Help me plan 12 days in Rome and Umbria!
 

We are a Senior couple that love to travel! My wife is a photographer and her specialty is to locate street art, murals and graffiti. While she is a vegetarian more like a pescatarian (I'm not) although I'd rather eat salads and pasta we are always looking for good restaurants, nice glass of wine and of course Gelato.
The last time we were in Rome was back in the late 1960"s and while we have explored Tuscany several times we have never been to Umbria.

So here's the plan: first we fly out of San Francisco and take a flight the same day into Rome arriving in the evening. We will stay in Rome for a total of 5 days before heading to Umbria. We will not rent a car in Rome but after taking a train to Umbria will rent there and after a week take the train back to Rome before heading back to London and finally back home.

I am looking for places, locations , neighborhoods to stay in both Rome and Umbria. What are the essential sight to see in each location? How would you break down the week in Umbria? Which towns are a must see ? Also since we love music can you suggest where to go to listen to music?

We will arrive in Rome on September 23 and depart on October 5.
Thank you !!

We enjoyed Orvieto, about 2 hours by train from Rome. You wouldn't want a car there but could rent one once you leave, if necessary.

Just a point to note, car availability in Umbria (Perugia, Spoleto, Foligno have a few mainline agencies, Orvieto only has Hertz) is not as extensive as Rome. I'd run a few dummy searches on AutoEurope to facilitate this decision.

A guidebook or two would help with itinerary planning ; going clock-wise on a map -Orvieto, Deruta, Perugia, Gubbio, Assisi, Spello, Spoleto, Trevi were some of our favourite places. Narni and Amelia (much further south), are also interesting. We've based in Orvieto (for "western" Umbria) and Spello (Montefalco, Bevagna also good choices) for eastern Umbria. Our stay at https://www.terradeisanti.com/en/ just outside Spello, still ranks amongst our most memorable stays in Italy.

My wife and I are both vegetarians, and we ate well.

In Rome, we prefer to stay in the Monti neighbourhood sort of midway between Termini and the ancient sites of central Rome.

Essential sites depends on you and your interests.

In Rome most are going to want to see the Colosseum area, The Vatican area, maybe the other papal basilicas but nobody forces you . You could just wander the city.

If you draw a line between the Colosseum and the Vatican almost anything on that line will be a convient place to see most things in the centre.

In Umbria Assisi is an obvious choice

I did spend the first five days in Rome soaking in the atmosphere—wandering around the Colosseum, exploring the art inside the Vatican Museums, and enjoying relaxed evenings in Trastevere with great vegetarian pasta, pizza, and plenty of gelato.
It really depends on where you want to go. I haven’t personally been to Umbria, so I don’t know too much about it, but I’ve heard a lot about Lake Trasimeno. People often mention the relaxed and peaceful vibe there, which sounds perfect if you’re looking to slow down and enjoy the scenery.

I love Umbria! I wouldn't have thought it was terribly different from Tuscany, but on my last trip six years ago, Umbria was far less touristed. My group stayed in Bevagna, which we loved for its central location and the fact that it's not a hill town (flat!). Our B&B was La Corte De' Vasari -- super charming. We were fortunate to discover www.lifeitalianstyle.com and take a tour of local bread, olive oil, and cheese producers (but Jennifer does a host of varied tours and is also a personal chef). And we also easily traveled to the usual stops: Montepulciano, Assisi, Orvieto, etc. So many great towns!

I semi-applaud your plan to train from Rome to Umbria. We rented a car at the Rome airport and dealt with tons of traffic and stress to reach Bevagna. It sounds preferable to me to take the train, but of course I haven't done it myself.

As far as "essential" sites in Rome, there are so many! What are your interests? Ancient Rome? Art? A particular artist? Churches? Mosaics? Museums? You can just wander and find great things around every corner. I agree, you might want to look at a guidebook to help you focus on what you want. Five days (does that include your arrival day?) would be great, but you can't see everything.
It's been a while, but there were some cool murals by the Pyramid of Cestius and Protestant Cemetery in the Ostiense/Testaccio area, at the end of Via Marmorata. Also a great shop on Via Marmorata, Volpetti's, if you want some great cheese to take home.

I like to stay in the Piazza Navona area. Very central, the Vatican in one direction and the Colosseum in the other. Lots of restaurants (better if you go a block or two off the piazza). Lots of good bus connections.

We have rented cars in Orvieto, Spoleto and Perugia. Orvieto is lovely but is geographically on the fringes of Umbria. Well worth exploring for a day or staying a night but too far for daily drives to destinations like Assisi, Gubbio, etc. As ANUJ points out, Hertz is the only rental company with an office there. Perugia is also nice but is bigger with big-city traffic and a ZTL to get through. But it is closest to the Lake Trasimeno area which I particularly like for its scenery, charming towns and generally smaller crowds. Spoleto is easy for rental and return. Especially Hertz. We enjoyed staying in Spoleto for its variety of restaurants and chose a hotel at the bottom of the town, outside of the ZTL, easy egress/ingress . Hotel San Luca. We've also stayed in Todi.

With 6 days or so in Umbria, you'll have to be very selective in where you decide to explore. I can't think of one destination that wasn't worth visiting, so do some research to choose what fits your interests. In addition to the towns already mentioned upthread, I would mention Todi, the entire area surrounding Lake Trasimeno, Marmore Falls and nearby Parco Fluviale del Nera near Terni. If you want to drive some scenic roads, we enjoyed a nearly all-day drive from Spoleto to Norcia through the Sybilline National Park, onward to Casteluccio, Visso, Preci and back to Spoleto. Several stops for photos, towns, lunch, etc.

https://www.touring-italy.net/tours/...hp?recordid=51

If you're geology nerds, the Bottaccione Gorge near Gubbio is a study site for the second largest mass extinction of all living things on the planet, including the dinosaurs. Bonus: A medieval aqueduct. You can take a short, easy hike from Gubbio, but there is also a paved road.

https://www.umbriatourism.it/en/-/gola-del-bottaccione

Thanks so much to : KayF, Anuj, Traveler Nick, Priyanshayaday 7979, Abbydog, SusanP,and Jean for your suggestions. I will definitely look into each of your recommendations and so appreciate your input!

I am rethinking how to structure this trip and using Chatgbt as a tool checking out car rentals, train schedules and scheduling the least stressful way flying back to London, I've come up with this new plan.

After flying into Rome on the evening of September 23, we will spend the night at a hotel close to the airport and take a train in the morning heading to Umbria. We will rent a car perhaps in Perugia using that as a base for a few days and eventually returning the car and taking a train to Orvieto. We would then leisurely take the trains to Rome, stay there for 4-5 days and fly back to London. In this new plan we will have a car to drive around towns in Umbria; not have difficulty with limited rental agencies, no extra drop off charges; no car in Orvieto and no pressure making a flight from Umbria.

I can't tell where you are starting from but it makes no sense flying into Rome to only take the train. Instead fly into Perugia. then fly home to London from Rome

Traveler Nick. We had to use a credit from British Airways and flying into Rome was our best choice. Originally I thought we would stay in Rome for the start of the trip, however, unless I want to arrive in Rome the night before our flight back to London ( with an easy access to the airport), I'd rather take the train and not have to leave very early from Orvieto, take two trains to the airport.

Even if the credit is going to expire I don't think your plan is the best.

Right now to use that credit it's costing you an airport hotel in Rome. The trip from the airport to the main station. €6 for the bus from the airport. €55 for a cab. Plus the train ride to Perugia. Worse part is you'll lose a day of your trip.

All that adds up to more than the cost of a ticket to Perugia with a different carrier

Can anyone recommend a hotel in Perugia which will allow us to be able to walk into town; have parking for our car and be accessible to do day trips exploring Umbria?

You can search on booking dot com for hotels with parking. Then check those hotels' locations on Google maps for routes/distances on foot and by car. Challenges with staying in Perugia are both the ZTL and the plethora of one-way streets which make it difficult to drive out and back in without going in circles trying to avoid the ZTL. Hopefully, someone here will be able to recommend a hotel convenient for day trips, but Perugia wouldn't be my first choice for a somewhat short stay in Umbria.

Here's the latest plan:
Leave San Francisco and fly first to London and then fly to Rome. Flights already arranged
We will spend 5 nights ( 4 days in Rome)
Take a train from Rome to Perugia, rent a car and stay there as a base for the next 5 days. We are considering the Locanda della Posta Hotel and have been in touch regarding the parking issues.
After dropping off our car we head to Orvieto for 2 days ( actually 1 night) and take a late train back to Rome in the evening.
Early flight the next day from Rome to London and back to SF.
Any thoughts?

I wouldn't use ChatGBT to plan this holiday

bilboburgler: You are correct that Chatgbt shouldn't be relied on to plan a trip; however, I use it as a tool. I also use Fodors, Tripadvisor, YouTube, Facebook, travel books and friends as tools as well. When I gather all of my information it is then that I make my pla

The Perugia hotel is within the city's ZTL. You'll need to inquire of the hotel how to arrive and depart... very specifically, which roads, turn by turn. Don't rely on nav systems in the car, your phone, etc., which can't be depended on to route you through the ZTL without a violation. Don't leave anything visible in the parked car.

https://www.accessibilitacentristori...n/perugia.html

Stay in Trastevere in Rome - it’s lively but still feels local, and your wife will love the street art vibes; in Umbria, don’t skip Spello, it’s tiny but ridiculously charming.

Thank you Jean for your information! Sending thanks also to wahafhoney for introducing me to Trastevere in Rome.

Today I made our first hotel reservation at The Sangalo Palace in Perugia. It really meets our criteria having access to nearby parking, close to the escalators taking you up to the he historical center and good reviews. We will now look for a place in Orvieto ( so it will be 4 days in Perugia and 2 days in Orvieto.

Since we will spend the first 4 days in Rome (actually 3 full days) at the start of our trip, I will look for a place closer to the center and end up 2 days in Rome in the Trastavere neighborhood before heading back home.

Two days in Orvieto or two nights? We've stayed twice at the Hotel Piccolomini in Orvieto, but you may wish to stay closer to the top of the funicular (Piazza Cahen) for easy access to the train station. Or taxi to/from your hotel.

What a wonderful trip you have planned, Rome and Umbria in late September / early October is such a beautiful combination.

For your 5 days in Rome, I would suggest staying in either Centro Storico, Trastevere, or the Monti neighborhood.

• Centro Storico is perfect if you want to be close to the classic sights and enjoy walking everywhere.
• Trastevere has a lovely atmosphere, beautiful streets, great restaurants, wine bars, and feels especially magical in the evenings.
• Monti is one of my personal favorites with charming streets, boutiques, and easy access to the Colosseum area.

For must-see sights in Rome, I would definitely include:

• Colosseum & Roman Forum
• Pantheon
• Trevi Fountain
• Piazza Navona
• Vatican City & St. Peter’s Basilica
• Trastevere for evenings
• Spanish Steps area for wandering

Since your wife loves photography and street art, she may really enjoy exploring the Ostiense district and parts of Pigneto, which are known for murals and urban art.

For Umbria, I would break the week down between:

• Perugia (great base and lovely atmosphere)
• Assisi (absolutely a must)
• Spello (beautiful for photography)
• Orvieto
• Gubbio
• Montefalco (wonderful for wine)

A nice way to spend the week is 2 nights around Perugia, then day trips by car to nearby towns.

For music, Rome has wonderful live jazz bars and small music venues, especially around Trastevere and Monti. In Umbria, depending on dates, it is worth checking if there are any local concerts or events in Perugia.

It sounds like an absolutely lovely trip, especially for photography and food.

Hi Allyboy,
Below is some input about Perugia. I've cut and pasted from a previous post. I also highly recco Spoleto as it seems to hit the sweet spot for many travelers.

If looking for historical Perugia photo ops, chocolate, lunch and like that:
The ancient Etruscans built the dark lane via Volte della pace. Another superbly historic place is the arched corner of v. Aquilone/v. Mesti d. Volti. Here, one could do a 2-fer, as the Talmone Chocolate shop is nearby on the latter street. That choco-shop seemed a more friendly place than the storied pastry shop Sandri, across the way. At Talmone, one is also close to the unique Aquadotto (and also the grisly murder site that once led to so much trouble for American uni student Amanda Knox). Pza Rossi Scotti (aka Porta del Sol) is worth a peek. And of course, there's the obvious Palazzo d. Priori area, with its interesting fountain.

A more peripheral site down in the SE corner, but one just as photogenic and atmospheric, is the sumptuous Chiesa S. Pietro. Some claim that its historic wooden choir row is the best in Italy (best reached by cab or local bus).
Giardini Carducci has some nice views out to the countryside.
The underground transit station was apparently once a historic women's prison--very unique setting.
And for all its 'stars' Brufani palace was not at all stuffy nor exclusive. Great lunch place.

If in that general area, one might also visit the lesser-known Abbazia di S. Pietro, a splurge lodging with a setting and breakfast worth crossing an ocean for.
Two additional quasi-related notes: a) Fendi Pinot Noir made in nearby Valfabrico is the best Pinot that either of us have ever tasted--if you see a bottle then buy it, youz won't regret it. b) Castellucio and its thermal inversion misty sunrises just might make the highlight of your trip. One could drive there just for that rarefied experience whilst parked on the periphery, but given the earthquake devastation (ruptured gas lines) you can no longer actually lodge there unfortunately.

We based in Bevagna and would also recco that.
I am done. the Umbrian experience

Hi allyboy, my late DH never drove in Italy but he and I had an amazing stay in Spoleto. In a separate visit, we based in Perugia and hired a driver.

https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...gio-tr-947180/
We loved our hotel here! Scroll down to page #4 for the Spoleto part.

https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...nd-bus-769131/
We arrived in Rome early enough to catch the train to Perugia.

We visited some wonderful towns. I think you can see where driving is easier. Please share your time in Bella Italia!

Thanks Jean. We will be in Orvieto for 2 nights and I just booked the Hotel Duomo!

Thanks touroclock6289 for all of your suggestions and information regarding Rome neighborhoods, sights to see, towns to visit in Umbria and suggesting Ostiense district for my wife! We are spending time in London soon after our trip to Croatia exploring many neighborhoods with street art there.
I am hoping to book two places in Rome: first at the beginning of our trip for 4 nights in Monti and then at the end for 2 days in Trastervere. We are huge music lovers and so the enticement of listening to live music in the evenings there is a great motivation.

Thank you Zebec for all of your wonderful suggestions regarding Perugia. Since we will have a car it should make it easier to explore, eat and drink all overtt the countryside!

You are welcome. If you might ever require assistance with finding a rental there, Spoleto-based real estate agent Luana Zangarelli could be contacted. She supplied us with our rental overlooking the Bevagna square (and still sends us promo emails every 5 months or so!)
I am done. the Umbrian autumn

Thank you TDudette for all of your information!

Hotels now booked in Orvieto and Rome.
Orvieto: Hotel Duomo
Rome: Monti neighborhood for first 4 nights in Hotel Salotto and last 2 nights in Testavere at The Residenza San Calista

I will be placing this thread on hold for a bit as we travel to Croatia and London for 3 weeks. Thanks to all who have contributed and I will return with many more questions!