umbria - Sarisbury Green DFAS

HILLTOP TOWNS & ART IN
UMBRIA
Sarisbury Green DFAS
2nd - 8th May 2017
£1,139 per person
Based on two sharing a twin/double room
with a minimum of 25 passengers
Our TOur
7 Days - 6 NighTs
What’s included
• Return flights between London & Rome
• Return Airport Transfers in Italy
• 6 nights half board accommodation
• Porterage on arrival & departure
• Welcome glass of wine or beer in the
gardens, weather dependent
• 3 course dinner each evening
including wine
• Tea/coffee after dinner
• Guided Excursions as per overleaf
• Entrance to The Basilica of St. Francis,
Assisi
• Entrance to Priori Palace, Perugia
• Entrance to the Palazzo dei Consoli,
Gubbio
• Entrance to Palazzo Mauri, & Duomo,
Spoleto
• 1 lunch at local Trattoria
• Gratuities
What’s not included
• Single supplement - £120 pp (double/
twin for sole occupancy)
• 7 days Travel Insurance - £38 pp
• Items of a personal nature such as
drinks, souvenirs, etc.
• Meals other than those specified
Umbria has its own character and identity. Known as the “Green Heart”
due to its lush rolling hills and fertile plains, studded with picturesque
towns and monasteries, it is less well known than neighbouring Tuscany
but still as has a deep heritage, inimitable art and architecture and fine
cuisine. Discover such hidden, unspoilt gems as the ancient towns of
Spoleto with its defensive walls dating back to the 5th century BC and
Gubbio, with stunning Gothic and Renaissance structures and wonderful
views over the beautiful countryside. Our tour also leads us to St. Francis
of Assisi and a number of other medieval hilltop towns steeped in local
history and culture.
Our hotel
The Hotel Dei Duchi is a 4* family-run
hotel located in the centre of the medieval
town of Spoleto, overlooking the Saint
Agata valley. Each of the 49 rooms offer a
lovely view either over the valley or The
Roman Theatre and are furnished with
care and attention to detail. The hotel
offers a friendly welcome and a peaceful
atmosphere served up with wonderful
regional cuisine. House wine will be
included for you each evening.
OUR ITINERARY
Day 1
Fly from the UK to Rome and meet a local
coach and guide. Flight times permitting, enroute to the hotel, we will stop at one of
the lovely unspoiled hill towns. Check into
our hotel for 6 nights. Dinner included each
evening, inclusive of wine.
Day 2
After breakfast we set off for Assisi, one of
the best preserved medieval centres in the
world and the birthplace of Saint Francis.
There will be a tour of the city including
entrance to The Basilica of San Francesco,
a UNESCO World Heritage Site which
boasts fantastic frescos by Lorenzetti and
Giotto. Other highlights of the city include
the Duomo (San Rufino), Santa Chiara and
the Temple of Minerva.There will be time at
enjoy the city independently.
Day 3
Full day excursion to Gubbio. An ancient
town and the past the capital of Umbria.
Gubbio’s compact town centre has a
good selection of mediaeval, Gothic and
Renaissance structures and has great views
over the beautiful countryside. Highlights
include; the Palazzo dei Consoli, a huge 14 C
Gothic building made of limestone housing
an art gallery, archaeological museum and
the civic museum which houses the Eugubine
tablets, seven bronze plaques written in the
ancient Umbrian language; The Duomo
with its striking rose-window in the facade
flanked by the symbols of the Evangelists and
the most precious art piece is the wooden
Christ over the altar, of Umbrian school. Just
outside the city is the Roman Theatre, built
in the first century BC and was in fact the
second largest theatre in the Roman empire
after the theatre of Marcellus in Rome.
Day 4
This morning we will have a guided tour of
the charming and historical city of Spoleto,
considered one of the most important
cities in Umbria and home to a host of
fine monuments. Our tour will include the
city highlights such as the Roman Theatre;
entrance to the 12th century Cathedral;
Palazzo Mauri, which is home to 6th century
mosaics and a library that owns remarkable
array of ancient books. This afternoon there
will be some free time in the city to explore
independently.
Day 5
Today visit Perugia , the capital city of the
region. Its historic centre consists of cobbled
alleys, arched stairways and piazzas framed
by magnificent palazzi.The main sight to visit
it the gothic Priori Palace, architecturally
striking and houses the city’s main art gallery,
Perugia’s medieval money exchange, with its
Perugino frescoes. Late afternoon we head
to the small town of Citta della Pieve for
a late “Blow out” lunch at a local trattoria,
before heading back to Spoleto.
Day 6
After breakfast we head to a few of the small
pretty rural towns of Spello, Bevagna and
Montefalco, often overlooked by tourists.
For the art lover, Spello is well known for
its wonderful frescoes by Pinturicchio-
depicting scenes from the New Testament
- which can be found in the 12th century
church of S. Maria Maggiore, but it also
has picturesque cobblestone streets that
meander in and out of mysterious alleyways
that lead to simple, yet elegant stone houses
with the welcoming locals sitting outside
them. Bevagna is a walled city with origins
deep in ancient Umbrian tribal history, and
in contrast to many of the other hill top
towns, is mostly on a level. The main piazza,
the Piazza di Sylvestri, is surrounded by
several churches, the Palazzi dei Consuli, a
fine example of gothic architecture, and the
Collona di St. Rocco. Montefalco provides
some of the best scenic views of the Umbrian
landscape. Lovely orchards, olive groves and
vineyards surround the town, offering all the
charm and beauty of Italian nature. the town
has ancient walls, cobbled streets and stone
buildings, along with lovely examples of
medieval architecture preserved in beautiful
churches.
Day 7
Return to Rome airport via (time permitting)
Todi, a collage of soft-stone houses, palazzi
and belfries pasted to the hillside. The
centre looks very similar to as it would have
done during the Middle Ages, and there is
an excellent example of a well-preserved
medieval square. There will be a guided
orientation tour of the centre. Return flight
to the UK.
The exact order of excursions is subject to
change.
How to book
Please complete the booking form and return, with
a deposit of £150 per person to Colin Smith - 17
Locks Road, Locksheath, Southampton, SO31 6NS
Tel: 01489 582633