karensantamonica

We have a trip planned to Italy in May that includes 7 nights in Bevagna and 2 in Assisi. We will have a car. I'm working on a tentative plan for our days in Bevanga and would love input as to whether it seems too packed, and any other thoughts about the itinerary - especially if anyone has any suggestions about lesser known little towns or sites on our way to/from each city. We are interested in etruscan sites, roman sites, romanesque churches, medieval - early renaissance art, good food, whether traditional or not, taking walks in nature, and having a cappuccino or gelato break now and then! Also, if anyone has any info about best days of the week either to go to any of these cities or info about days of the week to avoid any of these cities, please include.
Day 1: Arrive in Bevagna mid afternoon, explore Bevagna a little and have dinner.
Day 2: Orvieto
Day 3: Norcia and Castelluccio: take a walk/hike in the area near Castelluccio in the morning, lunch and walk around town in the early afternoon. Mid afternoon, Norcia - walk around the town, have dinner there.
Day 4: Spoleto: explore the town and sites of interest in the morning, have lunch, take a walk along the Ponte delle Torri in the afternoon, maybe check out the Teatro Romano. Return to the town, have dinner in Spoleto.
Day 5: Gubbio or Todi
Day 6: Morning in Spello to explore the town and sites of interest and then have lunch; explore the town a little more after lunch. Check out the Tempietto del Clitunno and take a walk in the area on the way back to Bevagna in the late afternoon/early evening. Dinner locally.
Day 7: Bevagna in the am and Montefalco in the afternoon and for dinner

indyhiker

Sounds like a nice itinerary. We spent a week in Spello last May and hit some of the same towns and are going back this spring as well. You'll love Umbria.

My only comment is that touring some of these towns from morning/early afternoon until dinner time for us would be challenging, considering dinner is often not served before 8 or 9 or so. Perhaps it's not an issue for you though. We also found out the hard way trying to get back from Assisi to Spello that the headlights on our Fiat 500 were pretty awful. I would not have wanted to drive back from Norcia in the dark.

But I am potentially projecting my own anxiety onto you, but I wanted to throw that out there!

tuscanlifeedit

I too was thinking about the long days in individual small towns. We have found that lots of towns are pretty quiet, with shops and some sites closed in the afternoon. Spello, in my memory, was shut up tight midday. Same for Montefalco.

sandralist

I agree with indyhiker that you want to eat your dinners in Bevagna. You might also find, very quickly, that 2 Italian restaurant meals per day is one too many. For Castellucio/Norcia in particular it makes sense to enjoy a huge lunch and then shop in the early afternoon at the famous food shops and come back to Bevagna to have a in-room supper. (Will you have a kitchen for this week?)

I would recommend something similar for Montefalco, because one of the town's main claims to fame is an especially strong red wine that you might not want to miss drinking, but shouldn't drink if you plan to drive. Better to buy a bottle to bring back to Bevagna with you.

In May you are not guaranteed weather where it makes sense to go to Castellucio (it is quite high up) on a fixed day. You need to watch weather forecasts and only drive up if it is a clear day. You can check out this site while you are in Italy:

http://www.3bmeteo.com/meteo/castelluccio

Finally, planning your day trips, you need to bear in mind that Italian towns in Umbria largely shut up shop between 12.30 and 3.30 every day. So if you are not going to be hitting the road very early each morning, it is sometimes better to arrive in a town at lunchtime (1.30) or after lunch, depending on how much you want to see and do in that particular town.

indyhiker

Regarding Norcia, we arrived mid morning and walked around a bit before lunch. From there, we visited the Piano Grande and Castellucio before returning to Norcia for another stroll through town and a gelato. We then drove back to Spello, getting in just before nightfall.

Definitely indulge in some Sagrantino wine while in the area. You don't have to eat in Montefalco to find it on most menus, but there are several wonderful restaurants in Montefalco that are particularly attuned to what it should be served with. it's not a wine that you generally drink on its own; it's better to pair it with beef or boar for instance. I like Umbrian whites, too.

If you are interested in wine at all, consider a tour with Gusto. They will pick you up in Bevagna, making it a safe way to indulge.

2010

I've stayed in Bevagna twice - May 2011 & September 2013. I loved the town and loved the location from which we did day trips in all directions!

As others have suggested, the weather in May is changeable which could affect your plans. You may need to be flexible, rearranging your plans as you go.

Also, you might want to check when market days take place in towns you are visiting. Parking on these days are often at a premium. Go early, if you do! Once, we arrived at Spoleto not realizing that it was market day. We weren't able to find a parking spot and we ended up not staying.

(If you are interested in reading about our two stays in Bevagna, click on my screen name to go to my trip reports.)

Have fun as you plan your trip!

karensantamonica

Thank you all for your invaluable tips. Keep them coming, please!

zoecat

Be sure to eat lunch at the tavern in Castellucio-

http://www.tavernacastelluccio.it/it...ristorante.asp


The local trout is especially good.

karensantamonica

I will try the taverna in Castellucio, weather permitting! It looks so traditional.

zoecat

I highly recommend this guidebook, even though it hasn't been updated for years.
http://www.amazon.com/Umbria-Heritag.../dp/8836528376

karensantamonica

Thanks for the book recommendation. I have the outdated Umbria Blue Guide and I am thrilled with it, but more is good when it comes to good resources. I'm starting Songbirds, Truffles and Wolves. I'm looking for books on Umbria history, too.

gailscout

We visited many of the villages you have mentioned in your itinerary when we stayed in Bevagna in 2012. Especially enjoyed Norcia and Spello. When you visit Orvieto on your 2nd day, make sure to include a visit to Civita di Bagnoregio. It is less than an hour's drive away and easy to return to the major highway on your return to Bevagna. Such a gem and a place you'll never forget. A very small village perched on a crumbling hill with no cars. You park below and then walk a long but easy walkway to the entrance. There may be a small entrance fee of 2 euros to assist with the village's maintenance. We were lucky to see a Palio with donkeys in the town square - which was quite hysterical, when you see the size of the square. The views are exquisite!

http://www.romeartlover.it/Bagnoregio.html