Out of Siena we soon find ourselves back in the quiet countryside of sweeping wheat fields, Abbeys, Roman baths and historic hill towns. It doesn't take long for you to reach for your camera in an attempt to capture the vast panoramas of rolling hills of strange landscape of bare, ash gray soil of deeply fissured hills known as "crete." Tall cypress pine trees line the pathways to one distant estate after another creating a surreal feeling as if you have stepped into a fantasy world. This impressive road takes us to a remarkable 13th century Abbey that features the noteworthy frescoed cloisters by Signorelli and Sodoma.

After lunch at the Abbey we ride into the land of Pecorino cheese, and Vino Nobile wine or better known as "the king of wines". Just before reaching the entrance of the town walls of Pienza, we stop to visit the sit of where the film "The English Patient" was made. Then ease into the center of town and our 4 star lodging.

Lodgings: 4 star, 15th century Palace at the Medieval Center.

We ride across Tuscany to a tiny Etruscan spa town surrounded by dormant volcanoes. Then bike into Umbria via quaint, tiny villages spilling from the hills of this lovely countryside where a tranquil yet wild beauty typifies life in rural Italy.

This route embraces a way of life that has been far removed from all the typical tourism stops.  As we leave the secluded hillsides villages we roll through the vineyard-laden hills and catch our first glimpse of what has been described as “the Golden Lilly of Cathedrals” then swoop down into Orvieto Classico wine country; but unlike the fancy wineries of Tuscany, Umbria offers us a much more relaxed approach to wine.  Once in town we stop for a tasting and admire the sun shining against the Duomo's façade that leaves one with an everlasting impression of this splendid medieval town. 

Orvieto, perched on a tufa plateau, is known for its beauty; fine wines, ceramics and Duomo, one of the most revered gothic cathedrals in the world.  The wine produced from the fertile volcanic soils around town was once so highly regarded that the architects working on the Duomo were happy to be paid with it.  We make sure to visit the outstanding Duomo that also hosts Signorelli’s “Last Judgment”, as well as the 16th century well cut into the tufa on which Orvieto stands.  By the way, it was Pope Leo XIII who described the Duomo as the “Golden Lily of Italian Cathedrals.”

Lodgings: Converted Palace in the center of town****

Coasting down from Orvieto a tiny country roads loops through a lovely lake-dotted region to Cívita di Bagnoregio, a city perched on an isolated rocky outcrop and home to fewer than 20 people due to the erosion of the rock beneath. Also known as “la citta che muore” (“the city that is dying”) residents have been departing from here since the sixteenth century and leaving behind a dwindling population in a strange, eerily deserted village that recently gained international interest and is now being re-inhabited. There is a longstanding rumor that an Italian computer company had plans to buy up the entire place at a cheap wholesale price, but for the moment it is safe and well worth a visit just for its beauty and strangeness…

We pedal into the Volsini Mountains and to the shores of Lago di Bolsena. This beautiful lake is actually situated in the Lazio province and occupies the remains of a broad volcanic crater. The surrounding soil is immensely fertile, and there is a very mild micro-climate, with most of the shores intensely cultivated.  From there we return to Orvieto with plenty of time for a taste of the region’s famed white wine and tour the underground Etruscan caves.

Our morning ride takes us into the hills above Lago Corbara. The tiny village of Prodo is the perfect place for a relaxing picnic. The ride remains very panoramic all the way into medieval Todi, renowned for its labyrinth of passageways and narrow streets. As we approach from a distance Todi begins to reveal its charm as an attractive city perched on a secluded mountainside. It has retained three distinct protective walls dating from Etruscan, Roman and medieval periods. The Piazza del Popolo, the square in the centre of Todi, is surrounded by buildings, which give evidence to the town’s flourishing commercial life in the Middle Ages. Explore the Tempio di Santa Maria della Consolazione and you will notice that it resembles the original plan of St. Peter's in Rome.  Due to only one day here we allow for ample time to explore.

Lodgings: In medieval center

Peaceful hills and valleys are the perfect backdrop for our ride to Spello. Small, scenic country roads take us through a village called "Bastardo" to Montefalco, meaning Falcon’s Mount. It was also glorified with the appendage “la ringhiera dell’Umbria” – “the balcony of Umbria” and is the birthplace to eight saints… In the 15th century important artists were working in Montefalco’s churches, decorating them with frescoes well worth a visit as is the liquor store in the town square where, those that dare, we offer a tasting of the strong blackberry-flavored local wine “Sagrantino Passito” which is made from a grape variety not found anywhere else in Europe.

Luckily the ride is all downhill from here. Spello is our destination and is situated on broad terraces above the Valley of Spoleto. Faithful legionaries who had reached the end of their careers turned the town (previously known as Hispellum) into a sort of Roman retirement home. Medieval and pink-stoned Spello is the best place for a taste of small-town Umbria and a perfect base to explore the surrounding area. It also offers an abundance of art to examine, such as frescoes by Pinturicchio’s in the Church of Santa Maria, a chapel built on the ruins of a pagan temple.

Lodgings: 2 nights in another **** Converted Palace

A short ride, uphill of course, loops us into Assisi, birthplace of Italy’s patron saint. While wandering through this magical city spread across the slopes of Monte Subasio, we visit the nBasilica of St. Francis, which feature famed Giotto frescoes. The Basilicata is considered one of the greatest monuments to thirteenth and fourteenth century Italian art. From Assisi it is just a few pedal strokes to the town of Torgiano, home to a great little wine and olive oil museum as well as Umbria’s finest wines, produced by Giorgio Lungarotti. After visiting this very interesting wine museum a formal tasting is enjoyed!

Bike two more miles into the town of Deruta and visit Grazia, its famed, centuries-old maiolica ceramics studio.  For ceramic fans this is a must see and time is allowed for extensive shopping.  If time allows we ride through medieval Bevagna where surreal gargoyles watch you carefully from over the doorways of the church San Michele. Back in Spello, we would like to invite you to a farewell aperitif in the square before a delicious dinner.

The following is a list of train schedules for transportation from the tour finish in Spello. Train departure times and tracks are subject to change, so verify before boarding.

Departing your tour: (departs frequently)
From Spello to Rome: ~2 hours 
#2483  Spello -11:51--à arrival Roma Termini ---13:46 
 
From Spello to Florence/Firenze: ~2.5 hours (departs frequently)
#1806  Spello -09:24--à arrival Firenze S. M. Novella ---11:51