or bus will take you into the historical centre of Perugia. You can also choose to cycle all without bus or train. The centre, with its little alleys and characteristic town squares, is a lively vibrant place. The renaissance palaces, medieval churches, museums and many galleries will make a lasting impression. After your visit, you return by train and bike back to the peaceful, hospitable town of Torgiano. Distance: 33 km / 20,5 mi Ascent / descent: + 400m – 442m

OR

A trip in the surroundings of Torgiano - Close to Torgiano (6 km) is the village of Deruta, which has, in part managed to retain the highly distinctive features of its medieval buildings. Deruta is universally famous for its ceramics and there are many ateliers to visit. 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. Numerous Italian and foreign museums have pieces of Deruta ceramics on show, including the Victoria and Albert Museum. The town hall hosts the art gallery and the ceramics museum. The next stop is the sanctuary of Madonna dei Bagni, which has built after a miracle, which took place in the year 1657. Inside the church there are more then 600 votive tiles, all testimony to the tradition of the Deruta ceramics. Cycling through a beautiful hilly landscape, you pass typical Umbrian hamlets like Casalalta. Your cycle back to Torgiano is through the Tiber valley.

Distance: 51 km / 32 mi Ascent / Descent: +604m – 603m

Tonight, a very special dinner will await you in restaurant Si.Ro. You will taste some typical Umbrian dishes (appetizers, ‘primi’ (pasta –risotto), ‘secondo’ (main course), vegetables and a coffee with a grappa or another after-dinner spirit). For the lover of black truffle, you can also enjoy some dishes prepared with these "Diamonds of the Kitchen."

Cycling to Assisi (25 km / 15,5 mi)

Today a short ride in which you will cross the valley, cycling along quiet country roads. Already from afar, you will see Assisi, like many other Umbrian towns 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 came to pray. You will have enough time to visit the main monuments of the town, like the basilica of Saint Francis with its beautiful frescoes by the painters Giotto, Simone Martini, Cimabue and Pietro Lorenzetti.

Distance: 24,4 km / 15,2 mi Ascent / Descent: +251m – 54m

End of tour after breakfast