Dates & Pricing:
Guaranteed Departure Dates 2012:
April 15th SOLD OUT!
May 20th SOLD OUT!
June 10th
July 22nd
September 2nd
October 7th
Pricing: $2,200 (all departure dates)
per person based on double or triple occupancy
Single Supplement: $600
Note: Rates are per person and include round trip airport transfers in Italy at scheduled times. Airfare available from your hometown.
Day by Day Itinerary:
Day 1) Arrival
Arrive at Rome airport and transfer at 4pm to the hotel Posta dei Donini in San Martino in Campo, near Perugia. Settle in, then meet your tour escort and enjoy a welcome dinner of traditional fare and Slow Food Presidia products from Umbria and introduction to the tour and the Slow Food philosophy, the activities of the association and the Terra Madre Foundation.
Welcome Dinner
Overnight
Day 2) Orvieto, Todi
Morning visit to Orvieto, situated on top of a rock offering the most splendid of views. Tour of the city, including the Duomo Gothic Cathedral and a visit to the Palazzo del Gusto, head office of the Enoteca Regionale of Umbria where there will be a guided tour and a light lunch consisting of a tasting of Umbrian wines accompanied by local fare. Before heading to Todi, we make a quick visit to the Adriano pastry shop to try Orvieto’s typical cakes and desserts, including chocolates made with chillies and saffron. In the afternoon, we visit Todi, a splendid medieval town to wander around and discover the old monuments and craft shops. Our last stop is the the Caseificio Montecristo in Pian di Porto to sample the baby Pecorino cheeses made with fresh milk.
Breakfast, Light Lunch, Wine and Cheese Tastings
Return to the hotel and overnight.
Day 3) Assisi, Bevagna, Montefalco
Morning guided tour of Assisi, including the Basilica of St Francis. Continue on to Bevagna and enjoy free time in this ancient medieval town that has held on to its characteristics. Next, Montefalco, another splendid town situated on top of a hill, offering spectacular views over the hills. We explore the city and taste the Sagrantino wine at the Azienda Scacciadiavoli, then move to the ancient olive groves - 3,000 plants - belonging to the Romanelli family, to discover the many plant varieties and the extra virgin olive oil production techniques, along with a tasting.
Breakfast, Wine and Olive Oil Tastings
Return to the hotel and overnight.
Day 4) Poreta, Perugia
A morning visit to the Castello di Poreta where we sample the extra virgin olive oil and the Roveja, a small wild pea (Slow Food Presidium). Then we transfer to Perugia; perched on a hill, it is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful towns in Italy. We visit the Perugina chocolate museum, famous for its Baci Perugina chocolates, then have free time to discover the old city. Stop off at the historical Pasticceria Sandri pastry shop and the Bottega delle Erbe Aromatiche with over 6,000 different herbs and other products. Dinner with the dishes of the traditional Umbran cuisine at the Osteria La Lumera.
Breakfast, Olive Oil and Roveja Tasting, Dinner
Return to the hotel and overnight.
Day 5) Lake Trasimeno, Magione, Castiglione del Lago
Departure for Lake Trasimeno, one of the largest in Italy, to visit some of the characteristic towns around the lake. First stop at the Castello the Magione, visit the cellars and sample the local wines. Departure to Castiglione del Lago and second stop at the Azienda Madrevite. Visit the cellars and take a pleasurable stroll across the vineyards, then sample olive oil and typical products. Time to discover Castiglione del Lago, followed by dinner at the Trattoria l’Acquario, where traditional dishes, including the Fagiolina del Lago (Slow Food Presidium) will be served.
Breakfast, Wine and Olive Oil Tastings, Dinner
Return to the hotel and overnight.
Day 6) Departure
Early morning collective transfer for the Rome airport. Arrive at the airport at 10am.
Breakfast
Hotels:
Historical Residence Alla Posta dei Donini 4*, San Martino in Campo (Perugia)
In the heart of Umbria, the luxury hotel Alla Posta dei Donini provides exclusive comfort and excellent services. This magnificent Villa welcomes you to frescoed rooms, surrounded by over 20,000 square meters of the most extraordinary botanical park in Central Italy, its own pool, meeting rooms, restaurant and elegant rooms.
Note: If a change in hotels, restaurants, wineries or other businesses becomes necessary for any reason, the hotels or other businesses substituted will be equivalent of those shown.
SLOW FOOD PRESIDIA AND OTHER RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
Participants will have the unique chance of sampling several Slow Food Presidia products - high quality, traditional foods and beverages at risk of “extinction” - and other local delicacies from Slow Food recommended quality producers, such as:
- Baby Pecorino cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil of the Montefalco area
- Extra virgin olive oil of the Spoleto area
- Roveja wild pea
HIGHLIGHTS
- The Lake Trasimeno Bean is tiny, about the size of a grain of rice. Soft, buttery and flavorful, the dried beans are eaten boiled and seasoned with a little extra-virgin olive oil. The fresh beans (cornetti) are sauteed with tomatoes and garlic. Cultivated on the terraces around Lake Trasimeno, they were popular until the 1950s, but have nearly disappeared since then.
- The Sagrantino di Montefalco wine is named after the grape from which it is made. Cultivated for centuries on the hills of Umbria, Sagrantino is considered autochthonous, although there are various theories as to its origin. Some believe it to have come from Spain, others say it was imported by the first Franciscan friars, and others claim that it was brought into Italy by the Saracens. The Sagrantino may not be made available for consumption before having been aged at least 30 months, of which at least 12 months in wooden casks.
TYPICAL RESTAURANTS FROM THE “OSTERIE D’ITALIA” SLOW FOOD GUIDE
Tour participants will taste the delicious, authentic dishes of the regional cuisine eating at restaurants selected among those recommended by Slow Food in the “Osterie d’Italia” guide, small “trattorie” that still use fresh, local produce and traditional recipes for their dishes:
- Trattoria l’Acquario
- Osteria La Lumera
WINERIES AND MORE
Tour participants will also have the opportunity to sample wines and/or local typical products at wineries, bakeries, pastry shops, farms, fresh produce markets and more, such as:
- the famous Sagrantino wine
- the wines and local fare of the Palazzo del Gusto, Enoteca Regionale dell’Umbria winery
- the Baci and other chocolate pralines at the Perugina Chocolate Museum
- the typical traditional cakes and pastries of Perugia and Orvieto
POINTS OF INTEREST: ART, HISTORY, CULTURE & NATURE
During the tour the participants will not only discover delightful food and wines but also the most interesting monuments, works of art, churches and natural landscapes of the region:
- Orvieto - situated on top of a rock offering the most splendid of views, with the wonderful the Gothic Cathedral
- Todi - yet another splendid medieval little town full of ancient buildings and tiny streets
- Assisi - a spiritual place home of the Basilica of St. Francis
- Perugia - perched on a hill, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful ancient towns in Italy
- Lake Trasimeno - one of Italy’s largest lakes and the characteristic towns and villages around it, such as Magione and Castiglione del Lago
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