My 3 Day Umbrian Plan. What do you think?
 

Hi Guys,

My husband I will be staying in Montefalco for 4 nights from Sept 23-27 to celebrate our first wedding anniversary. I think I have an idea of what we want to do but I would like your input if you think you have something better in mind. We will have our own car and accommodation is already booked. Our priorities are wine and food and beautiful views. We are not really into art or history but they interest us to a certain extent.

Sept 23: Arrive at Rome Airport @ 8:30am and pickup car. Drive to Montefalco. I am thinking we will get here by 12:30 at the latest? We can get showered and changed and either 1. Eat lunch then go to Mantioni winery and olive oil producer for tastings or 2. Have lunch at Mantioni. Spend the rest of our day around Montefalco and have an early dinner.

Sept 24: Arrive in Assisi by 8am and spend half a day. We feel like we need to go check it out just because we're so close but don't have any religion reasons. Possibly go to Bibenda to try some wine or go straight to Spello and have lunch @ Enoteca Properizo. Spend the rest of the afternoon in Spello. Dinner in Montefalco or Bevagna.

Sept 25: Visit Todi in the morning and possibly visit and eat at Fontanafredda winery. Spend the afternoon around Bevagna and Montefalco and maybe visit a wine producer. Dinner at La Cantina in Spello.

Sept 26: Gusto Wine Tours. Hubby is choosing dinner so whatever he decides.

Sept 27: Cortona before we go to our accommodations in Montepulciano.

Do you think we could do more? Visit somewhere else instead? Opinions please :)

How could we put Spoleto into this? Does anyone have any recommendations for where to try Olive Oil?

Yes, the drive from FCO should take about 2.5 hours. Good restaurant right off the main piazza, Entoca Federico II. Read this about driving in Italy, especially the ZTL part.

http://driventoit.blogspot.com.au/

It sounds good, but I'd encourage you to just drive/wander around a bit and see more of Umbria than you've mentioned. Then again, I'm not one to decide where I'm going to have lunch before I've even left home. We've had so many happy discoveries without planning.

I'm not a big fan of Cortona, but you could certainly make another stop or two along the way to Montepulciano. Because of a recent thread here on local arts and crafts, I'm itching to return to the Lake Trasimeno area and hunt down the hand-made lace the area is known for.

Can I ask where you're going after Montepulciano?

I like Spoleto. We spent a week there a few years ago, but I wouldn't add it to your itinerary because I think you could spend the better part of a day getting there and back and exploring the town. I'd spend the time seeing more small towns.

Here's a link to the arts and crafts thread I mentioned.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...s-in-italy.cfm

Gubbio would be an easy reach and worth a few hours.

You're on the major tourist route through Umbria, which is fine, but there are hundreds of small places that are far, far more interesting, to me at least, than Assisi and Cortona (the latter which I absolutely hated, and have been there 3 times ). Get out to some of the off-the-charts spa towns in the mountains, visit Panicale and the museum in Chiusi and Pienza and Lago Trasimeno and surrounds.

Olive oil should be the least of your concerns. You'll be drowning in it, everywhere.

In Assisi, do get off the main drag and wander around the back streets, very pretty homes decorated with flowers and some pretty views.

I agree with others that you're missing out some on some of the smaller gems in Umbria. Clearly, you seem to be into wines, but over three days, I think a full-day tour with Gusto would be enough for me and I'd prefer to balance my remaining time visiting Umbria's many charming towns--bearing in mind that you can readily have wine just about anywhere; you don't need to go to a cantina. But certainly it is your time and trip! :)

Bear in mind that the towns are best seen before lunch or late afternoon. Right after lunch they become very quiet and lots of places close for several hours. We found it the best time to drive through the countryside to another town during that time (or simply find a pretty place to sit and relax).

We enjoyed Assisi the first time we saw it midweek in the morning, but I think we lucked out on a day where there weren't many visitors. On a Saturday in September? I think I'd give it a pass. It will be clogged with tour groups. If you do want to see it, consider going early evening or for dinner.

For olive oil, some of the wineries will have their own to try. Otherwise, you might try Vino Sophia in Spello. Spello will be busy on Saturday for lunch; you might want to try to reserve ahead. Definitely reserve at La Cantina, too. It gets busy. But in truth, I think there are better restaurants in Montefalco and Bevagna. I don't know that I'd drive to Spello for La Cantina.

I'd start scoping out someplace to eat for Sunday dinner. Lots of places close on Sunday; it may be slim pickings. Be sure to eat lunch or dinner at L'Alchemista in Montefalco. Reserve ahead. I'd definitely choose it over La Cantina.

You mentioned Mantioni. It's Montioni I suspect. Do they offer lunch? I don't see that on their website. Each of us is different, but after a 2.5 hour drive and an overseas flight, I'm not sure I'd be up to a cantina visit. I think I'd opt for a leisurely lunch and maybe a visit to one of Montefalco's tasting rooms.

I stayed in Spello this June. It is very close to Montefalco. Not sure you need a half day for Spello, and bear in mind that quite a bit of the upper part of the town is under construction. That said, the church and the town are lovely.

Like indiyhiker, we preferred the restaurants in Bevagna to those in Spello. I *love* La Cantina; it was fine, but nothing to drive to.

And it may be because there was a festival going on when we visited Bevagna, but I liked Bevagna very much, even though it is flat and I am a confirmed hill person. I also liked Spoleto a lot because there was so much to see but I agree that Spoleto warrants perhaps more time than you have.

It's good to have a list of places you want to see and then just decide while there if you really feel like driving to visit someplace.

I don't know what is going on with the site, but I post and then it doesn't appear. I'll try again and just say that I enjoyed a dinner at Il Mulino in Spello much more than La Cantina.

Re Assisi, I think you could easily end up spending more than just a half day there. Besides the Basilica, which is amazing, there are other beautiful churches worth a visit even if not for religious purposes.

Yes, Assisi is filled with hoards of tour groups and "pilgrims" but I think if you get a really early start and visit the Basilica first, you may avoid the worst of it.

You're sure you won't be sleepy and jet-lagged when you arrive in Rome? Too sleepy and jet-lagged to drive?

Renting a car in Italy, you must get CDW insurance and an International Driver's Permit, to be accompanied by your home license. The IDP is easily and cheaply available at your local CAA office.

And Italy has very strict drunk driving laws. Are there enough walkable restaurant options in Montefalco for wine-y dinners? Speaking of wine, consider Montalcino (Brunello di) instead of Cortona.

Easy drive from FCO to Montefalco.
When visiting Assisi, drive above town to visit the Eremo delle Carceri where St. Francis spent time in this beautiful woodland setting.
Wander about the Umbrian villages and wineries, vineyards.

<drive above the town>

Not only for the setting, but when parking is difficult entering the town, we have found the parking above the town always has spaces for a car.

Then an easy walk down to the church area.

Thanks everyone, that information is very helpful.

To find all these wonderful small towns that are off the tourist track do you suggest we just randomly drive and see what pops up? I don't need a fully planned out day but would like to have some idea of where to head to :)

How would you suggest I redo my itinerary? We really don't have our heart set on anything, we just want to see the best of what Umbria can offer us in our short town.

Definitely planning on going to L'Alchimista for dinner one night.

Jean- We will be going To Montepulciano for 5 nights, Bologna/Modena/Parma for 4 nights and then Piedmont region for 5 nights.

If you're into ceramics at all, head to Deruta. We've bought most of our pieces from shops in the lower (newer) town, but the upper town and its ceramics museum are interesting.

If you like to hike, there's a lovely hike from the upper part of Spello along a Roman aqueduct.

I probably should have also mentioned we plan to see Pienza and Montalcino while we're in Montepulciano.

indyhiker- Where do you recommend to have dinner? We were thinking L'Alchimista, Locanda del Teatro and Trattoria di Oscar in Bevagna. Montioni actually emailed with the option of having lunch with the tastings.

BTW, Short town was supposed to say short time in the previous post.

<< Not only for the setting, but when parking is difficult entering the town, we have found the parking above the town always has spaces for a car.

Then an easy walk down to the church area. >>

Yeah... but that walk back up is a killer! LOL!

I parked at the garage at the top of town when staying in Assisi one night... walking back up with an overnight bag was a challenge!

I think those restaurants are great options. If you decide to have dinner in Spello, you might try Il Pinturucchio, especially for grilled lamb and pork. I will warn you that at some point, you'll likely need a break from heavy Umbrian food. You might scope out a decent place for pizza, salad, etc.

By the way, L'Alchemista's scrambled eggs with truffle are sublime. I highly recommend them. The pigeon there is also very good.

For Assisi, we've always parked at Parcheggi Mojano. Convenient and a short walk/climb to Piazza Commune.

Umbria is wonderful. I hope you enjoy your stay. I hope you report back.

Can't disagree with joannnyc about the walk back to the upper parking lot.

Especially for young people.

We were only 75 and 72 at the time and didn't seem too have too much trouble.

LOL