Umbria towns -- honeymoon
 

We plan to honeymoon in Italy next spring, spending the first five/six days cycling through Umbria and then going to Florence for a few days with a day trip or two built in.

We'd like some advice on the Umbrian towns to help us select a cycling itinerary:
Itin 1 -- Torgiano, Assisi, Deruta, Spello, Montefalco, Spoleto
Itin 2 -- Perugia, Assisi, Montefalco, Todi, Orvieto

When we finish the cycling tour, we would like to stop in Montalcino or Montepulciano on our way to Florence. How would we get from either Spoleto or Orvieto to these Tuscan towns? I can't tell based on the trenitalia Web site.

Many thanks for your help.

The second itinerary is more challenging, because all those towns are on some fairly steep hills. I would still pick that over the first itinerary because Torgiano and Deruta, while nice towns, are not all that special. Spello is one of my favorite Umbrian towns but if you are up for the more challenging route, I'd still say go with the second itinerary. Plus, if you end in Orvieto, you will be closer to Montepulciano and Montalcino, although I don't believe a train goes to either town from Orvieto. You could take a train from Orvieto to Chuisi and then a bus to either town.

I agree--Torgiano and Deruta are not very special as villages, but you have to include Bevagna and Bettona--perhaps that was inferred by the routing. I hope you have a good map. Orvieto is a long way--are you sure?

Thanks for the advice. Both tours are about 40km per day, though the company hosting the tour does say that Todi and Orvieto are more challenging rides.

I thought Deruta might be nice because of the ceramics. Or is that something you find in any of these towns?

True, Deruta has many ceramics shops, but you can find ceramics almost anywhere in Umbria and especially in Assisi and Perugia.

I agree with the others--the second one is best. Spello is absolutely a charmer! There is a wine shop there run by two brothers that has an ancient olive oil press in the floor. I will have to check my notes to get the name. We had such a charming visit with them--We spoke no italian--one brother also spoke french and I speak a little french.He and I conversed in french--I translated in English to my husband and he translated in Italian for his brother--comical, but it worked. Delightful--one of those unplanned memories that always seem to be the BEST!

Thanks all! Are Spello and Spoleto smaller cities, compared to Perguia/Assisi?

What's the attraction(s) in Todi and Orvieto?

Thanks again, we need to decide if the pain in our legs from cycling those steep hills will be worth it for the cities listed in the second itinerary.

Orvieto is famous for its cathedral which is sort of Italian gothic with a beautiful facade. It also has a very unique location, on what seems like a mesa. It's a beautiful city. Todi is also very special for its church, and its town center is quite nice.

I like Spello a lot as well (we visited last week and loved it--it really IS a charmer!), but the second itinerary probably gets my vote as well, although, like the others said, Todi and Orvieto are much farther away, and bike riding will be a challenge.

Spello is pretty small, while Spoleto is a bit larger, and it has a very nice city center.