We're traveling to Italy in Oct-3 days in Rome at the beginning, 3 days in Fiesole at the end to access Florence and the Chianti Road. We're planning to take a train from Rome, pick up a car in Orvieto, Spoleto or Perugia(suggestions welcome) and tour the hill towns of Umbria. Any thoughts on a well located town with character, good restaurants and easy road access for sights in Umbria. Southern or Northern Umbria? We're only planning one full day in Florence to visit the Uffizi and Acadamia. Our focus is on the countryside.

We had a wonderful stay in the little town of Torgiano, about 10 miles from Perugia, in Hotel Le Tre Vaselle. It is a really nice hotel with a very, very good restaurant.

Torgiano would be an excellent base - the nearby E45 is a toll-free limited-access highway giving you an easy north-south route.

>> Any thoughts on a well located town with character, good restaurants and easy road access for sights in Umbria. <<

Spello fits this criterion.

LaSalle,

I stayed in Spello at the Palazzo Bocci**** for 2 nights (all I could get) and visited Assisi and Montefalco from there. Spello is very special, tiny, untouristed. Close by is Foligno where you can pick up or drop a car at the Avis office which is right in the train station building.

HIGHLY recommend both Spello and Palazzo Bocci!

Buon viaggio!

See http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...n-delights.cfm for some ideas.

We stayed in Assisi for 2 nights several years ago and loved it. We stayed at Hotel Umbra and woudl recommend it.

The train trip from Rome to Orvieto is one easy hour. The Hertz office is around the corner from the train station. By all means, try to arrive noonish and take the funicular from the station to Orvieto Alta and lunch at I Sette Consoli, my favorite in all of Italy.

I always stay with my friends at Le Case Gialle, near Bevagna. Take a look at their website. From there trips to Montefalco (for Sagrantino), Trevi, Spello, Foligno, Asissi and Perugia are short.