Rubix424

Hello, I am looking for some guidance on scenic driving routes through Tuscany and Umbria from Rome. My husband and I are planning a 2 week trip to Italy the end of April, beginning of May (tentative 4/18 to 5/2). This is our first visit to Italy, and we're completely flexible on our dates, we're looking at cheapest flights to Rome from Miami, and building our itinerary that way. We love adventure driving and discovering off the beaten path places, hiking, and avoiding the tourists/tourist traps, and savoring the culture, food and people.

Through the forums I've read recommendations for the most scenic drives in Tuscany (1) the Chiantigiana route through Chianti (2) Via Cassia, scenic route from Siena to Rome (3) Lucca to Barga (we love mountains). Where would you make your home base? What driving routes would you suggest for Umbria? I wanted to split the trip with 5 nights Tuscany and 4 in Umbria, but with all these beautiful scenery on these routes I am on information overload and can't decide!!

To start our trip, we want to begin in Rome and sight see just 2 full days. Then take the train to
Train to visit Civita di Bagnoregio and Orvieto (pick up car rental) and hit the road on or scenic adventure. My first thought for Tuscany was to home base in Chianti and visit Siena and neighboring towns. Then drive to Assisi and spend the remainder of our time doing day trips to Gubbio, Todi, Spoletto, Terni (Cascata delle Marmore). But now I've recently learned about Lucca and Barga - with the Apuan Alps, I am afraid of spreading our trip so thin we see lots of places but not enough time to savor them.

Any help for what cities to overnight in as a base, or split, and suggestion on itinerary would be really appreciated. Thank you!!

StuDudley

Here is something I posted a while back about scenic drives in Tuscany

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...y-171368-2.cfm

Stu Dudley

indyhiker

If you like mountains, you should defiitely do a day trip to Norcia, the Piano Grande and Castelluccio. There are various routes to choose; it sort of depends on our comfort with twisty mountain roads. It'll still be a month or so too early for flowers blooming along the Piano Grande, but the views are still really lovely.

We were in Umbria for a week last May, with a base in Spello. The entire area around Spello, Assisi, Montefalco and Bevagna is lovely, although I don't have any specific routes for you to follow. As you head to Perugia, it gets more congested, but even that is pretty shortlived. We did not make it to Spoleto or Gubbio on this trip, nor did we explore the area around Lake Trasimeno. We are headed back this coming May to explore a bit more.

Spello made a convenient base, although it is a bit quiet. It's easy to get in and out of (which isn't true for some of the other towns) and there's a free parking lot just outside the main gate into town.

One thing to bear in mind in Umbria (and I assume this is true in Tuscany as well) is that many of the smaller towns and villages virtually shut down for several hours after lunch during the Italian "pausa." Some sights remain open, but the feel and energy of the towns change rather dramatically and it can really alter your imprssions and experience. I would suggest arriving well before lunch or by mid-afternoon if you really want to see the towns in their most interesting light. The larger the town, the less I noticed this (and Saturdays and Sundays were a bit different as well). We typcially used afternoon hours to drive to a new town or to explore the countryside.

Rubix424

Thanks Stu, this is very helpful! After reviewing, I think we should fly into Rome and out of Florence. But I'm still trying to decide on where to base for splitting the trip 5 days Tuscany and 4/5 in Umbria. I know we definitely want to see Lucca and Barga and the Apuan Alps, there is so much information out there I wish we had a month to see everything!

Rubix424

Thanks indyhiker, I will definitely read up on Norcia and your suggestions as well.

indyhiker

If you like being off the beaten path, I think you'll really enjoy Umbria. It was our introduction to Italy--and I'm so glad we choose it (not that we have anything to compare it to).

Given your interests, though, I have to wonder if you'd be better off picking one region over the other and exploring it a bit more in depth. Obviously, 4-5 days in each will give you a nice taste, but it will be tempting to use that time to cover as much ground as possible. We spent a full week in Umbria and could have EASILY spent more time; I felt like we barely scratched the surface.

I think both of these regions lend themselves to a more leisurely pace. Just something to think about. I'd note that we tacked on four days in Rome to that trip. That was a good amount of time for us in the city. Any less than that and I think we just wouldn't have really quite gotten our bearings. Any more time and, well, I was already exhausted!

passported

We used San Quirico d'Orcia as our base in Tuscany and Bevagna as our base in Umbria. Many on this board would recommend driving around the Val d'Orcia area over the Chianti area I think.

We loved Tuscany and liked Umbria. After a few days of "mountain goating" to walk up into hill towns (you have to park outside the old walls of all hill towns, otherwise you'll get a ticket) we were pretty much done, pretty though they all are. So don't feel bad when you pick a few to visit and bypass others.

indyhiker

I think if you focus only on the towns, it can get a bit monotonous, but when you add in hiking or exploring some of the natural beauty--as my husband and I did--or if go on a wine your or take a cooking class, which we also did, then you can start to feel rushed. YMMV.

sandralist

You should check out temperaturs and rainfall for the Apuan Alps in mid-Spring. It might not be a favorable time to go to a higher elevation like that with a coastal exposure. It's possible it is just fine, but I would check that out. Somebody here might be able to give you advice, or you could ask also on the TripAdvisor forum for Tuscany/Lucca/Barga.

If you've never been to mainland Italy it is easy to underestimate how extremely dense it is with beautiful scenery, interesting small towns, and spectactular sights of interest. It is really nothing like many other places, especially in North America, where you generally drive for miles to points of interest within nothing that turns your head in between. Visiting Italy in a car and moving between pre-selected destinations is one heartbreak after another as you pass by town after town you didn't know existed, castles, church bellowers, vineyards, poppies all calling out to you to stop -- and if you do, you can often spend quite some time wandering around fascinated, or discovering amazing church interiors or totally engaging wine/cheese/chocolate shops.... well, you get the picture.

It is also easy to underestimate how demanding driving in Italy can be, both on the speedy but narrow highways, filled with truck traffic, but also on the rural roads, especially if you pick mountain destinations like the Apuan Alps or the Piano Grande (you should only drive to the latter if you are CERTAIN it is a clear and not foggy or rainy day up there). Driving in the central valleys of Tuscany and Umbria is a lot of fun, and in spring they are filled with flowers, but trying to cover a big stretch of Italy --- touring the Chianti and Umbria (including Gubbio & the Piano Grande?) plus the Garfagnana -- is biting off a lot of driving. I'm a road warrior, but I'd be looking to cut some of that driving down.

If you very much want to see the Garfagnana and you get reassurances about the mid-spring weather, try to see if you can get a flight in or out of Pisa. I would also suggest you reconsider going to Rome for 2 days. Just save it for another time. If your cheapest flight is to Rome, then go to Orvieto the same day by train and begin the trip there. End to fly out of Florence or Pisa. Or vice versa: look for a flight into Pisa or Florence (or even Bologna, and trake a train to Florence), and then finish your trip in Orvieto and take a train to Rome to fly home.

sandralist

indyhiker and I were posting at the same time, and while I agree with the previous advice to keep the Italian "pausa" when visiting small towns, I will say that I am not a hiker when I travel in Italy and the towns are fascinating to me. I pick them for their artworks or other special interests, but for my visits to Umbria, I have focused on the extraordinary treasures of art in the region. In terms of fresco art, it is one of the most astonishing repositories of masterpieces in the world. Also, the architectural bounty of Umbria is outstanding: Perugia is literally one big mountain of great architecture and engineering dating back to Etruscan times, Assisi is a masterpiece of civilisation, there is Spello, Spoleto and Gubboio -- each unique in its way -- as are the gems of Bevagna, Montefalco, Narni and of course the incomparble Orvieto -- and these are just the famous ones.

If you like to hike, so did St Francis, and don't let me stop you. But I never found being in the next Umbrian town monotonous and when I go back, I'll be going to more towns.

StuDudley

We spent 2 weeks in Tuscany in early/mid April 2013. We first visited Verona & then Bologna. Here is my wife's Shutterfly book from that trip.

https://stududley.shutterfly.com/39

Click on "full Screen". Because of Shutterfly software problems, many captions & titles are missing or truncated.

Stu Dudley

StuDudley

In case the titles are not clear, we stayed in San Quirico d'Orcia in the Val d'Orcia (south of Siena) - same village where passported stayed. We've stayed in the Val d'Orcia for 1 to 3 weeks at a time on other trips in late March/April, several visits in Sept, Oct, and in late June (our closest friends owned an apt there for 8 years). April is our favorite month to visit this region. Also, like passport stated - Chianti (north of Siena) is quite different from the Val d'Orcia. I'm one (my wife too) who prefers the Val d'Orcia.

Stu Dudley

Henry

Rubix,
This may give you some ideas http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/tuscany/hs_planning.htm

indyhiker

Actually, I agree with Sandralist that each of the towns is unique and wonderful each in their own way. We just found that we enjoyed taking a break here and there from touring the various towns with a hike or another activity. I think both regions afford those opportunities if one is so interested. Given the OP's stated interest in hiking and mountains, I thought it was worth noting that he/she might want to factor that in when deciding how much time to spend I each region.

bvlenci

Another Umbrian town that's worth a visit is Spoleto. While there, you should make sure to see the medieval bridge/aqueduct constructed over a deep gorge. It's one of the most impressive works of medieval engineering I've ever seen, and given the difficult site, perhaps more impressive than the medieval cathedrals.

I hate to spread your trip even thinner on the ground, but some points of your proposed itinerary put you very close to the beautiful, but mostly untouched by tourism, of Le Marche. Some of the drives in Le Marche are exceedingly beautiful.

Near Gubbio, you can join the SP3 road that will take you towards Urbino. Urbino merits at least half a day, but if you don't have time, you could at least enjoy the drive as far as Furlo. You should get off the modern SP3 highway shortly after Acqualagna (which is, by the way, one of Italy's capitals of the prized white truffle) to take the old road towards the town of Furlo. This follows the route of the ancient Via Flaminia. You'll pass a little park on your right, where you can see some Roman flood control works, and the little 8th century basilica of San Vincenzo.

The road eventually leads to the narrow Gola di Furlo, where steep cliffs rise from the river and an ancient Roman tunnel carved in the rock still carried traffic, at least until a few years ago. The last time I was there, the road still hadn't been repaired after a disastrous flood, and at a certain point you might have to park your car and walk the rest of the way. However, this can be an advantage, as the walk is very beautiful, and when driving you'd likely miss the most scenic spots.

A short detour would take you to Fonte Avellana, a beautiful 9th century hermitage on the scenic slopes of Mount Catria, and a meeting point of several hiking trails. There are tours of the monastery, which are well worth taking. They don't have tours in English (at least not up until the last time I was there) but they have an English write-up that describes all of the rooms you will visit. There is a "pharmacy" that sells all sorts of products produced by the order of monks that are now living there. In the bar, you can get a light meal, or on Sundays you can reserve a three-course lunch in the refrectory of the monastery. The bar also sells excellent local cheeses and some other local products, such as liqueurs and chocolate.

Near Fonte Avellana, the upper town of Frontone has a medieval castle (privately owned, and with limited visiting hours) and great views over the countryside. There's a good rustic restaurant there, Taverna della Rocca, where in the winter they roast the meat in a huge open fireplace. (Maybe in other seasons also, but we go there only in the winter.)

Further south in Umbria, near Casteluccio (mentioned above) there is a scenic drive (labeled a gastronomic itinerary) in the vicinity of Colfiorito. The cured meats in this area are some of the best you'll find in Italy; it's not far from Norcia, whose name is synonymous with cured meats. The scenery around Colfiorito is much the same as at the much more famous Casteluccio.

Near Colfiorito, starting at Nocera Umbra, there's a small road (SP361) that winds through the upper valley of the Potenza river, partly in Umbria and partly in Le Marche. There are lots of good hiking trails and old roads in this river valley, although some of them are not very well marked. On your right, in Fiuminata, there is a sign on your right for "Castello", which means "castle", and is the name of a little hamlet that is mostly a castle. If you go into the center (if you could call it that) of Castello and park, you can follow one of several old roads that cross here; a walk along any one of them is very pleasant. One of these old roads will take you to an old hermitage, Madonna di Valcora, on a hill in a pretty spot. There are signs to Valcora on the main road, and you can also drive up the hill.

The main road (SP361) eventually leads to the pretty little village of Pioraco, on an dry ancient lake bed, at the confluence of two rivers, surrounded by cliffs. There are many castles in this area, mostly privately owned; near Castelraimondo the Lanciano castle is worth a stop; it also has limited visiting hours. At the roundabout near Castelraimondo, you can leave the SP361 to take the road to Camerino, a beautiful little medieval town, home to an old university and a ducal palace, and again, splendid views. Camerino was once part of the Duchy of Spoleto. On the way to Camerino, on the left, there's a turnoff for a restaurant called Pappafò, which is our favorite in this area.

After visiting Camerino, you could return to Umbria on the SP77, for a change of scenery.