Orvieto and Assisi tour: the land of San Francesco

A daily tour to explore important points of attractions of the Region Umbria. From the ancient town of Orvieto, built on the top of a tufaceus cliff, with its Etruscan origins and its medieval aspect, you will continue crossing the beautiful Umbrian countryside to reach the area close by the famous Trasimeno Lake, where lunch in a local farmhouse will be served. Finally an enchanting walk through the streets of Assisi, the city where St. Francis was born.

Step away from the big cities; there's a more genuine Italy to discover, made up of small ancient villages. Umbria and Tuscany regions are considered some of the most beautiful in our country thanks to their lovely and enchanting countryside.

We leave Rome, driving through the Tiber Valleys and, heading north, we reach Orvieto, a small town of Etruscan origin to admire the beautiful 14th-century cathedral, a triumph of Gothic-Romanesque architecture.

We continue traveling through the green Umbrian hills, covered with olive trees and vineyards, crossing even a small area of Tuscany, driving on the border between the two regions. We are in the lands of the great DOC wines: Orvieto, Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Nobile di Montepulciano, etc.

Lunch, based on traditional Italian cuisine, will be in a lovely farmhouse in the small village called Castiglione del Lago, not so far away from the famous Trasimeno Lake, the 4th largest lake of Italy, situated between Umbria and Tuscany.

In the early afternoon, after having skirted the shores of Trasimeno Lake, we arrive in Assisi and with our local guide we begin a walk through the alleys of the town that rises at the foot of Mount Subasio. We will see the Church of Santa Chiara, the place where San Francesco was born and the house where he lived the first years of his life, the Piazza del Comune with the Palazzo del Popolo, the Roman Temple dedicated to Minerva and the Palazzo Comunale. Near the ancient walls of the town there is the Basilica of San Francesco, with its magnificent frescoes painted between the 12th and 14th centuries.

After the visit with our guide and before coming back to Rome, you can spend your free time to stay more into the church, or simply walking around the alleys of the city, through the typical souvenirs and religious shops or taking a picture to the wonderful panoramic view of the Umbrian countryside.