From Tuscany to Umbria
Following beautiful trails through rolling farmlands, forests and sleepy country villages steeped history well off the beaten track, the La Tuscia tour is a Hidden Italy special!
The La Tuscia tour starts with a transfer in a private vehicle from Rome that takes you to La Tuscia (pronounced Toosha), the Roman name for the wonderful area that starts on the southern border of Tuscany and overlaps with the lakes of northern Lazio and the mountains of the south-west corner of Umbria.
It is dramatically beautiful, set in the volcanic centre of central Italy and is characterised by rolling downs of black soil, deep basalt canyons, mountain ranges and crater lakes. It has been inhabited since prehistoric times, it is one of the cradles of Italian civilisation: six centuries BC it was the heart of the Etruscan Federation and in the Renaissance it was the stronghold of two of the great papal dynasties. La Tuscia retains many of the glories of its rich past. If you are looking for a truly off-the-beaten-track walk, this is the one for you!
The tour starts in the 'three lost villages of Tuscany' and finishes in the spectacular Umbrian town of Orvieto. On the way you follow paths that pass cross the heart of ancient Etruria, following stretches of the Via Francigena, the original stone road that carried pilgrims, merchants and crusader armies from Papal Rome to northern Italy and the rest of Europe.
Why choose this walk?
- We include a private transfer from Rome to the start of the walk (150 kms away)
- Your luggage is moved each day so all you have to carry on the walks is a daypack
- You will be following trails carved out of living stone that have been used for thousands of years (and you can see it)
- The variety of the walks, taking you through mossy glens straight out of Indian Jones, rolling farmlands, beech forests and stretches of ancient Roman roads
- You will staying some of the most spectacularly sited villages and towns in central Italy, including Pitigliano, overlooking forested ravines; Bolsena, on the edge of a volcanic lake; and Orvieto, completely surrounded by cliffs
- You have 24-hour phone support from our Florence-based team
- You have use of the exclusive Hidden Italy app and walking notes
- You will have a curated list of restaurants in each town (from fancy to cheap and cheerful) with booking details and links
The walks
This is a Grade 3 Walk. The walks range from 8 to 18 kms. The tour starts with shorter walks for the first three days, building up to the two longer walks at the end. The trails mostly follow unsealed country roads through undulating farmlands. and are well-marked There are a couple of rougher sections which follow small but clear trails. Full details on each walk are on the itinerary. Click here.
The self-guided itineraries are rewalked and the notes updated each year.
The accommodation
The accommodation is one of the special features of this tour. As usual, Hidden Italy uses the best accommodation available. All the hotels are in historical buildings in the centre of the small villages and towns including a 4-star resort built on Etruscan foundations; a hotel built in a restored Medici fortress; a family-run hotel in the shadow of the Orvieto cathedral and, my favourite, a 3rd generation country hotel in a tiny rural village. All rooms have an en suite bathroom and air conditioning.
The food
The traditional dishes of Tuscany are Italy's most influential cuisine. The ingredients and techniques of the region have made their mark not just on the menus of the rest of Italy but also abroad, even in France. The produce is of the highest quality, with its mushrooms, truffles and prosciutto especially prized. Wine has always been central to Tuscany's economy and way of life, familiar names like Chianti and Brunello are just a portion of their enormous output.
Umbria, Italy's only landlocked region, may not be accorded quite the same degree of reverence but it has its own specialities, including pasta, pulses, polenta, pork and game, as well as some fine wines such as white Orvieto, and the Sagrantino and Torgiano reds.
Generous breakfasts are included each day (you'll need them for your walks). Hidden Italy will provide you with a curated list with descriptions and locations of three to four restaurants for each town/village you visit (from fancy to more relaxed). This information will be on the Hidden Italy walking App and you will be able to book your meals directly through the App.
Support on the walk
To guide you through this wonderful walk, you will receive: the Hidden Italy roadbook (an eighty-page A5 booklet that includes comprehensive daily walking notes accompanied by detailed maps, updated and revised each year); access to the exclusive Hidden Italy App to complement the roadbook (the App is downloadable to Apple and Android devices and features information about the routes: maps, GPS tracks, altimetric profiles, etc; GPS navigation on all the routes; an alert function if you stray off the track; and an emergency function); twenty-four-hour phone support from our Florence-based Operations Manager.
Booking conditions
To confirm the booking, a deposit of 25% of the total booking cost is required within 7 days of the issue of the invoice. Please note that in the event of customer cancellation, deposits are refunded, less a cancellation fee of $500 per person per tour. Click here for full T&C’s
Interested in the 2. Central Italy: La Tuscia, walking from Pitigliano to Orvieto Self-Guided Walk?
Don't miss out, places are limited. Make your booking now. Book Now › Make an Enquiry ›This 7 day walk from Tuscany to Umbria can be personalised to meet your interests and travel dates.
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Cost
$3,100
per person
- 6 nights accommodation
- All breakfasts included
- Reading lists and historical and cultural notes
- Maps and detailed walking instructions
- Hidden Italy App with GPS to complement the roadbook
- Daily transfers of baggage between hotels
- Pick-up from Rome and transfer to Pitigliano on Day 1
- 24 hour backup from local manager
- City taxes are not included in the cost of the tour
Cost Options
$3100 b&b per person
Single supplement - $900
** Please note a high season surcharge may apply.
Tour costs quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD)
Map
Testimonials
"We had a marvellous time and really appreciated how good it actually was to be in "hidden Italy" among the Etruscans and off the beaten path ... It was a beautiful walk at just the right level of difficulty for us and always most interesting."
– Mike B, La Tuscia walk
View all Testimonials ›2. Central Italy: La Tuscia, walking from Pitigliano to Orvieto FAQs
Find out a little more about the 2. Central Italy: La Tuscia, walking from Pitigliano to Orvieto tour by reading some of our most frequently asked questions.
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