A Week in Spello

Ref: 1809166

September 8, Saturday ROME / SPELLO

On arrival in Rome, will collect an automatic rental car and set out to Spello (about 3 hours) where you will stay the next 7 nights at Buonanotte Barbanera, www.buonanottebarbanera.it

Dinner will be prepared for you this evening by a private chef (served in the main house)

September 9, Sunday SPELLO

Spello is hidden away from tourists and is a pleasure for those who love walking. Three well-preserved Roman stone arches form the entry points to the town, Porta Venere, with its towers, Porta Urbica and Porta Consolare. Once inside, the cobblestone streets meander in and out of mysterious alleyways that lead to simple, yet elegant stone houses.

Ø We recommend the hike (or ride) up to tiny Collepino. The adorable secluded hamlet of Collepino, oozes charm with its winding cobbled streets and stone houses. It is so tiny that we will quickly see the town, enjoy a refreshment and a little “Rock and Roll” café before heading back down the hill. The hike up along the Roman Aqueduct offers beautiful views and takes about 2 hours in each direction.

September 10, Monday SPELLO

This evening, walk to Enoteca Properzio where you will enjoy a delicious meal & wine. www.en.enoteche.it . Dinner is included at 7:30 PM. Roberto (7th generation master sommelier), the owner is very passionate about his wines, he and his wonderful son Luca will offer you a list of all the wines you tasted during your meal, please understand you have no obligation to purchase any of these wines.

September 11 – 14, Tues - Fri SPELLO

Local towns you will not want to miss during your time in Spello:

Ø Perched halfway up Mount Subasio, the visual impact of Assisi’s shimmering white marble buildings is magnificent. The city is dominated by the massive 14th-century Rocca Maggiore - a hill fortress offering fabulous views over the valley and nearby Perugia. St Francis was born here in 1182 and work began on his basilica two years after his death in 1228. It's a magnificent tribute to the patron saint of animals with frescoes by Giotto, Cimabue and Martini. Relics from Imperial days include the excavated forum and the pillared facade of the Temple of Minerva. Roman foundations are a common feature of many buildings. The town's many churches include Santa Maria Maggiore, San Pietro, St Clare and the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli. Recommend lunch at Risorante San Francesco, located in front of the beautiful church.

Ø The little walled city of Bevagna is one of the most attractive places of central Umbria, in the plain of the Topino River. Unusually for Umbria, it is not a hilltown, but is pretty flat, sitting in a shallow basin at the foot of the northern end of the Colli Martani. Such an advantage would count for nothing if the town were unattractive, but Bevagna is loaded with interesting and beautiful sights: Roman mosaics, the remains of a Roman theatre and of two Roman temples, and half a dozen good churches, most of them medieval: among which the frescoed Sant' Agostino, S. Domenico, S. Margherita; and above all, the great Romanesque churches of S. Michele and S. Silvestro that face each other across the main square.

Ø Montefalco is a majestic hilltown in central Umbria, which can be found on the eastern side of the Colli Martani around 7 km southeast of Bevagna,

Dinner will be prepared for you on 2 more evenings by a private chef in the Main House.

September 15, Saturday ORVIETO / ROME

Return to Rome airport where you will drop off your rental car and stay a final night in Italy at the Rome Airport Hilton, located adjacent to the airport terminal.

On your way to Rome we suggest a stop to visit Orvieto, for a chance to taste the white wine the city is famous for. Half the pleasure of this lovely town, set high on a rocky precipice, is a first glimpse of it from far away. The grey and white bands of marble of its magnificent Gothic cathedral give the interior a spacious simplicity. The wine bars and cafes surrounding the cathedral on the main square offer outdoor seating from which you can enjoy its unique beauty.

September 16, Sunday DEPART

Services conclude after breakfast.