ITALY
Highlights
- Extraordinary remnants of an ancient civilization amid rolling Tuscan hills
- Orvieto, Sovana, Sorano, Pitigliano, Vitozza
- Hill trails, dirt roads, sunken Vie Cave pathways, old Roman roads
- Etruscan necropolis, painted tombs, cave dwellings, Jewish settlement
We'll start here
Sunday Overnight: Altarocca Wine Resort
Meet for a guided walk through Orvieto this afternoon, visiting the highly decorated 13th-century Duomo and the labyrinth of Etruscan caves and tunnels. After the tour, it's a short drive to our resort outside of town. Welcome Dinner tonight at our hotel.
Monday Overnight: Altarocca Wine Resort
From the hotel, follow the 13th century aqueduct up along a woodland trail to the ancient tomb of Golini, where we have a private visit. Then walk on a shady dirt road lined with elegant villas and farmhouses to the Hescanas tomb. We'll stop at an organic farm for a lunch of fresh regional delicacies. Before returning to the hotel, we visit Civita di Bagnoregio, a hilltop town perched on a pinnacle of eroding rock.
Tuesday Overnight: Altarocca Wine Resort
Start the day with a short drive to San Lorenzo Nuovo, to join 'via Francigena' the old Roman pilgrims' trail that once connected Canterbury to Rome. Views of the undulating landscape offer a spectacular backdrop as we make our way to Lake Bolsena, the largest volcanic lake in Europe. We'll have a private boat tour of the lake.
Wednesday Overnight: Hotel Sovana
Leaving Orvieto for Sovana, we enter a landscape of green craggy hills, narrow plateaus and deep volcanic gorges. We'll spend the morning walking to Vitozza, one of the largest cave settlements in Italy with over 200 cave dwellings. After a visit, walk down to the River Lente, and follow the river through woodlands to Sorano, a village set on a large cliff and dominated by the Orsini Fortress. Tour the fortress' underground passageways before driving back to our hotel in Sovana.
Thursday Overnight: Hotel Sovana
After visiting the pretty medieval center of Sovana, a short walk leads down to the archeological park. This area was claimed by the Etruscans thousands of years ago who cut and chiseled the tufo rock to create narrow, soaring pathways leading to sacred burial chambers and necropolises decorated with columns and sculptures. Spend the morning here with a local guide before enjoying a picnic lunch. After lunch we will walk to a local winery that, in addition to modern wine production, also experiments with producing wines in the same cocciopesto wine amphorae used by ancient Romans.
Friday Overnight: Hotel Sovana
Walk in the footsteps of the Etruscans along rural trails and ancient passages to Pitigliano, a jewel set on high tufa cliffs. We explore the medieval streets and Jewish quarter with time to explore and maybe taste some of its exemplary white wines. Farewell Dinner tonight.
Saturday
Say arrivederci at the Orvieto rail station or Rome Fiumicino Airport.
The Vie Cave, roads carved deeply into the landscape, are both spectacular and mysterious.
Terrain: Hill trails, dirt roads and the 'Vie Cave', Etruscan pathways cut out of volcanic tufo rock.
4-8 miles walking per day.
4-8 miles walking per day.
TRIP DETAILS
6 nights from
$4,095.00
Per Person, Double occupancy
(Single Supplement $595.00)
(Single Supplement $595.00)
Our Wayfarers friends' Price is $3,890.00
Dates
Arrival: Orvieto
Departure: Orvieto Rail Station or Rome Fiumicino Airport
Departure: Orvieto Rail Station or Rome Fiumicino Airport
Hotels - Where we stay
Altarocca Wine Resort
Surrounded by countryside at the borders of Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio, Altarocca Wine Resort overlooks the town of Orvieto, which is 4.3 miles away. The estate is an organic farm of 10 hectares, and offers 2 outdoor swimming pools and a spa. All rooms at the Altarocca feature a patio, and are equipped with a flat-screen, satellite TV and free Wi-Fi. The property has several buildings and rooms can be located in separate buildings up to 1,000 feet from reception. The Michelin-awarded Altarocca Restaurant features a dining hall with panoramic views, and serves Italian cuisine and Umbrian specialties. There is also a poolside bar serving snacks, drinks and light meals.
Address: Localita Rocca Ripesena 62 - Orvieto, 05010
Website: http://www.altaroccawineresort.com/en/
Website: http://www.altaroccawineresort.com/en/
Hotel Sovana
The beauty of a perfectly conserved medieval village, a one-of-a-kind view of the Tuscan hills and the Romanesque Cathedral, the olive groves in the large park..., this is what frames Sovana Hotel & Resort. Elegant and intimate with both interiors and exteriors decorated to the finest details, and beautifully embellished furniture which ranges from ancient antiquities to a permanent exhibition of modern art. The breakfast hall and large outdoor garden both have view of the ruins of ancient Etruscan Sovana. The Sovana Hotel and Resort is set in a large park and has a pool and a solarium area. The rustic-chic rooms with exposed beams offer flat-screen TVs and mini fridges. Room service and laundry service available.
Address: via del Duomo 66 - Sovana, 58010
Website: http://www.sovanahotel.it
Website: http://www.sovanahotel.it
Start planning your trip
What Is Included in the Price of My Vacation
- Full-time services of two staff - a Walk Leader and Walk Manager
- A backup vehicle for resting walkers and moving luggage
- Comprehensive Travel Information Package and Reading List
- Diverse itineraries with an emphasis on history, geography, culture, peoples, flora and fauna
- Demonstrations, wine tasting, admissions to museums and historic sites
- All ground transfers (ferries, cable cars, trains, etc.)
- Maps and unique souvenirs to commemorate your trip
- First-class accommodations with cultural and historical interest
- All meals - with choices - (Special dietary requirements? No problem!)
- Wine with dinner
- On-trail snacks and refreshments
- All gratuities at hotels and restaurants
